Hawaiian Electric readies for expansions to community solar program

Hawaiian Electric is set to expand massively beyond the 8-megawatt limitation of its first phase community-based renewable energy program, thanks to approvals from the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission.

The second phase of the program would see a leap from that 8 MW to 235 MW of renewable generation across the utility’s five-island service territory. It would open greater opportunities for low- and middle-income residential customers to participate and give Hawaiian Electric the capability to develop projects and recruit subscribers beyond private companies.

“We welcome the commission’s ruling, especially the expressed goal to move ahead on a robust program that can help reinvigorate Hawaii’s economy and support recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, while advancing our state’s clean energy goals,” Shelee Kimura, Hawaiian Electric senior vice president of customer service, said. “We have a lot of procedural groundwork during the coming year before residential customers can begin to sign up, but we’re committed to making this program work.”

Recommendations made by the commission included Hawaiian Electric considers expanded pay-as-you-go or on-bill repayment plans for customers that cannot afford large down payments, among other financing options. The goal is as broad a participation as possible. Any established renewable energy technology is open for consideration. However, its most notable feature is its solar option, which allows customers without the ability to erect solar panels on their roofs to still subscribe to part of the solar power generated by larger-scale facilities on their island. They are then credited on bills based on the size and output of their portion of that facility.

Going forward, Hawaiian Electric intends to pursue a request for proposals process, technical conferences, and special rate structures designed to move the process quickly forward over the coming months.