Maui Non-Profit Wins Video Contest and $25,000 Solar Energy System

Families working in the garden at Maui Farm. Courtesy image.

By Wendy Osher

The La‘a Kea Foundation on Maui will receive of a $25,000 solar energy system as a reward for winning the Mahalo Hawaiʻi Facebook video contest hosted by Enphase Energy, Inc.

The Maui-based non-profit organization was among 16 entrants that attempted to show the benefits of solar use to their business through a video presentation.  The videos were then posted online, where participating organizations solicited votes through social media.

The La‘a Kea Foundation earned an estimated 15,000 votes, out of the total 38,000 votes cast during the solar competition, by highlighting the demand for solar and its proposed benefits in reducing costs at the organization’s 12-acre organic farm in Upper Pāʻia, officials said.

“We are so very pleased to be able to help Laʻa Kea in its mission to improve the lives of those participating in this wonderful program. This system allows La‘a Kea to use a renewable energy source and reduce their energy costs,” said Bill Rossi, CMO for Enphase in a company press release.

“Having almost reached 25,000 installations across Hawaii is a great testament to Hawaiʻi’s commitment to solar energy and shows confidence in Enphase’s technology. The Mahalo giveaway is our way of saying thank you and doing something special for the community,” he said.

La‘a Kea Foundation’s president of the Board of Directors, Donna Ting also commented saying, “We want to thank Enphase for this generous donation and the thousands of friends and neighbors who voted for us. It was an incredible community effort.”

“Going solar is important. It helps us be a more responsible steward of our resources and that is a good example for our residents and the community. The savings from the solar system will allow us to continue to focus on our mission of serving Maui residents with developmental disabilities and helping them thrive in our community,” she said.

Enphase Energy offers a new approach to the installation, operation and maintenance of solar energy systems through microinverter technology, that company officials say, “increases energy production, simplifies design and installation, improves system up-time and reliability, reduces fire safety risk and provides a platform for intelligent energy management.”

***Supporting information courtesy Enphase Energy.