Back in October, we announced that State regulators approved a transformative initiative called, “feed-in tariff,” which will enable parties generating up to 500 kW of renewable electricity to sell back to HECO’s utilities on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island.
Instead of requiring renewable energy developers to go through extensive negotiations with HECO to be able to sell electricity to the utility, the feed-in tariff (FIT), will use a standard contract for pricing, terms and conditions during the process.
HECO, MECO, and HELCO have begun accepting applications for Hawaii’s feed-in tariff since November 24, 2010.
Interested parties with small-scale renewable energy systems that qualify as Tier 1 and Tier 2 projects can apply online at www.hecofitio.com.
Tier 1 projects include systems on all islands that produce between 0 and 20 kW of power.
Tier 2 projects include:
- solar PV systems greater than 20 kW and up to 500 kW on Oahu, up to 250 kW on Maui and Big Island, and up to 100 kW on Lanai and Molokai
- concentrated solar power systems greater than 20 kW and up to 500 kW on Oahu, Maui and Big Island or up to 100 kW on Lanai and Molokai
- inline hydro-power systems up to 100 kW on all islands
- onshore wind systems up to 100kW on all islands
Please note that there is a difference between the feed-in tariff and net metering, whose approval in Hawaii we wrote about in October. While net metering allows customers primarily to offset their load with power they generate on their own, the feed-in tariff system allows customers to literally feed in to the grid and sell the power they produce.The feed-in tariff encourages the development of clean energy in Hawaii, and will help to create new jobs and reduce Hawaii’s dependence on foreign oil.
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