Hawaiian Electric starts negotations on 2.1GWh of hybrid storage projects for 2026-33 delivery

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Hawaii’s main utility Hawaiian Electric has entered into contract negotiations with the developers of 15 renewable energy projects, including solar, wind and a combined 2.1GWh of energy storage.

The projects are spread across the islands of Oahu, Hawaii Island and Maui and will combine renewable energy generation including biofuel-powered generators and energy storage to ensure firm generation.

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The contacts entered into after negotiations are expected to cover around 517MW of variable generation, 654MW of firm generation and 2.1GWh of energy storage, with completion dates mandated for between 2026 and 2033.

Developers include Ameresco, Clearway – both having worked on co-located projects in Hawaii previously – Longroad Development, AES and Pacific Current and Terraform, which added a storage facility to a small wind farm there a few years ago. AES is the US-listed energy firm with a global presence, one of the founding companies of battery energy storage integrator Fluence.

Seven will be on the island of Oahu, four on Hawaii Island and four on Maui, totalling 990MWh, 320MWh and 834MWh of energy storage capacity respectively. See a full table of the projects below.

Project nameIslandDeveloperTechnologySize
Puuloa EnergyOahuAmerescoInternal combustion engines (biofuel)99MW
Puuloa SolarOahuAmerescoSolar + BESS6MW + BESS
Base ProposalOahuKalaeloa Partners LPCombustion turbine (biofuel)208MW
Waiau RepowerOahuHawaiian ElectricCombustion turbine (biofuel)253MW
Mahi Solar and StorageOahuLongroad DevelopmentSolar + BESS120MW + BESS
Makana LaOahuClearway Energy GroupSolar + BESS80MW + BESS
Par Hawaii Renewable Combined Heat & PowerOahuPar Hawaii RefiningCombined heat & power (biofuel)33.9MW
Kuihelani Phase 2 SolarMauiAES Corp.Solar + BESS40MW + BESS
Puu Hao SolarMauiAES Corp.Solar + BESS20MW + BESS
Kaheawa Wind 1MauiTerraform USWind30MW
Pulehu Solar & StorageMauiLongroad EnergySolar + BESS20MW + BESS
Keamuku SolarHawaii IslandAES Corp.Solar + BESS86MW + BESS
Puako SolarHawaii IslandClearway Energy GroupSolar + BESS60MW + BESS
Kaiwiki SolarHawaii IslandClearway Energy GroupSolar + BESS55MW + BESS
Hamakua Firm Renewable EnergyHawaii IslandPacific CurrentCombined Cycle (biofuel) + BESS60MW + BESS

“These projects will help move Hawaii closer to its clean energy goals, while adding critical grid reliability with firm renewable energy,” said Rebecca Dayhuff Matsushima, vice-president of Resource Procurement for Hawaiian Electric. “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.”

The two combustion engine projects on Oahu and the Hamakua project on Hawaii Island are transforming facilities that currently burn imported fossil fuels into biofuel-based ones.

Once the contracts between Hawaiian Electric and the project finalised they will be submitted to the Public Utilities Commission of Hawaii for review and approval.

The projects need to contribute US$3,000 per MW of installed power in the form of community benefits.

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