Hawaiian Electric Co. will spend $4.7 million on electrical upgrades for the Navy in order to build what the utility says is the lowest-priced solar farm in the state.
The electricity utility said Monday it applied with the state Public Utilities Commission to develop a 20-megawatt solar energy facility that would send power to the grid at 9.54 cents a kilowatt-hour.
In exchange for building the solar facility on $5.2 million worth of the Navy’s land, HECO will spend $4.7 million for upgrades to the Navy’s electrical infrastructure. HECO said the upgrades are included in the $67 million project costs.
HECO spokesman Darren Pai said the utility would not have ordinarily paid for the upgrades because the infrastructure is owned, operated and maintained by the Navy.
“For these kinds of leases, the Navy Renewable Energy Program Office prefers in-kind considerations to cash payments because this work directly benefits the local military installation and can be directed toward improvements for energy resiliency and renewable integration,” Pai said.
Google gets aggressive with new phones
SAN FRANCISCO >> Google launched an aggressive challenge to consumer electronics giants like Apple and Samsung on Tuesday, introducing a new line of smartphones called Pixel and other gadgets designed to showcase a digital helper the company calls “Google Assistant.”
The new devices represent a push by Google to make and sell its own hardware instead of largely just supplying software for other manufacturers. At a starting price of roughly $650, the new Pixel phones are aimed at the same markets as Apple’s iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy phones.
IMF cuts forecast for U.S. economic growth
WASHINGTON >> The International Monetary Fund is downgrading its forecast for the U.S. economy this year and warns that political discontent threatens global growth.
The IMF on Tuesday cut its estimate for U.S. economic growth in 2016 to 1.6 percent from the 2.2 percent it had predicted in July. The American economy grew 2.6 percent in 2015.
The fund’s dimmer outlook for the U.S. occurs even as the Federal Reserve is thought to be preparing to raise interest rates in December.
Ford F-150 brake failure probe widens
DETROIT >> U.S. safety regulators are investigating whether a recall of Ford F-150 pickup trucks for brake failures should be expanded to more model years.
The probe covers about 282,000 pickups with 3.5-liter six-cylinder engines from 2015 and 2016. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it has received 25 complaints alleging sudden brake loss in the trucks. No crashes or injuries were reported.
In May, Ford recalled about 271,000 six-cylinder F-150s from 2013 and 2014.
The safety agency says it received 10 complaints about 2015 brake failures and another 15 about the 2016 models. Investigators will decide whether the 2015 and 2016 models should be added to the recall.
Toys R Us sells FAO Schwarz brand
NEW YORK >> Toys R Us has sold its FAO Schwarz brand to ThreeSixty Group, a company that designs and sells toys, home goods and other products, for an undisclosed price.
FAO Schwarz, founded in 1862, was known for its New York toy store, which was a magnet for tourists. But Toys R Us, which bought FAO Schwarz in 2009, shuttered the store last year to save money.
Ericsson cuts 3,000 jobs in Sweden
STOCKHOLM >> Ericsson said Tuesday it will cut 3,000 jobs in Sweden, or nearly 20 percent of its local workforce, and will downsize operations at several plants as part of its global plan to cut costs by $1 billion in 2017.
The Swedish networks company employs 115,000 people globally, 16,000 in Sweden, and said the layoffs are a necessary part of its transformation to meet “fast technology shifts and the digitalization of the telecom industry.”
ON THE MOVE
Architects Hawaii has promoted the following employees to Designer I from Designer/Drafter II:
>> Celeste Matsukawa previously focused on projects for the U.S. Department of Defense and state Department of Education, including Moanalua High School Performing Arts Center phase 2 and Farrington High School master plan and phase 1.
>> Erin Marquez previously worked on design and construction administration sides of projects, including the Kona Judiciary Complex and the Joint Traffic Management Center project.
