Solar power in Hawaii
Hawaii has rapidly adopted solar power due to the high costs of electricity and has one of the highest per capita rates of solar power in the United States. Hawaii's imported energy costs are three times higher, and will soon be close to four times higher[1] than the mainland, so Hawaii has motivation to become one of the highest users of solar energy. Hawaii was the first state in the United States to reach grid parity for photovoltaics. Its tropical location provides abundant sun energy.
History
Hawaii has a renewable portfolio standard of 40% renewable energy by 2030 and 100% by 2045.[2] Hawaii had almost 200 MW of grid-connected photovoltaics in 2012. 16 MW of PV were installed in 2010, 40 MW in 2011, and 109 MW in 2012.[3][4]
The electrical grids of the Hawaiian islands are each separate and relatively small. "Overbuilding" distributed solar in some areas has led to issues such as partial duck curve, although time-of-use pricing has reduced disadvantages.[5] HECO has made connecting to the grid more difficult, leading to layoffs among the solar installation industry.[6] In 2014, there were over 40,000 rooftop systems, over 10 percent of customers.[7] A proposed grid interconnection between Oahu and Maui would allow more renewable energy.[8]
In 2012 a typical solar system in Hawaii paid for itself in only 4 years, and returned a profit of over 4 times the cost over its life.[9] Hawaii's 35% ($5000.00 Maximum) state tax credit is the second highest in the country, behind Louisiana.[10] Hawaii offers a feed-in tariff, but it does not meet the normal definition of a feed-in tariff, as it is less than the retail cost of electricity, and is therefore simply a Power Purchase Agreement. The Oahu Wind Integration Study[11] released a report detailing the impact on the Oahu grid and found that 500 MW of wind and 100 MW of solar power could provide Oahu up to 25% of its electricity while eliminating the need to burn approximately 2.8 million barrels of low sulfur fuel oil and 132,000 tons of coal each year.[12]
Kauai
Kauai has rapidly adopted solar. In 2009, oil provided 91% of the island's electricity. In 2015, solar provided 15% with other renewables providing another 22% with oil only providing 63%.[13] On August 31, 2014, during daytime hours, 57% of power on Kauai was from renewable sources.[14]
The largest solar project in Hawaii, the 12MW Anahola project, opened on November 2, 2015 on Kauai. It has 59,000 panels on 60 acres of land and is expected to supply up to 20% of the island's momentary electricity demand and up to 5% of the annual demand.[15] The Anahola project also incorporates a 6MW lithium-ion battery.[16][17] The 12 MW Kapaia solar plant is connected to a 52 MWh battery.[18]
Solar power energy statistics
In 2010 Hawaii generated 56 GWh of energy by photovoltaics, and 559 GWh in 2014.[19]
| Hawaii Grid-Connected PV Capacity (MW)[20][21][22][23][24][25][26] | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Capacity | Installed | % Change | |||||||||
| 2007 | 4.5 | 2.9 | 181% | |||||||||
| 2008 | 13.5 | 8.6 | 200% | |||||||||
| 2009 | 26.2 | 12.7 | 94% | |||||||||
| 2010 | 44.7 | 18.5 | 71% | |||||||||
| 2011 | 85.2 | 40.5 | 91% | |||||||||
| 2012 | 199.5 | 114.3 | 134% | |||||||||
| 2013 | 358.2 | 158.7 | 80% | |||||||||
| 2014 | 447 | 151 | 25% | |||||||||
| 2015 | 564 | 117 | 26% | |||||||||
This was 0.07% of the state's total electricity generation for 2007, 0.13% for 2008, 0.33% for 2009, 0.51% for 2010,[27][28] and 1% in 2011. In 2015 solar provided 6% of Hawaii's electricity.[29][30][31][32]
Major solar installations in Hawaii
- December 2008: DuPont completed a solar power installation on Kauai that is expected to average 80 kW.[33]
- December 2008: Sunetric, the largest solar installation company in the state,[34] completed the largest roof-mount solar power installation in Hawaii at Kona Commons shopping mall.[35]
- 2009: Sopogy completed construction on Hawaii's first concentrating solar power project. The project located at the Natural Energy Laboratories of Hawaii is a 2MW solar thermal project interconnected into the Hawaiian Electric Industries grid under a Power Purchase Agreement.
