Shared Solar Projects Moving Forward
By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor
Two renewable energy projects on Molokai are set to move forward in what represents the state’s first community-owned and -designed solar plus battery projects. In a partnership between Ho’ahu Energy Cooperative Molokai and Hawaiian Electric, the projects are anticipated to meet more than 20 percent of the island’s energy usage and serve about 1500 Molokai households. Both are expected to be operational in mid-2025.
Pala’au Solar and Kualapu’u Solar projects will be the first on the island in a shared renewable energy program under Hawaiian Electric known as community-based renewable energy (CBRE). Molokai subscribers to the program, particularly renters who cannot install their own rooftop solar panels, will benefit from lowered electric bills, according to Ho’ahu. …










