Shift and Save

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Shift and Save

The Shift and Save program is closed to new participants as of Feb 1, 2025.

Shift and Save is a time-of-use (TOU) rate that enables you to save money if you shift your energy use away from the high-demand evening and overnight hours that are at a higher kWh rate. The more you shift your energy usage away from those hours, the more money you could save.

About 4% of customers were selected at random to participate in the Shift and Save pilot program. The selection process looked at customers from Oahu and Hawaii Island who were currently on the schedule R, G and J rates and had advanced meters installed before December 2022. Customers on existing time of use rates (TOU-RI for example) were not selected.

  • The 1-year pilot program started Feb. 1, 2024
  • The first Shift and Save bill was for March 2024
  • For the first six months of the pilot program, residential customers were protected from their bill going up more than $10 over what it would have been on their Schedule R rate. This safeguard was in place to encourage customers to give the program a try and provide useful feedback for the pilot program.
  • Commercial customer bills were capped at no more than a 4% increase compared to what would have been charged on the existing rate for the same month.
  • Customers selected for the pilot can decline to participate at any time, including after the pilot has started.
  • Shift and Save rates apply 7 days a week.

Overview

The purpose of the program was to encourage customers to shift some of their electricity use from the evening peak and overnight to daytime when solar energy is abundant and less expensive. If successful, Hawaii will further reduce dependence on fossil fuels, cut greenhouse gas emissions, make its electric grids more reliable and resilient and, over time, drive down costs.

This pilot program was developed collaboratively by Hawaiian Electric, the state Consumer Advocate, and representatives from the distributed energy resources industry, and reviewed and authorized for implementation by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC).

Hawaiian Electric makes/loses no money on any customer bill that increases or decreases as a result of Shift and Save.


Participation

How do I decline participation?

Customers currently on the Shift and Save program can decline to participate at any time. However, if you opt out of the program you will not be able to re-enroll as the program is now closed to new participants.

Decline Participation

Can I choose to participate?

Customers are unable to sign up for TOU rates starting Feb. 1, 2025. The PUC is expected to provide more details in 2025.


How Shift and Save rates work

The daytime rate is the lowest to encourage customers to take advantage of abundant solar power during the middle of the day. Conversely, the evening peak rate is the highest.

Time of use rate chart
"A chart showing the three differing price ranges of high, medium, and low for each of the three time periods for Shift and Save. The Daytime period, 9 am - 5 pm is first on the left side of the chart in the color green. Repreenting the lowest cost of the three time periods with a singular $ and with a description about the colored section:"Use solar energy from the electrical grid when most abundant and save with the lowest rate." To the right of the Daytime period in orange is the Evening Peak, 5 pm - 9 pm, representing the highest cost with 3 $ and a description above it:"Reduce energy use during this time when energy is at its highest" Lastly, to the right of the evening peak is the Overnight period, 9 pm - 9 am, colored in with dark blue and representing the medium cost with 2 $ and with the description above it:"Conserve energy use or SHIFT energy use to Daytime hours."

Rate periods are:

  • Daytime: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Evening peak: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Overnight: 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.

Shift and Save Rates