Community Renewable Energy Program

On June 8th, 2015, the Governor of the State of Hawaii approved Act 100 of Senate Bill 1050 Relating to Energy. This act establishes the Hawaii community-based renewable energy (CBRE) program. Its purpose is to “promote broader participation in self-generation by Hawaii residents and businesses through the development of CBRE facilities.”

The bill first established the steps necessary for electric utilities to implement a CBRE tariff, as well as the steps necessary to receive approval, provided by the public utilities commission (PUC). In July of 2018, phase I of the electric utility tariff was approved for Hawaiian Electric Industries, representing 95% of Hawaii’s power supply. Detailed information surrounding electric utility tariffs may be found here. The only island with its own electric utility, Kauai, did not participate in Phase I or II of Hawaii’s CBRE program. Phase I capacities are not currently available, and Phase II is in the process of receiving requests for proposal. Details surrounding electric utility tariffs and programs are continually developed under PUC Docket No. 2015-0389.

Within the Phase I tariff are subscriber organization capacity limits, as well as the credit rates provided to subscribers for Phase I. The capacity limit and credit rate for each of the islands are as follows:

1. Oahu – 5.0 MW, $0.15/kWh
2. Hawaii Island – 1.0 MW, $0.15/kWh
3. Maui – 1.0 MW, $0.165/kWh
4. Molokai – 0.5 MW, $0.225/kWh
5. Lanai – 0.5 MW, $0.226/kWh

Subscriber organizations are those companies, groups or entities which have ownership over a CBRE project. Subscriber organizations must allocate a minimum of 40% of total project output to individual subscribers. Subscribers must purchase a minimum of 1 kW AC from subscriber organizations to participate. Low-to-moderate income (LMI) subscribers must purchase a minimum of 0.5 kW AC. Subscriber interest must not exceed 100 percent of their historic energy consumption for the previous 12 months.