Energy

Community Energy Meeting a Success

Wednesday, August 11th, 2021

Molokai Clean Energy Hui News Release

More than 50 Molokai residents and clean energy experts Zoomed in to the Molokai Clean Energy Hui’s first community meeting on Aug. 4.

“Our top priority today is to ask for your help by providing your mana‘o and getting the word out about the upcoming Molokai Community Energy Resilience Action Plan (CERAP) so that this can be a truly community-led and island-wide process,” said Leilani Chow, Hui Coordinator and Sust’aina ble Molokai (SM) Energy Program Manager.

Matt Yamashita, Executive Hui and SM Board member, recapped Molokai’s renewable energy history. When Sust’aina ble Molokai surveyed nearly 300 residents in 2012, there was overwhelming support for transitioning to community-friendly renewable energy.…

Share Input on Shared Solar Program

Wednesday, July 28th, 2021

Hawaiian Electric News Release

Hawaiian Electric is hosting a virtual stakeholder meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 11, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., to collect feedback from Molokai residents and business owners, renewable energy developers, and interested parties regarding Molokai shared solar projects, also known as the Community-Based Renewable Energy (CBRE) program.

Those interested can join the meeting online by going to hawaiianelectric.com/communitymeetings, view it live on Akaku Maui Community TV channel 54, or watch a livestream of the meeting on Hawaiian Electric’s Facebook page. Participants are welcome to ask questions and provide feedback on shared solar for Molokai during the meeting.…

Battery Storage Energy Workshop

Wednesday, July 21st, 2021

Ho’ahu Energy News Release

Ho’ahu Energy Cooperative Molokai, a local group formed to support community-owned energy projects, invites you to join us for our next virtual workshop on Saturday, July 24, 9 to 11 a.m.

This workshop will be Tech Review Day, Part 3: Battery Storage Safety! In May and June, we learned about different solar panel and battery storage technologies. This week we will hear case studies for battery safety and discuss how we can design our battery system to improve safety for both people and the environment.

The workshop continues the coop’s work to design solar and battery storage projects for Maui Electric’s upcoming Community Based Renewable Energy (CBRE) Request for Proposals (RFP).…

Your Dream for Molokai Energy

Wednesday, July 14th, 2021

Molokai Clean Energy Hui and Hoahu Energy Cooperative News Release

The Molokai Clean Energy Hui (MCEH) will begin an island-wide, community-led renewable energy planning process this year. When you dream about renewable energy in the future, does it include electric planes, electric tractors, 4×4 pickups that do not need gas, cheaper power bills, or solar battery backup so you are not affected by blackouts? What is your dream?

Molokai’s renewable energy plan’s success is dependent on community participation. MCEH’s first Zoom community meeting is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 4. Plan to attend because renewable energy affects your ohana’s future, and join the “Molokai Renewable Energy” Facebook group for updates and information.…

Power Out for Over 10 Hours in Town

Wednesday, July 7th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

A fault on Maui Electric’s circuit left residents and businesses in Kaunakakai without power for more than 10 hours on the morning of Friday, July 2.

The outage began around 11:50 p.m. on July 1, and the majority of customers were restored at 9:40 a.m., according to Maui Electric. The remaining customers were brought back online around noon. Nearly 600 residents and businesses were affected.

The outage included homes in Ranch Camp and Manila Camp, