Hawaii-Molokai Solar Sea Salt

HMSSS project focuses on the production of solar sea salt-leveraging sun, seawater, and wind resources-as the basis for commercial enterprises, jobs, and entrepreneurial opportunities for Molokai, an economically depressed community. The feasibility of HMSSS processes was clearly substantiated by Phase I test results, which showed that the processed products met FDA requirements. Phase II is the critical step to commercialization. Refinement in production systems, documentation of processes for community entry, further development of direct seawater retrieval and solar power systems, and extensions of commercial plans (marketing, operations, and financing) are primary activities for this research and development. With these implementations, HMSSS can directly create full-time and part-time jobs over the next two years, significant in a community with high unemployment. The project will expand economic development by allowing interested individuals choice in their participation at the commercial level of production. Choices will include direct employment, as well as entrepreneurial engagement in varying stages of salt production: processing, wholesaling, and retailing.