In late 2005, Hoku Scientific, Inc. established its headquarters and their only fuel cell membrane production facility in Kapolei, and now only less than 2 years after their opening, the company plans to sell their Kapolei headquarters and move to a smaller location on Oahu.

The downsizing of the company came as a result of the company’s fuel cell business’ inability to

"Produce meaningful revenue or profits and…has been limited to maintaining and pursuing intellectual property protection for the company’s inventions, and fulfilling its obligations in its contract with the U.S. Navy," according to Hoku Scientific Inc.

As a result, Hoku Scientific has shifted its attention to its 67-acre polysilicon plant, currently under construction in Pocatello, Idaho, and recently singed contracts with Solar-Fabrik AG, Suntech Power Holding Co., and SANYO Electric Co. to provide polysilicon to the companies for use in solar power cells and computer chips. Originally, Hoku Solar had plans to install a solar module line at their Kapolei location, but the change in the company’s focus and the ability for the future Idaho facility to produce 30 megawatts of solar modules and 3,000 metric tons of polysilicon per year presents itself as a worthy trade.

Nonetheless, even though the company no longer plans to enter the solar module production business, they will continue to

"Market, sell, and install turnkey photovoltaic systems here in Hawaii," says Hoku Scientific.

The solar power market in Hawaii has been on the rise since the solar power boom in the continental U.S., according to Rick Reed of the Hawaii Solar Energy Association, although the actualization of the solar market meeting that demand has yet to happen. Shortages of polysilicon and solar module production sites have been the two leading problems with the solar power problem in the islands.

Hoku Scientific hopes that their market plans for photovoltaic systems will still take flight, even with the change in their focus from Hawaii to Idaho. In addition, the development of their plant in Idaho will hopefully bring a large source of polysilicon and solar modules that can help naturally springboard the solar power supply to meet the demand that has been too far reaching for so long.

The United States, in recent years, has pushed the move toward renewable energy, and so has the state. In Governor Linda Lingle and Lt. Governor Duke Aiona’s 2007 Legislative Initiatives, there is a definitive plan to promote greater efficiency and renewable energy in order to preserve our natural environment. There are also numerous private sector entities, such as retailers like Wal-Mart and Apple, that are “going green” and the trend toward renewable energy does not look like its going to stop anytime soon.

For more information on solar power or renewable energy visit www.hokuscientific.com or www.nrel.gov.