Resources
to learn more about community owned energy
What is community energy?
“Community Energy” is a revenue model where multiple households share the revenue from a renewable energy resource, like a solar farm. That solar farm is usually located near those households but is not physically connected to their homes. The shared solar panels can cover anywhere from 1 acre to over 50 acres of land, which would generate anywhere from 1/4 of a Megawatt (MW) to 10 MW, respectively. Each household owns a fraction of the farm that is about the same size of a solar system they would put on their roof to power their home.
So why not just put solar on your roof?
Great point! If you own your home and have enough money to buy or lease the rooftop system, that can be a good option. But community solar makes saving money on your electricity bill accessible to everyone, not just those who meet the criteria to build a rooftop system. Our community solar farms serve renters, families who support themselves on a tight budget, and even homeowners whose roofs are shaded or unable to support solar panels.
So how does it work?
You and your neighbors express interest in hosting a community solar project in your neighborhood. We work with your community to co-design where the solar farm will go, how big it should be, what it should look like and what else could happen on the lot (for example a community garden, a playground, a glow in the dark putt-putt course). We then build the farm together, training and employing the local workforce. Once the solar farm is connected and sending energy onto the grid, you and your neighbors can sign up to save money on your electricity bill. Depending on the size of the solar farm we build, a couple hundred households can sign up and save 20% on their electricity bill.
The grid generates and delivers electricity to consumers. Here is a mock up of the grid in Oʻahu
Microgrids are a smaller version of a grid. They can be connected to a larger grid (with the ability to cut the connection) or can be unconnected, called “islanded.” They are typically used to provide resilience when the larger grid goes out, or for off-grid areas.
solar array
home
home
control system
battery
home
grocery store
school
An RFP or "Request for Proposal" is the process in which a renewable energy project is proposed by the developer and accepted by the utility in order to be developed. We expect the next RFP to be in mid 2024.
HECO sends out an RFP for renewable energy projects
HECO chooses some proposals to move forward
HECO purchases electricity from the developer
This electricity is sold to consumers
Developers submit bids with project proposals
These include details such as project size, location, contractor, etc.
Selected proposals are reviewed and approved by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC)
Approved projects are developed