Community Renewable Energy Program

Senate Bill 1050, enacted in June 2015, created the Hawaii Community-Based Renewable Energy (CBRE) program. The legislation established the broad parameters for the program, and charged the Public Utilities Commission with further fleshing out the rules and approving CBRE tariffs filed by the utilities. 

Phase 1 CBRE

In December 2017, the Commission adopted a Phase 1 CBRE Framework and directed the utilities to file tariffs consistent with the framework. The framework adopted different capacity allocations and credit rates for the different islands: 

1. Oahu - 5.0 MW, $0.15/kWh
   
2. Hawaii Island - 1.0 MW, $0.15/kWh
   
3. Maui - 1.0 MW, $0.165/kWh
   
4. Molokai - 0.5 MW, $0.225/kWh
   
5. Lanai - 0.5 MW, $0.26/kWh

Phase 1 was launched in June 2018.

Phase 2 CBRE

In April 2020, the Commission adopted a Phase 2 CBRE Framework. Phase 2 features an increased aggregate capacity cap from 8 MW in Phase 1 to 235 MW. It also includes a requirement for three dedicated LMI projects, one on Oahu, one on Hawaii Island, and one on Maui. The order also set aside 30 MW of the total program capacity for projects smaller than 250 kW, and directed HECO to develop a simplified tariff for these projects. For the first tranche of small projects, the credit rates will remain the same as for Phase 1: $0.15/kWh for Oahu and Hawaii, and $0.165/kWh for Maui. Larger projects will be chosen by HECO through RFPs, and subscriber organizations and project developers will propose their own credit rates in their bids.