The Maui News
Aided by new grid-scale and rooftop solar capacity, Hawaiian Electric achieved a 32 percent consolidated renewable portfolio standard — 36 percent in Maui County — in 2022 using a new calculation signed into law last year.
The 32 percent is the consolidated RPS for Oahu, Hawaii island and Maui County, and represents the percentage of electricity generated by renewable resources.
Using this new calculation, the 32 percent represents no change in RPS from 2021. The RPS calculation previously reflected the renewable percentage of electricity sold.
Under the old formula, the RPS for 2022 would have been 39 percent, up from 38 percent in 2021. The RPS definition was changed under Act 240, which was signed into state law in July.
The revised definition showing the percentage of total generation from renewables is a more accurate way to measure progress toward the goal of achieving 100 percent renewable energy by 2045, according to Hawaiian Electric.
It changes the way private rooftop solar is counted in the calculation, lowering the percentage and ensuring rooftop solar production isn’t double-counted.
“We’re still on track to meet the next RPS milestone of 40 percent by 2030, even with the new method of calculation,” said Jim Kelly, a Hawaiian Electric spokesperson. “With the help of our customers, who now have nearly 100,000 rooftop systems online, and large utility-scale projects on the grid, we’re making tremendous progress, more than tripling the amount of renewables on our system since 2010.”
The 32 percent was achieved through a mix of solar, geothermal, biomass, hydro, wind and biofuels. Although there was an increase in energy from renewables, those gains were offset by higher overall electricity demand and generation.
The Oahu, Hawaii island and Maui County systems achieved 28 percent, 48 percent and 36 percent RPS, respectively.
Other 2022 RPS highlights showed that grid-scale solar generation increased by 15 percent due to the addition of Mililani I Solar, which generates 39 megawatts and includes a 156 megawatt-hour battery, and came online in July.
Waiawa Solar Power (36 MW/144 MWh) also contributed during the last quarter of 2022 while undergoing testing and commissioning; 40 MW was generated by new customer-sited energy resources, including rooftop solar; and wind production was down by 11 percent compared to 2021.
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