Hawaiian Electric Stage 1 and 2 Renewable Energy Projects
Opportunities to Provide Input and Learn More About the Projects
HSEO seeks to post public input opportunities for each project as they are announced.
| Project | Project Location |
Developer |
Date / Time | Event / Opportunity to Comment |
Learn About the Project |
In 2015, Hawaiʻi enacted a law that requires Hawaiʻi’s electric utility companies to sell only (100%) renewable energy to their customers by 2045 (Act 97) — the first such mandate in the United States complicated by fact that Hawaiʻi cannot import electricity from other states. The island of Kauaʻi is powered by a utility cooperative owned by Kauaʻi energy users, the Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC), which achieved 67% renewable energy generation in 2020. The islands of Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Maui, and Hawaiʻi are powered by a shareholder-owned public utility, Hawaiian Electric, which achieved a collective 34.5% renewable energy generation in 2020: 30.5% on Oʻahu, 50.8 in Maui County, and 43.4% on Hawaiʻi Island. The island of Oʻahu consumed about 72% of Hawaiʻi’s total electricity demand in 2020.
Hawaiʻi’s fossil fuel power plants have provided reliable electricity to Hawaiʻi residents for decades, but they are old, inefficient, and rely on fossil fuels extracted and imported from other countries or states at prices that fluctuate and are expected to increase in the future. Liquid fossil fuels are transported across the Pacific Ocean and are offloaded in waters off Oʻahu before being refined, repackaged, and barged to other islands. This results in a tenuous energy situation that depends on factors outside Hawaiʻi’s control. Electric bills in Hawaiʻi average more than twice the rate of any other state in the United States. In addition, vessels of liquid fossil fuel moving throughout the Hawaiian Islands regularly pose a risk to the marine environment. Further, the burning of fossil fuels contributes to the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, which contributes to the global climate crisis. Many solutions are needed to displace this significant amount of energy including use reductions (energy efficiency), widespread rooftop photovoltaic (PV) adoption, other customer-sited solutions, and utility-scale renewable energy projects.
Hawaiian Electric is seeking solutions to displace the significant and dated fossil fuel power plants that currently serve Hawaiʻi including: (1) by September 1, 2022, the 180-megawatt (MW) Coal Plant at Campbell Industrial Park on Oʻahu, which is the state’s only coal-powered power plant and provides approximately 16% of Oʻahu’s electrical energy during peak demand; and, (2) by the end of 2024, the 38 MW oil-fired Kahului power plant in Kahului owned and operated by Hawaiian Electric, which provides approximately 15% of Maui island’s firm power generation capacity.
As a shareholder owned public utility, Hawaiian Electric is required by the Hawaiʻi Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to competitively bid for new renewable energy generation it intends to buy and sell to its customers. In February 2018, Hawaiian Electric issued Stage 1 of its competitive solicitation for new renewable energy generation projects on Oʻahu, Maui, and Hawaiʻi Island. Stage 1 produced 8 utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plus storage projects. In August 2019, Hawaiian Electric issued Stage 2 of its competitive solicitation for new renewable energy generation and standalone energy storage projects on Oʻahu, Maui, and Hawaiʻi Island. Stage 2 produced to date 9 utility-scale solar PV plus storage projects and 3 utility-scale standalone storage projects.
Click HERE or the Map to View a Map of the Stage 1 and 2 Projects
This website provides information and opportunities for public input on the 20 utility-scale renewable energy projects selected by Hawaiian Electric on Oʻahu (10 projects), Maui (6 projects), and Hawaiʻi Island (4 projects). Of the 20 total projects in both Stages, 18 would be built, owned, and operated by private developers. Hawaiian Electric would build, own, and operate the Waena and Keahole battery storage projects.
Each new utility-scale renewable energy project must be submitted to the PUC for review and decision. Some of these projects have been approved by the PUC, others are currently under review. An individual PUC docket has been created for each utility-scale renewable energy project listed on this website. The PUC docket process is in open forum that allows for public comment at any time in the proceeding. In addition, each project must obtain the requisite federal, state, and county permits and approvals, many of which offer opportunity for public comment. HSEO’s Renewable Energy Projects Directory and Hawaiian Electric’s Renewable Project Status Board provide additional information on these projects and other utility-scale projects now under development or construction, approved by the PUC, or awaiting PUC approval throughout Hawaiian Electric’s service area.
