The Hawaiian Electric Companies has launched NEM Plus, a program that allows Net Energy Metering customers to add features such as energy storage to their rooftop solar systems—as long as the new equipment doesn’t export power to the grid.
The program, which started this week, is only available to existing NEM customers with a signed agreement at Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric and Hawaiʻi Electric Light. There are about 71,000 NEM customers across the companies’ five-island service territory.
NEM Plus allows NEM customers to maintain their current program status if they choose to add a non-exporting renewable system with or without energy storage, or a standalone energy storage system.
“We’re excited to offer this new program as an option for NEM customers who previously weren’t able to make changes to their systems without affecting their status in the program,” said Jim Alberts, senior vice president of customer service.
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NEM Plus could be a cost-effective option for customers who are consistently paying for energy delivered to them, above and beyond the minimum bill. It also might benefit NEM customers who want to make home improvements such as adding rooms or split air conditioning, or to add an electric vehicle or two to their household. NEM customers who already pay only the minimum bill throughout most or all of the year would not benefit from NEM Plus.
NEM customers interested in applying for NEM Plus should note that the program doesn’t allow energy from the new equipment to be exported to the grid. In concept, the NEM Plus program is the equivalent of adding a Customer Self-Supply system at the same location as an active NEM system.
NEM customers interested in making changes to their existing system must go through the standard process of submitting an amendment form. This submission is separate from the NEM Plus application.
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