HECO selects 16 solar-energy storage projects as part of 2020s renewables ramp-up

Hawaiian Electric, which has committed itself to 100 percent renewable energy within the next 25 years, announced 16 new solar plus storage or standalone battery projects it has selected for procurement on the islands.

HECO already is moving toward a 30-percent renewable energy generation portfolio by the end of the year. The projects awarded by the utility in Stage 2 of the utility’s forward plan include sites due for completion by 2022 and 2023.

The second stage projects include eight solar-plus-storage projects and one standalone-storage project on Oahu, three solar-plus-storage projects and one standalone-storage project on Maui and two solar-plus-storage projects and one standalone-storage on Hawaii Island for a total of 460 MW of solar energy and nearly 3 GWh of energy storage.

Developers of these projects include Hanwha Energy, Bright Canyon, Onyx Development Group, Innergex, Longroad, AES, Engie and Pacific Green.

HECO also has detailed several completed and under construction sites built by several local developers. It will be in charge of building two of the newer solar-storage developments.

The utility called its competitive evaluation the largest renewable energy procurement ever undertaken in Hawaii. Among the criteria for selection were price, location, technology and community engagement by the developer.