Hawaiian Electric to begin construction of first standalone load-shifting battery energy storage system on Maui

As part of its transition to using more renewable energy and cutting carbon emissions to power Maui, Hawaiian Electric will begin construction in January of the island’s first large standalone load-shifting battery energy storage system (BESS). The Waena BESS will enable the planned retirement of four generating units at the company’s Kahului Power Plant.

Approved by the Public Utilities Commission in December 2023, the Waena BESS is a grid-connected 40 MW/160 MWh battery energy storage system that will be located at the company-owned property along Pūlehu Road in Central Maui. The Waena BESS is part of the company’s overall plans to reduce its overall carbon footprint and to use renewable resources to generate 100% of electricity by 2045. Currently, 41% of Maui County’s electricity comes from renewables.

Anticipated to come online by 2027, the Waena BESS will be tied into the company’s Waena Switchyard and will have the capability to serve as energy-shifting resource that can store and dispatch large-scale renewable resources, such as solar and wind, as needed.

The Waena Switchyard and Waena BESS are an integral phase in the retirement of Kahului Power Plant’s four steam-generating units that currently provide power and system stability on the island’s transmission system. 

The company is also working to procure replacement generation resources through more large-scale renewable energy and battery projects on Maui. At this time, four contracts for variable and firm renewable energy and associated battery projects on Maui have been approved by the PUC and are in various stages of negotiation with Hawaiian Electric.