Hawaii

From Hawaii banning fossil fuels to Kentucky outlawing floating solar PV, these 10 energy bills are worth watching in 2021

Renewable resources accounted for half of the electric power serving Maui County in 2020, a first.

Almost 6,000 new rooftop solar systems were installed across Oahu, Hawaii Island, and Maui County, 78% of which included battery storage.

The utility has launched a new program, Quick Connect, aimed at accelerating the process for turning on new residential solar systems.

The contract was awarded in response to Hawaiian Electric’s request for dispatchable energy storage and renewable generation through distributed energy resources along with capacity and ancillary services.

Hawaii’s continued move to online permitting reduces red tape — and has the potential to grow Hawaiian solar when the state needs the revenue. The broader industry is aiming for a “fundamental reshaping of solar permitting at the federal, state, and local levels.”

Also in the brief: Hawaiian Electric Company proposes 20 MW of new projects, EDP Renewables has secured 86% of the company’s targeted capacity additions for 2019-2022 and more.

In his search for an effective long-term energy storage technology, Rogers gave vanadium flow batteries a try, leaving him with a number of 4-foot-cube tanks of vanadium redox electrolyte stranded on his ranch. They are available to a good home — make him an offer. Bring a trailer.

Also in the brief: Iberdrola’s deal worth $8.3 billion adds PNM Resources to its Avangrid business. The value of energy storage for military resilience. And Also emotional ownership is the key to delivering community solar.

Henk Rogers, of Tetris Fame, talks shop about saving the planet, the future of energy storage in Hawaii and how a life-changing experience dictates how he tackles each day. Tam Hunt interviews the entrepreneur.