At the Legislature, it’s the 11th hour that counts most. Sometimes in even less than those 60 minutes, plans that took weeks or even months to develop can all end up in the wastebasket.

That’s what happened to a set of renewable-energy bills this session. They died in conference committee, in the waning minutes before the last measures were cleared for a final, up-or-down vote. Of the three measures, two fell as collateral damage in a shootout over the third, which dealt with geothermal energy development.

The most unfortunate consequence was the loss of Senate Bill 2738, which proposed an tax-credit program to drive the development of the solar battery- storage industry.

Now that the dust has cleared, the directive is plain: The state must find ways of incentivizing the industry, including the reintroduction of SB 2738 next session. Following the broad adoption of photovoltaic (PV) rooftop solar systems, this is the logical next step in moving more Hawaii consumers to renewable energy.

The other sacrificed measure, House Bill 2291, sought to clarify that the aim of the state’s energy program — a goal that’s adopted as state law — is for 100 percent of Hawaii’s electric power from renewable sources by 2045. The current law still allows for some fossil fuel use by 2045.

That clarity is needed soon, as a basis for measuring the state’s progress down its new green- energy path.

The problem arose over SB 2535, which would have removed any county constraints barring nighttime drilling of Hawaii island’s geothermal wells, by making all geothermal energy regulation a state concern.

Rep. Chris Lee, the House energy chairman, said he decided to keep the bill alive as a kind of threat — the Senate version could have prevailed, ending home rule — forcing both sides to come to terms. But, Lee added, he could not support stripping away home rule on the issue, so he removed all content from the House draft of the measure before sending it on.

That was an odd gambit, but the response by Sen. Lorraine Inouye — walking away from the three bills as deadline loomed — seemed even more pointless.

In an email response to questions this week, Inouye (D, Waikoloa-Waimea-North Hilo) said Lee should have moved a draft with House revisions instead of blanking it out, adding that there was support from the community as well as votes in the Capitol chambers to pass it.

As for the solar-battery tax incentive measure, Inouye said it ultimately “died a slow death” because the finance committees did not favor it either.

Inouye said she will reintroduce the bill next session. That’s good, but all of the last-minute maneuvering is the kind of nonsensical process that drives the public to distraction. Legislation should rise or fall on its own merits, and decisions shouldn’t be made this way.

Lee cited one positive development this week: the installation of Hawaii’s first Tesla Motors Powerwall battery linked to a PV system.

The $40,000 installation was at the home of Anthony Aalto, Oahu chairman of Sierra Club Hawaii. Gov. David Ige called it an important “milestone” to get to Hawaii’s 100 percent renewable-energy goal.

No argument there. But that high pricetag underscores the need for the tax credits, which would have cut the cost of the system in half.

And when more households find the purchase moving within their reach, more will buy, fueling the growth of new companies and good-paying jobs.

Becoming more energy-independent of the electric company will speed Hawaii’s transition to green energy.

For consumers, that ideal gains appeal after Hawaiian Electric Co., in a new regulatory filing, warned ratepayers that aging equipment means more frequent outages can be expected. HECO is awaiting a state Public Utilities Commission decision on its sale to NextEra Energy Inc.

Surely HECO hopes that an infusion of cash by NextEra, should the sale be approved, will help overcome this problem. But by the utility’s own description of facility conditions, having a backup plan to a conventional electric-power subscription will become increasingly necessary.