The Bank of Hawaii is helping provide funding for a solar energy project at the South Pacific Academy in American Samoa.

The Honolulu-based bank is contributing $5,000 toward the $25,000 project, which will generate electricity for the school using 12 photovoltaic panels. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is contributing $13,500.

As part of the project, which is expected to cut the school's electricity bill by $1, 200 a year, SPA students will provide the American Samoa Power Authority with data received through photovoltaic solar panels. In exchange for the data, ASPA agreed to provide partial funding for the project. The school plans to install the system and and have it operating by January.

"SPA is grateful to the Bank of Hawaii and the USDA for their tremendous support of this project and to ASPA for providing the final funding to make the project a reality," said school Principal Evelyn Lili'o.