About Nelha

Established in 1974, NELHA's original aim was to develop alternative energy sources, including ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) and geothermal. Now a major player at the intersection of climate resilience, food security, and economic diversification, that original goal has evolved into a broader mission: to develop and diversify the Hawaii economy by providing resources and facilities for energy and ocean-related research, education, and commercial activities in an environmentally sound and culturally sensitive manner.

A major part of meeting that broader mission is in NELHA's incubation and acceleration of exciting new private sector companies in the energy and sustainability arena. NELHA possesses an extraordinary combination of physical infrastructure and access to natural energy resources, and holds a unique place in the Pacific for energy and distributed energy applied research, demonstration, test and evaluation, and deployment of clean energy technologies.

Our beating heart is the Hawaiʻi Ocean Science and Technology (HOST) Park—funded by the State of Hawaii and administered by NELHA—which sits on 870 acres at Keāhole Point. Thanks to high solar insolation (among the highest for coastal areas in the United States), extremely low rainfall, and access to some of the world's most pristine sea water, Keāhole Point is an ideal location for a clean energy R&D test bed. 

The park hosts many innovative new businesses in state-of-the-art facilities, serves as a unique outdoor demonstration site for emerging renewable and ocean-based technologies, and features three sets of pipelines that deliver both deep sea (up to 3000 ft) and surface water. 

Because of these ideal features, and our unique set of assets and resources, NELHA is one of the preeminent places on the planet to attract and develop clean energy and sustainable food businesses.