Hawai‘i Energy Offering Over $600,000 in Grants to Local Businesses

Applications for Hawaiʻi Energy’s EmPOWER Grant program, offering up to $5,000 to cover eligible energy efficiency projects, are open now until Sept. 30, 2021.

The EmPOWER Grant program is designed specifically for nonprofits and small businesses who are pursuing energy efficiency projects at their facilities to cut back on energy use, increase resiliency, and ultimately, reduce their operating costs.

EmPOWER Grant funding may be used to cover the following expenses of energy efficiency projects:

• New energy efficient equipment that qualifies for a Hawai‘i Energy incentive
• Parts, accessories and other materials necessary for installation
• Labor for old equipment removal, site preparation and installation of energy efficiency measure(s)
• Shipping costs for equipment and materials
• Taxes for the above items

To be eligible for the EmPOWER Grant, applicants must fulfill the following requirements:

• Be a commercial rate schedule account holder of an electric utility on the island of Hawaii, Lānaʻi, Maui, Molokaʻi or Oʻahu where the electricity-saving energy efficiency measure is being installed.
• Business must fall into ONE of the following categories:
  • 501(c)3 nonprofit organization
  • Small businesses with electric rate Schedule “G”
  • Small business with less than 5,000 sq. ft. facility
  • Restaurant

In 2020, Hawai‘i Energy distributed more than $2 million to 210 small businesses, nonprofits and restaurants through the grant program. The energy-efficient upgrades are expected to help save more than $447,000 in total electricity costs within the first year.

For information on the EmPOWER Grant program, Hawai‘i Energy will be hosting a virtual informational webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, at 12 p.m. Interested applicants may register for the webinar at https://bit.ly/empower-grant-webinar.