Hawaiian Electric’s Battery Bonus program hits cap on O‘ahu : Maui Now

Hawaiian Electric’s Battery Bonus program, which pays a cash incentive and bill credits to customers who add battery storage to their rooftop solar systems, has reached its maximum capacity of 40 megawatts (MW) on O‘ahu.

No new applications are being processed at this time. A successor incentive program to Battery Bonus known as Bring Your Own Device will be available to Hawaiian Electric customers starting March 1, 2024.

Although Battery Bonus is closed on O‘ahu the program will continue to be available to customers on Maui until June 30, 2024, or a cap of 15 MW is reached, whichever comes first.

Customers on all islands served by Hawaiian Electric will be eligible to enroll in BYOD, which offers incentives for adding battery storage to new or existing solar systems.

Both Battery Bonus and BYOD make it easier for customers to add energy storage to their solar systems while strengthening the resilience of the electric grid serving all customers. More energy storage will be needed on the grid as Hawaiian Electric continues to replace fossil fuel generation with renewable energy resources.

“Thanks to solid customer response Battery Bonus was able to meet its goal of adding critical energy storage to O‘ahu’s grid,“ said Lani Shinsato, Hawaiian Electric Customer Energy Resources co-director. “As we move forward with BYOD customers can continue to receive incentives for providing grid services while playing a key role in Hawai‘i’s clean energy transition.”

The launch of BYOD is aligned with Hawaiian Electric’s transition to a new streamlined structure for its customer energy resource programs. This transition includes the shift to a new Smart DER (distributed energy resources) program from the company’s current suite of rooftop solar programs. BYOD is an advanced, supplemental tariff that customers participating in Smart DER or an existing rooftop solar program may enroll in to provide additional grid services to Hawaiian Electric in return for compensation.

In addition to BYOD and Battery Bonus, Hawaiian Electric customers also have the option of participating in incentive programs operated in conjunction with independent companies under contract with the utility. The Power Partnership Programs, available across Hawaiian Electric’s service territory, rewards customers who allow their devices such as solar systems, battery systems and grid-enabled water heaters to support the grid. More information is available at Customer Incentive Programs.