- 2009: La Ola Solar Farm on Lanai was dedicated in January, with a design capacity of 1.5 MW (1.2MW AC).[36] After operating at 600KW due to variable cloud cover, in September 2010 Xtreme Power announced plans to incorporate their battery storage technology to bring the system up to design capacity.[37] It is the first photovoltaic power plant in the world to include battery storage.[38]
- 2011: The Kapaa Solar Farm was completed, a 1.21 MW photovoltaic array, the largest in Hawaii, and the first on the island of Kauai.[39][40][41]
- 2011: Kapolei Sustainable Energy Park on Oahu, 1.18 MW [29]
- 2012: Port Allen Solar Facility on Kauai, 6 MW photovoltaic array with 3 MW battery storage.[29][42]
- 2013: Kalaeloa Renewable Energy Park, 5 MW, a photovoltaic array on Oahu.[43][44]
- 2014: Koloa (Grove Farm) 12 MW photovoltaic array, opened in July 2014 on Kauai.[17][45][46]
- 2015: Anahola, 12 MW photovoltaic array with 6 MW battery storage on Kauai, can produce 20% of Kauai's power during peak production.[45]
Projects under development
- Kauai - Lihu’e, 13MW, with 52MWh battery, to provide electricity only during the evenings[47]
- Maui - Kuia Solar, 2.8MW[48]
- Maui - Lahaina, 2.87MW [48]
- Oahu - Hoopili, 7MW, to be completed 2016[49]
- Oahu - Kalaeloa, 5.9MW[50]
- Oahu - Pearl Harbor Navy Base, 28 MWDC (20 MWAC)[51]
- Oahu - Waianae Solar, 40 MWDC (27.6MWAC)[52]
Canceled projects
- Oahu - Ka La Nui Solar Farm, 15MW[53]
- Oahu - Kawailoa Solar, 49MW[52]
- Oahu - Waiawa Solar, 50MW[52]
- Oahu - Waiawa PV, 45.9MW[52]
- Oahu - Lanikuhana Solar, 15MW[52]
- Oahu - Mililani South Solar Park, 20 MW[54][55][56][57]
- Oahu - IC Sunshine, 5MW[58]
- Oahu - Hoohana Solar, 20MW[52]
Notes
- ↑ PUC issues interim decision in Hawaiian Electric rate case
- ↑ New law requires 100-percent renewable energy in Hawaii by 2045, KHON2, Brigette Namata, June 8, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Solar Market Insight Report
- ↑ 2014 Top 10 Solar States
- ↑ Lazar, Jim (8 August 2016). "The Duck is learning to fly in California and Hawaii". Utility Dive. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
- ↑ HECO rule pulled the plug on PV jobs, Hawaii News Now, Jim Mendoz, Sep 22, 2014
- ↑ A Solar Permit Slowdown Is Chilling Oahu’s Installer Market, greentechmedia, Eric Wesoff, June 12, 2014
- ↑ Linking isles' energy grids will save money, state says, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Alan Yonan Jr., Jan 22, 2014
- ↑ Hawaii State Solar Power Rebates, Tax Credits, and Incentives
- ↑ Isles power up in solar rankings
- ↑ Oahu Wind Integration Study
- ↑ Hawaii Study: Wind and Solar Can Reliably Supply 25% of Oahu Electricity Needs
- ↑ Inside the first fully dispatchable utility solar-storage project in Hawaii, UtilityDive, Peter Maloney, October 29, 2015
- ↑ KIUC flipped the switch on its Koloa solar project on Thursday, Pacific Business News, Duane Shimogawa, Sep 25, 2014
- ↑ Anahola Solar Array set to generate 20% of Kauai's electricity, Hawaii News Now, Nov 8, 2014
- ↑ REC Solar and KIUC connect Hawaii's largest solar project
- 1 2 Hawaii Solar, SEIA
- ↑ "SolarCity selects Tesla batteries for Kauai solar+storage project". Utility Dive. February 18, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
- ↑ Hawaii Energy Facts & Figures May 2015
- ↑ Sherwood, Larry (July 2014). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2013" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved 2014-07-27.
