HONOLULU — The rapid growth in residential solar power systems could mean Hawaiian Electric Co. will have to pass on to customers the cost of upgrades that allow the energy into the grid.
HONOLULU — The rapid growth in residential solar power systems could mean Hawaiian Electric Co. will have to pass on to customers the cost of upgrades that allow the energy into the grid.
The utility is contacting contractors and customers who plan to install solar panels to make sure they know about equipment upgrades they might have to pay for. The utility is asking to be contacted before customers make arrangements to install the panels.
Rooftop solar panels are providing all of the electricity consumed during some daylight hours in about 13 percent of Oahu neighborhoods, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Friday.
Data from the utility show about 5 percent of its customers on Oahu and Maui have installed PV systems. About 4 percent of Big Island customers have done so.
Hawaii ranks third nationally in the amount of electricity generated by solar energy on a per capita basis, according to Solar Energy Industries Association.
“One of the biggest challenges is that we have had this growth in the photovoltaic sector that’s been so fast and so explosive,” said Scott Seu, the utility’s vice president for energy resources and operations. “What we are looking at now is just trying to stay a step ahead.”
Sierra Club Hawaii Director Robert Harris said he is concerned that contacting HECO in advance could slow solar power installations for homeowners.
HECO already has a similar “call before you install” system for Maui and Hawaii counties that has made customers better informed about the time and cost to install a system, said Marco Mangelsdorf, president of Hilo-based ProVision Solar.
“Years ago the amount of PV power feeding into the grid was essentially inconsequential,” he said. “That’s no longer the case.”