To hear Hawai'i congressional members tell it, a key component of Hawai'i's renewable energy future sits atop a pre-World War II hangar on Ford Island.

That's where nearly an acre of 1,545 sea-blue solar panels will produce 309 kilowatts of electricity — enough to power 300 homes and save the Navy $40,000 a year.

The $2.5 million photovoltaic array — the biggest in Hawai'i — was dedicated yesterday with remarks from Hawai'i congressional members and Navy officials and a blessing by Kahu Danny Akaka.

"We're trying to put a practical face on what has been a discussion for years and years and years," said U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawai'i.

The solar power system began several years ago as a Hawaiian Electric Co. initiative and joint venture with the Navy for a large-scale "energy park" on 34 1/2 acres of Navy land in the West Loch area, but evolved into a smaller project on the rooftop of Hangar 54 on Ford Island, built in 1935 and slated to be used by the Military Aviation Museum of the Pacific.

"This is just the first step. Again, that's not the first time you've heard this kind of discussion," Abercrombie said at the dedication, which was attended by about two dozen people under a tent canopy next to the hangar. "But this first step is that. We're going to take that second and that third and that fourth step."

What is needed is the support of Hawai'i's people in "believing that we can actually do this," he added.

"Wouldn't it be great in the 21st Century to have a revitalized and renewed sugar industry that was actually growing our energy for ethanol?" Abercrombie said. "... We're working on that."

U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawai'i, said it's imperative with Hawai'i being in a militarily strategic location that the state continue to make advances in renewable energy — particularly solar energy.

The military in Hawai'i already is taking a leading role in solar power.

Actus Lend Lease, renovating 2,506 homes and building 5,388 new ones on O'ahu military bases and in military neighborhoods, plans to install photovoltaic systems on nearly 3,000 new homes, creating the world's largest solar-powered residential community.

PowerLight Solar Electric Systems of California, which built the Ford Island array, also built a 750-kilowatt solar electric system at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, which is the largest federal photovoltaic system in the country.

Navy Region Hawai'i commander Rear Adm. Michael Vitale said a $1.7 million project is being started to retrofit 18,000 lighting fixtures that will save the Navy $540,000 a year. He added that a photovoltaic system at Barking Sands on Kaua'i lights the streets at night, and 700 vending machines are being altered to shut off when not in use, saving power.

Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com.