- ↑ Sherwood, Larry (July 2013). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2012" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 16. Retrieved 2013-10-11.
- ↑ Sherwood, Larry (August 2012). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2011" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved 2012-08-16.
- ↑ Sherwood, Larry (June 2011). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2010" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved 2011-06-29.
- ↑ Sherwood, Larry (July 2010). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2009" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved 2010-07-28.
- ↑ Sherwood, Larry (July 2009). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2008" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved 2010-07-24.
- ↑ Hawaii Solar
- ↑ 2009
- ↑ 2010
- 1 2 3 Hawaii Energy Facts & Figures January 2013, State of Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism Hawaii State Energy Office, January 2013, accessed October 11, 2013
- ↑ Hawaii Energy Facts & Figures November 2013
- ↑ Hawaii Energy Facts & Figures November 2014
- ↑ Hawaii Energy Facts & Figures November 2015
- ↑ Environmental Leader news: DuPont cuts ribbon on Hawaii solar panel project
- ↑ Solar Power World
- ↑ Star Bulletin: Kona Commons gets solar system
- ↑ Lanai Solar Farm Generating 1.5 MW
- ↑ "Castle & Cooke's Lanai solar farm getting battery boost". 14 September 2010.
- ↑ La Ola Solar Farm Now Operating at Full Capacity
- ↑ REC Solar unveils Hawai‘i’s largest operational solar system
- ↑ New Kauai solar farm could power 300 homes
- ↑ Large Solar Farm in Hawaii Opens on Kaua'i Island
- ↑ Alexander & Baldwin completes 6MW PV plant on Kauai island
- ↑ Five-Megawatt Kalaeloa Solar Farm Now Generating Power on Oahu
- ↑ Kalaeloa Renewable Energy Park
- 1 2 REC Solar and KIUC Connect Hawaii's Largest Solar Project
- ↑ Kauai dedicates its Koloa solar project, KHON2, September 25, 2014
- ↑ Inside the first fully dispatchable utility solar-storage project in Hawaii, UtilityDive, Peter Maloney, October 29, 2015
- 1 2 Hawaii regulators approve large Maui solar farm, Duane Shimogawa, Pacific Business News, Feb 23, 2016,
- ↑ D.R. Horton plans 2015 start on Hawaii solar farm with new contractor, Pacific Business News, Duane Shimogawa, Sep 19, 2014
- ↑ 5-MW Kalaeloa Renewable Energy Park solar plant gains environmental approval
- ↑ Navy, Hawaiian Electric Agree to Build Solar Farm, July 25, 2016
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hawaiian Electric sends six more Oahu solar contracts to Public Utilities Commission for approval
- ↑ Eight Industrial-Sized Solar Farms in the Works, Honolulu Civil Beat, Sophie Cocke, February 18, 2015
- ↑ Lana'i - Going Green
- ↑ Castle & Cooke gets waiver for solar farm
- ↑ Sustainable Future
- ↑ Hawaii's biggest solar farm proposed for Mililani fields
- ↑ IC Sunshine Solar Project
- ↑ Renewable Energy Projects in Hawaii
- ↑
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Solar power in Hawaii. |
- Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism
- Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative
- Hawaii's Energy Future
- Hawaii Energy
- Hawaii Solar Energy Association
- Map of Solar Projects
- Solar Hawaii
- History of Solar Power in Hawaii Timeline
