Editorial: Community solar shines

Long-anticipated but slow in coming, community solar has finally arrived for Oahu. Well, almost.

Tritium3 Renewable Ventures has gotten the green light from Hawaiian Electric Co. to get started on a 270-kilowatt photovoltaic system, in which about a dozen nonprofits and small businesses have invested. It involves 864 solar panels slated for rooftop space at Mililani Tech Park; once energy starts being produced early next year, investors will receive a credit on their electricity bills.

That credit, HECO promises, should be in line with what PV homeowners receive under existing rooftop solar programs. On Oahu the credit would be 15 cents per kilowatt-hour, to be divided among investors.

The “solar without a roof” concept puts participants on the path toward greener energy and lower electricity rates. Some 43 states have at least one community solar project online, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association, totaling 1,387 megawatts installed through 2018.

But clearly here it’s been more complicated than hoped to get off the ground. The state Legislature in 2015 mandated a community-based renewable energy program be created — but it wasn’t until last year that the state Public Utilities Commission approved program parameters.

“It’s definitely a new adventure,” noted Tritium3 CEO Ryan McCauley this week.

Let’s hope it’s a successful one. All energy eyes will be watching to see if Hawaii’s inaugural community- solar project can fulfill the promise. This venture involves organizations and business investors, but future ones would open the concept to residential ratepayers — consumers who currently can’t install solar panels because they rent or live in a high-rise.