Hawaiian Electric to Pay Customers to Add Energy Storage Behind the Meter

Hawaiian Electric is rolling out a new program to pay residential and commercial customers on O’ahu a cash incentive to add behind-the-meter battery energy storage capacity. This is part of a program intended to stabilize the utility’s power grid following some changes in the local power generation makeup.

The utility is accepting applications from interested customers in a program it is calling Battery Bonus. The program will add battery storage capacity to a new or existing rooftop solar power system.

Hawaiian Electric wants to net a total of 50 MW from participants in the program. It is offering incentives of:

• $850 per kW for the first 15 MW in participants. 5 kW would yield a $4,250 payment.
• $750 per kW for the next 15 MW.
• $500 per kW for the final 20 MW.

The utility said it would confirm participation by checking battery data to ensure the system is meeting its program goals for the customer to receive the full amount of incentive. The program will run through June 2023, or until the program hits its cap.

Up to 5 kW of new panels may be added under existing programs. There is no limit on the size of an individual customer’s battery.

Customers must work with a solar contractor to add storage to an existing system or install a new solar-plus-storage system. Contractors will be able to help fill out forms and submit them to Hawaiian Electric. Contractors may also take advantage of Quick Connect, an existing “pre- approval” program that allows customers who meet certain requirements to install and energize their systems first and send Hawaiian Electric information on their system later.