A major housing developer in Hawai'i will receive technical assistance from the U.S. Department of Energy to determine whether it's feasible to incorporate photovoltaic power and smart-grid electricity distribution at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kane'ohe and a state-sponsored affordable housing project on the Big Island.

The technical assistance award aims to help reduce energy consumption for 2,092 Marine Corps homes and 2,206 homes slated for construction in West Hawai'i by Forest City Residential Group Inc.

Forest City envisions developing rooftop photovoltaic systems and a smart electrical grid on the Marine base, and a ground-based photovoltaic system and smart grid on the Big Island affordable housing project.

Tom Kimbis, an Energy Department official, in a statement said that solar energy and smart-grid technologies are critical to meeting federal and state renewable energy goals, and that he hopes the department's assistance will help Forest City break down barriers to wide-scale solar energy commercialization.

"Lessons learned from these projects can then be replicated elsewhere in Hawai'i and across the nation," he said.

The technical assistance award is part of the Energy Department's Solar America Showcases program, and provides technical assistance from federally funded experts at several energy and engineering institutions.