Many homeowners and some small businesses installing solar photovoltaic systems will face fewer obstacles under new procedures announced by Hawaiian Electric Co.
The new rules that go into effect Oct. 1 will increase the number of smaller PV systems that can be hooked into the utility’s electrical grids without requiring customers to conduct a costly study, according to HECO.
The changes apply to certain HECO customers in Honolulu, Maui and Hawaii counties with photovoltaic systems up to 10 kilowatts.
The move is the latest in a series of decisions HECO and the state Public Utilities Commission have made over the past few years to allow greater penetration of renewable energy into the utility’s grids.
The amount of PV generating capacity across HECO’s service area has doubled every year since 2008 and is on track to do so again in 2012. The rapid growth has caused HECO to take a cautious approach because of the potential negative impact that large amounts of intermittent solar power could have on its grids.
After several studies showed the predictability of PV systems with generating capacities of 10 kilowatts or less, HECO engineers felt comfortable increasing the amount of such systems on a given circuit without requiring customers to conduct an interconnection study, said Colton Ching, HECO’s vice president for system operation and planning.
"To help our customers cope with high electricity bills due to high fuel costs, we promised we would find ways to encourage them to install more solar," Ching said. "This change should make the move to PV for many customers simpler and faster."
Under the old system, HECO would require a review of new net metering projects being installed on circuits in which the amount of solar generating capacity was 15 percent or more of peak load. If a further review showed that the PV penetration was 50 percent or more of the circuit’s minimum daytime load, then HECO could require the owner to conduct an interconnection study.
As of last month HECO required six such studies on Hawaii island and two on Maui for systems with 10 kilowatts or less of generating capacity. The cost of the studies ranged from $500 to several thousand dollars. There were no interconnection studies required on Oahu.
Under the new system, HECO will continue to review projects that hit the 15 percent threshold. However, the second review would trigger a potential interconnection study only if the PV penetration was 75 percent or more of daytime minimum load.
The change is expected to allow 50 to 70 percent more capacity on HECO’s grids before an interconnection study must be conducted.
"This is a step in the right direction, and the timing could not be better," said Brad Albert, co-owner of Rising Sun Solar on Maui and founder of the Hawaii PV Coalition.
