Business

Tides of Commerce

Co-founders Leo Caires and Fred Brown of Maui-based Gen-X Energy have completed their first microgrid project for a more than 400-acre agriculture operation in Hawaii.

A remote farming operation on the Big Island is benefiting from a commercial-scale water pumping system. It uses wind power and a grid-forming inverter, battery bank and PLC-based supervisory controls, all housed in a 20-foot container, also known as Skygrid Energy.

According to an announcement, microgrid development marks a growing trend of maximizing renewable energy and load control on site. Microgrid development avoids the requirement of excess renewable generation, energy loss via lengthy transmission and excess curtailment that is common among larger utility systems.

With funding from the U.S. Department of Energy and private investment, Gen-X Energy Development LLC plans to replicate and deploy the scalable microgrid solution throughout Hawaii and globally.

Gen-X Energy was formed in 2009 in Hawaii to create innovative renewable energy solutions for commercial and utility-scale customers. The microgrid, Skygrid Energy, is an alternative operating platform system developed by Gen-X.

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Hotel on list. Honua Kai Resort & Spa is on Expedia’s 2013 Insiders’ Select List for a third year in a row, according to an announcement. This year, the resort ranked 47th in the Top 100 Hotels category. The list recognizes the top-ranked hotels available on Expedia sites worldwide, as judged by more than 1 million annual guest reviews. The hotel is on Kaanapali’s North Beach.

* Tides of Commerce is a business feature that will run from time to time with information on new businesses and awards and recognitions of Maui County businesses.

Business

Tides of Commerce

With traveler feedback and industry research, TripAdvisor.com has named Maui to its list of “Best Family Vacation Destinations,” an announcement said.

The list was based on a variety of factors, including child-friendly activities, fun attractions for all ages and the family-friendly attitude of a visitor destination. For more information, go to www.flipkey.com/trip-ideas/family-travel/.

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Businesses showcased on Oahu. Sixteen Maui and Molokai businesses were selected to receive assistance from Mayor Alan Arakawa’s Office of Economic Development and INNOVATE Hawaii to take their locally made products for exhibition to the Made in Hawaii Festival on Oahu in August.

The winners were: Adoboloco, Aloha Botanicals Maui, D’Rae Designs, Lako Kula Designs, Maui Bling by Deneen, Maui’s Dee-Lites, Maui Dog Treats, Maui Upcountry Jams & Jellies, Maui Preserved, Patticakes Bakery, P*sters, Sweet Paradise Chocolatier, 808 Clothing Inc., Kalapaki Girl (Molokai), Kupu A’e (Molokai) and Art Beads Maui (Molokai).

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New school opens. IBS School of Cosmetology and Massage has opened in Kahului. A full-time class is being held. There will be full- and part-time programs offered in the future, an announcement said.

The 5,000-square-foot facility is at 110 Kaahumanu Ave., Suite 201.

For more information, call 214-5293 or send email to mai@ibs-or.com. The school’s website is at www.ibs-or.com.

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More snorkel. The Snorkel Store, a beach gear rental company, will open a second location on Maui at the Fairway Shops on Kekaa Drive in Kaanapali on Oct. 1, according to an announcement. Its other location is at the Lahaina Square Shopping Center.

The store rents out snorkel sets, surfboards, stand-up paddle boards, beach chairs, umbrellas, coolers, boogie boards, floatation belts and high-definition underwater camera masks.

* Tides of Commerce is a business feature that will run from time to time with information on new businesses and awards and recognitions of Maui County businesses.