Especially for Contractors

Aloha! Welcome Renewable Energy Contractors to the Distributed Energy Resources Programs at Hawaiian Electric. This page contains the latest tools and information regarding our renewable energy programs so that you can provide your customers with the most accurate information and services. 

Newsletters & Other Program Resources

Here you’ll find regular and timely updates, reminders and notifications about our renewable energy programs.

Distributed Energy Resource (DER) Programs

Battery Bonus for Solar Contractors

Hawaiian Electric is paying a cash incentive for residential and commercial customers on Oahu to add energy storage to an existing or new rooftop solar system. This one-time payment will help move Hawaii toward our 100% clean energy goal by 2045 and further reduce the chance that the closure of the AES coal-fired plant in September 2022 will result in service disruptions.

Battery Bonus projects are eligible for Quick Connect installations and QC is the recommended path forward; terms and conditions may be found here. If you plan on installing a project capable of exporting more than 5 kilowatts at night, or if you choose not to use the Quick Connect process, please email a completed Scheduled Dispatch Program (SDP) Agreement form to connect@HawaiianElectric.com to begin the application process.

All Battery Bonus projects at validation require that the installer submit the Scheduled Dispatch Program (SDP) Agreement form and enable Volt-Watt inverter functionality for the life of the project regardless of choosing the Quick Connect path or not.

Securing a building permit from the City & County Department of Planning and Permitting or proof of permit application is required as part of the application and will determine the final incentive amount.

Questions: connect@HawaiianElectric.com

Programs Nearing Capacity

Hawaiian Electric has informed the Public Utilities Commission that, based on conditionally approved applications, 90% of the capacity for the Customer Grid Supply Plus (CGS Plus) Program on Oahu is taken. As of February 1, 2021 about 2.7 megawatts of capacity remains available for Oahu, 2.2MW for Maui County and 4.3MW for Hawaii Island.

For Smart Export, Hawaii Island is at 63%, Maui County is at 62%, and Oahu is at 54% of capacity for each island based on conditionally approved applications.

Even after mandated island-by-island caps for CGS Plus, Smart Export and other programs are met, applications are still accepted and customers in queue will be admitted to the programs as space becomes available due to cancellations.

Quick Connect Pre-Approval Program (Recommended Interconnection Path)

Quick Connect is a Hawaiian Electric program in response to the COVID pandemic to streamline the application process for turning on new systems beginning in January 2021. Customers who wish to install a new rooftop solar system under certain conditions will not need the standard approvals before energizing their systems. Working with their solar contractors, these customers can install and energize their systems and begin saving money and then submit interconnection approval paperwork to Hawaiian Electric later.

• Quick Connect Terms & Conditions
• Quick Connect Contractor Reference Manual

Expedited Validation Option (EVO)

Contractors, would you like to offer a fast-tracked validation process to your customers? Our Expedited Validation Option (EVO) certification allows you to submit a simplified attestation form signed by the customer which moves them straight to the meter change request step.

Approved Advanced Inverter List

We are currently working with inverter manufacturers to develop advanced inverter interconnection requirements. Click the button below to view our weekly updated list of qualified advanced inverter equipment for our Distributed Energy Resource programs.

February 14, 2020 update

Hawaiian Electric and Enphase Energy, Inc are working on an upgrade agreement regarding the replacement of legacy inverters through Enphase’s Legacy Product Upgrade Program.

Subject to the terms and conditions of this agreement, Enphase’s IQ7PD inverter model will be allowed for use in one-for-one warranty replacements of legacy M-series and S-series inverters. These replacements will need to be reviewed by Hawaiian Electric by way of submission of a DER Amendment form (PDF). The technical requirements will need to be agreed to when the upgrade agreement is finalized.

In the interim, customers with executed interconnection agreements who have already purchased and/or installed Enphase IQ7PD inverters from Enphase will be given conditional approval to interconnect upon the submission of a properly completed DER Amendment form reflecting the use of Enphase’s IQ7PD inverters, which will (1) need to activate advanced inverter functions under Hawaiian Electric’s Source Requirement Document V1.1 standard, except for the Volt/Var function, and (2) be validated through the normal interconnection review processes. Please work with these customers to submit DER Amendment forms documenting the applicable equipment changes. If you have questions, please email us at connect@hawaiianelectric.com.

Update Your Contact Information

If your contracting company's contact information has changed, please email us with the following so that we have your current contact information on file: Company Name, Point of Contact Name, Phone Number, Email Address, Mailing Address.

Oahu: connect@hawaiianelectric.com
Maui: connectmauicounty@hawaiianelectric.com
Big Island: connecthawaiiisland@hawaiianelectric.com

Recommended Certification / Training for Solar Installers

The Solar Energy industry has numerous avenues to achieve professional certification.

The most recognized for of industry certification is the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). Please go to their website to find out how to apply at www.nabcep.org.

Some inverter manufacturers have their own training program for installation, and oftentimes these programs are offered for free. The HSEA works directly with these manufacturers so most of these programs will be posted on the HSEA website. To find out more about any solar relevant training programs, visit www.hsea.org. The training time for participation in these classes counts towards the credit hours required for the NABCEP exam.

Other training programs can be found through:

• Solar Training Institute Hawaii (STI). Visit their website at www.stisolarenergy.com
• Boots on the roof. Visit their website at www.bootsontheroof.com