Molokai is poised to become home to two community solar-plus-battery projects, pending approval by the state Public Utilities Commission.
Hawaiian Electric said it is working with Ho‘ahu Energy Cooperative Molokai, a grassroots nonprofit formed in 2020, to move ahead with two community-owned and designed solar-plus-battery projects.
When up and running, these two projects could meet more than 20% of Molokai’s energy needs, Hawaiian Electric said, and serve an estimated 1,500 households on the island.
The projects are part of Hawaiian Electric’s shared solar — or community-based renewable energy program — aiming to provide customers without their own rooftops the opportunity to participate in a solar project to reduce their electricity bills and cut carbon emissions.
Developers build a solar facility that customers subscribe to via Hawaiian Electric’s portal, which would result in credits on their monthly electricity bill, based on output and level of participation.
At the end of 2022, there were only 458 private
rooftop solar systems on Molokai, according to Hawaiian Electric.
The two proposed projects — Pala‘au Solar and Kualapu‘u Solar — would be the first to offer the shared solar program on Molokai.
Hawaiian Electric said it selected Ho‘ahu after a competitive bidding evaluation process, and has entered negotiations for 20-year contracts for the two projects. Once negotiations are finalized, the proposals will be submitted to the PUC for
approval.
Pending approval, the two shared solar projects on Molokai are expected to be online in mid-2025.
Ho‘ahu, which describes itself as a volunteer working group of Molokai community members, hosted over 40 public workshops over three years for residents to co-design the shared solar projects, from site selection to analysis of various battery storage systems.
Ho‘ahu partnered with two energy developers, Shake Energy Collaborative and Mana Pacific, to bid for the shared solar project, with input from the Molokai community.
Pala‘au Solar is slated for a site owned by Hawaiian Electric adjacent to the company’s Pala‘au Baseyard in Kaunakakai. When completed, Pala‘au Solar should provide up to 2.2 megawatts of solar energy paired with a 10.1-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system.
Kualapu‘u Solar is slated for the Kualapu‘u Park and Community Center in Hoolehua, where the project’s solar array would be mounted on carport structures over the existing parking lot. Upon completion, Kualapu‘u Solar should provide up to 0.250 MW of solar energy paired with a 1-MWh battery.
The cooperative also said it has a 100% local hiring policy and that it is aiming for the installation and ongoing maintenance of the projects and future projects to be done by Molokai residents. It also has started a workforce development program offering hands-on training in the general construction, installation and maintenance of renewable energy systems.
“These two projects are the right thing to do for Hawaii and our planet,” said Todd Yamashita, Ho‘ahu’s president, in a news release. “It will provide access to renewables for those who need it most. Molokai renters are left out and can’t install solar panels. Community solar says, ‘Let us build a solar farm for you out in the field, and the energy we make and the profit we make will be credited directly on your bill and the bill of other members of the energy
cooperative.’”