Go to Relevant Links
Stage 1 and 2 Solar PV Plus Storage Projects (by Island and Estimated Completion Date)
| Project Name | Island | Location | Developer | Capacity (Megawatts, Megawatt-hours) |
Utility’s Renewable Energy (%) |
Project Status |
Estimated Completion Date |
Zip Code | Tax Map Key(s) |
PUC Docket | Information Links |
| O’ahu |
|||||||||||
| Mililani I Solar |
Oʻahu |
Mililani |
Clearway Energy Group | 39 MWac + 156 MWh Storage | 1.2 | PUC Approved; Constructing | July 31, 2022 |
96789 | (1)9-4-005:090 (1)9-4-005:092 (1)9-4-005:096 (1)9-4-005:091 |
2018-0434 |
|
| AES West Oʻahu Solar |
Oʻahu | Kapolei | AES |
12.5 MWac + 50 MWh Storage | 0.4 | PUC Approved; Permitting |
September 7, 2022 |
96707 | (1)9-2-002:007 | 2019-0050 | AES West Oʻahu Solar |
| Waiawa Solar Power | Oʻahu |
Pearl City |
Clearway Energy Group | 36 MWac + 144 MWh Storage | 1.2 |
PUC Approved; Constructing | September 30, 2022 |
96797 | (1)9-6-004:024 | 2018-0435 |
|
| Ho’ohana Solar 1 |
Oʻahu | Kunia | 174 Power Global, Hanwha Energy USA | 52 MWac + 208 MWh Storage |
1.4 | PUC Approved; Permitting | August 31, 2023 |
96797 | (1)9-4-002:052 | 2018-0431 | |
| AES Mountain View Solar | Oʻahu | Waiʻanae | AES |
7 MWac + 35 MWh Storage | 0.3 | PUC Approved; Permitting |
May 17, 2023 | 96792 | (1)8-5-003:031
(1)8-5-003:032 (1)8-5-019:034 |
2020-0139 | AES Mountain View Solar |
| Waiawa Phase 2 Solar | Oʻahu | Pearl City, Waipio Village | AES |
30 MWac + 240 MWh Storage | 1.2 | PUC Approved; Permitting | October 30, 2023 | 96797 | (1)9-6-004:024
(1)9-6-004:025 (1)9-6-004:026 (1)9-6-006:036 |
2020-0137 | Waiawa Phase 2 Solar |
| Barbers Point Solar | Oʻahu | Kapolei | Innergex | 15 MWac + 60 MWh Storage | 0.4 | PUC Approved; Amendment Pending | December 29, 2023 | 96707 | (1)9-1-013:038
(1)9-1-013:040 |
2020-0143 | Barbers Point Solar |
| Maui |
|||||||||||
| Paeahu Solar |
Maui |
Wailea |
Innergex Renewable Energy | 15 MWac + 60 MWh Storage | 0.5 | PUC Approved; Permitting | April 28, 2023 |
96790 | (2)2-1-008:001 | 2018-0433 |
Paeahu Solar |
| AES Kuihelani Solar | Maui | Waikapu | AES |
60 MWac + 240 MWh Storage |
1.9 | PUC Approved; Permitting | October 27, 2023 |
N/A | (2)3-8-005:002 (2)3-8-006:003 |
2018-0436 | AES Kuihelani Solar |
| Kamaole Solar | Maui | Kihei | Kamaole Solar LLC (Potentia Renewables) | 40 MWac + 160 MWh Storage | 1.4 | PUC Approved, Permitting | April 30, 2023 | 96753 | (2)2-2-002:001
(2)2-2-002:050 |
2021-0026 | Kamaole Solar |
| Kahana Solar | Maui | Napili-Honokowai | Innergex | 20 MWac + 80 MWh Storage | 0.7 | PUC Approved, Permitting | December 29, 2023 | N/A | (2)4-3-001:017 | 2020-0142 | Kahana Solar |
| Hawai’i Island |
|||||||||||
| AES Waikoloa Solar |
Hawaiʻi | Waikoloa | AES |
30 MWac + 120 MWh Storage |
0.8 | PUC Approved; Permitting | November 3, 2022 |
96743 | (3)6-8-002:050 | 2018-0430 | AES Waikoloa Solar |
| Hale Kuawehi Solar |
Hawaiʻi | Waimea | Innergex Renewable Energy, Paniolo Power | 30 MWac + 120 MWh Storage |
0.8 | PUC Approved; Permitting | December 2, 2022 |
96743 | (3)6-7-001:025 | 2018-0432 | Hale Kuawehi Solar |
Project information will be updated as information becomes publicly available.
Stage 2 Standalone Storage Projects
| Project Name | Island | Location | Developer | Energy Storage Capacity (Megawatts, Megawatt-hours) |
Utility’s Renewable Energy (%) |
Project Status |
Estimated Completion Date |
Zip Code | Tax Map Key |
PUC Docket | Information Links |
| Kapolei Energy Storage | Oʻahu | Kapolei | Plus Power | 185 MW / 565 MWh | 0.1 |
PUC Approved; Permitting | December 30, 2022 |
96707 | (1)9-1-014:042 | 2020-0136 | Kapolei Energy Storage |
| Keahole Battery Energy Storage | Hawaiʻi | Kailua-Kona | Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. | 12 MW / 12 MWh (1 hr) | N/A |
Under PUC Review | December 30, 2022 |
96740 | (3)7-3-049:036 | 2020-0127 | Keahole Project Summary |
| Waena Battery Energy Storage | Maui | Kahului | Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. | 40 MW / 160 MWh (4 hr) | 0.2 |
Under PUC Review | April 28, 2023 |
N/A | (2)3-8-003:023 | 2020-0132 | Waena Project Summary |
Project information will be updated as information becomes publicly available.
Relevant Links:
- Hawaiʻi Statewide Energy Projects Directory
- Powering Past Coal Task Force
- Hawaiian Electric Competitive Bidding for New Generation
- Hawaiian Electric Renewable Project Status Board
- Hawaiʻi Public Utilities Commission Document Management System
Information published by HSEO for all projects comes from public sources of information only.