Hawaiian Electric recently announced it will begin contract negotiations with the developers of 15 renewable energy projects across Hawaii.
These include three solar-plus-storage projects and four biofuel projects on Oahu; three solar-plus-storage projects and one wind project on Maui; and three solar-plus-storage projects and one biofuel project on Hawaii Island, according to the announcement.
The negotiations are expected to create long-term contracts for about 517 megawatts of variable generation, 654 megawatts of firm generation, and 2.1 gigawatt-hours of storage. Estimated project completion dates range from 2026 to 2033, according to Hawaiian Electric.
The selected projects are the result of a procurement effort by Hawaiian Electric that began in May 2022 for Oahu and Maui, and in November 2021 for Hawaii Island. The electricity provider will now enter contract negotiations with the developers, and the contracts will then be submitted to the Public Utilities Commission for review and approval, according to the announcement.
The full list of projects includes:
- Puuloa Energy: Oahu, 99 MW
- Puuloa Solar: Oahu, 6 MW + battery energy storage system
- Base Proposal: Oahu, 208 MW
- Waiau Repower: Oahu, 253 MW
- Mahi Solar and Storage: Oahu, 120 MW + battery energy storage system
- Makana La: Oahu, 80 MW + battery energy storage system
- Par Hawaii Renewable Combined Heat & Power: Oahu, 33.9 MW
- Kuihelani Phase 2 Solar: Maui, 40 MW + battery energy storage system
- Puu Hao Solar: Maui, 20 MW + battery energy storage system
- Kaheawa Wind 1: Maui, 30 MW
- Pulehu Solar & Storage: Maui, 20 MW + battery energy storage system
- Keamuku Solar: Hawaii Island, 86 MW + battery energy storage system
- Puako Solar: Hawaii Island, 60 MW + battery energy storage system
- Kaiwiki Solar: Hawaii Island, 55 MW + battery energy storage system
- Hamakua Firm Energy: Hawaii Island, 60 MW + battery energy storage system
"These projects will help move Hawaii closer to its clean energy goals, while adding critical grid reliability with firm renewable energy," Rebecca Dayhuff Matsushima, vice president of Resource Procurement for Hawaiian Electric, said in a statement. "Adding energy storage and generation from firm renewables to our portfolio will make it easier for Hawaiian Electric to retire older, less flexible fossil fuel-fired plants."
For more information about the projects, visit Hawaiian Electric's website.
