4 Big Island projects selected for second phase of shared solar program

Hawaiian Electric has selected four projects on the Big Island in the second phase of its shared solar program.

Shared solar, also known as community-based renewable energy, provides a way for participating subscribers without privately-owned rooftop solar to benefit from electricity generated by a renewable energy facility located on their island.

Two projects are being co-developed by Pivot Energy & Arion Energy and two projects are being developed by Waikōloa Community Solar.

Pivot Energy and Arion Energy are developing:

• The Ka Lae Solar Farm, a 0.50 MW Solar PV generation plant, covering 15.40 acres at 93-5570 Kai Makani Place in Nāʻālehu on the South side.
• The Ka Lae 2 Solar Farm, a 0.50 MW Solar PV Generation Plant covering 16.09 acres 93-2307 South Point Road in Nāʻālehu on the South side. 

The two projects being developed by Waikōloa Community Solar:

• Waikōloa Community Solar, a 2.5 MW near Pua Melia and Waikōloa roads in Waikōloa Village.
• Waikōloa Community Solar 2, a 2.5 MW near Pua Melia and Waikōloa roads in Waikōloa Village.

Next, Hawaiian Electric will work with the selected developers to finalize the 20-year contracts.

Once the projects are available on Hawaiian Electric’s CBRE Portal, customers – including those who are renters and apartment residents – may become “subscribers” to a facility on their island. Once the projects are built and online, the subscribers receive credits on their monthly electricity bill based on their level of participation in the following projects:

In April 2022, the request for proposals was opened for developers, companies, organizations or groups to become a “subscriber organization” of shared solar projects. The projects are expected to be online in 2025 or 2026.

A competitive bidding evaluation process, which accounted for the cost of the projects and non-price factors including community outreach, was used to evaluate the proposals.

One project also was chosen for Oʻahu in the second phase.

“We are excited to be taking this next step towards providing more choices for our customers, especially those who are not able to participate in our rooftop solar programs,” said Rebecca Dayhuff Matsushima, vice president of resource procurement for Hawaiian Electric.

In November 2022, Hawaiian Electric also selected seven solar projects on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i Island and Maui to be the first on each island to offer the shared solar program to help lower the electric bills of customers who meet low- and moderate-income levels and are unable to install privately-owned rooftop solar.

For more information on Hawaiian Electric’s shared solar program, go to hawaiianelectric.com/sharedsolar and communityenergyhawaii.com.