Located on the west coast of the Big Island, Keahole Center For Sustainability is a nonprofit, charitable organization offering both virtual and physical tours showcasing the development of renewable energy resources and uses of cold deep seawater and warm surface sea water in innovative aquaculture and mariculture activities and much more.
Keahole Center For Sustainability relies heavily on a dedicated and wonderful team of volunteers, who give their time, knowledge, and expertise because of their belief in Keahole Center For Sustainability mission.
Presentations/tours are offered Monday through Friday at 10 am, excluding holidays. Reservations are suggested.
Our Mission
Keahole Center for Sustainability Mission: To promote education and advocacy through the culturally sensitive and environmentally sound use of sunlight and seawater for a sustainable future for Hawaii.
Founded as the Friends of NELHA in 2001, the KCS will continue to offer themed, weekday tours of HOST’s research and cutting-edge industries for both visitors and Hawai‘i students.
“Educating and inspiring people of all ages toward the responsible use of renewable resources for energy, aquaculture, research, STEM economic development and conservation is our new vision,” states Candee Ellsworth-Groh, KCS executive director. “To this end, we will share information about HOST tenants and others practicing the culturally sensitive and environmentally sound use of sunlight and seawater for a sustainable future for Hawai‘i.”
KCS operates out of HOST’S iconic Gateway Energy Center, Hawai‘i’s first certified LEED Platinum resource-efficient building. Easily visible from Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway, the center offers displays about HOST tenants while all tours begin with an introduction on how the center is cooled by cold deep-sea water pumped ashore by the Natural Energy Lab of Hawai‘i Authority (NELHA).
Three themed tours are offered on different weekdays —Seas the Day, Ocean Conservation and Sustainable Aquaculture—when visitors view the select operations of HOST tenants. Tenant participants include the Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Tower (OTEC), West Hawai‘i Explorations Academy, Legacy Reef Foundation, Ke Kai Ola Hawaiian monk seal rehabilitation center, Kampachi Farms, Big Island Abalone and the Hale Iaco business incubator.
Our Vision
Keahole Center For Sustainability vision is to be the premier provider of education and outreach to coastal communities regarding responsible use of renewable resources for energy, aquaculture and related applications.