Hawaiian Electric prepares to transition rooftop solar customers to new Smart Renewable Energy program

Hawaiian Electric is in the process of notifying customers nearing the end of their seven-year enrollment period in certain company legacy rooftop solar export programs that they will soon be transitioned to the new Smart Renewable Energy program.

Smart Renewable Energy is the next phase in Hawaiian Electric’s push to bring more customer-sited renewable energy onto the grid in a fair and sustainable way. Smart Renewable Energy, which offers an export and non-export track, consolidates and replaces all Hawaiian Electric’s previous rooftop solar export programs except Net Energy Metering (NEM) and NEM Plus.

During this transition, customers enrolled in Hawaiian Electric’s Customer Grid Supply, CGS Plus and Smart Export programs will be transferred to Smart Renewable Energy’s export track no later than seven years after their initial agreement. The first group of customers is scheduled to be transitioned starting Oct. 1, 2024. The transitions will continue on a rolling basis as each subsequent group of customers reaches the seven-year end date for their respective program. Hawaiian Electric will inform customers by email or mail as their transition date approaches.

Transition is automatic and does not require any action from the customer. The Smart Renewable Energy Program does require customers to have an advanced meter. Also, customers will be auto-enrolled in the new Shift and Save time-of-use rate and have the option to decline at any time at hawaiianelectric.com/ShiftandSave.

Customers participating in the Customer Self Supply or Standard Interconnection programs are not required to switch to Smart Renewable Energy, however, if they choose to do so they will be put in the program’s non-export track. No changes are required for customers in the NEM and NEM Plus programs.

Customers in any of the legacy solar programs have the option of transitioning to Smart Renewable Energy before their agreement end date by following the instructions on Hawaiian Electric’s website.

Hawaiian Electric customers applying to install a grid-connected solar system for the first time must do so through Smart Renewable Energy and will be required to have an advanced meter.

New Smart Renewable Energy customers will be auto-enrolled in the new Shift and Save time-of-use rate and have the option to decline at any time at hawaiianelectric.com/ShiftandSave.

For solar customers who want to pair their rooftop systems with energy storage, Hawaiian Electric is offering a new incentive program called Bring Your Own Device, which is replacing Battery Bonus.

Smart Renewable Energy and BYOD are the culmination of a multi-year regulatory effort that included input from the Public Utilities Commission, Hawaiian Electric, solar industry representatives and the Consumer Advocate.

The Smart Renewable Energy export rates and other information about the new programs are available at hawaiianelectric.com/smartprograms.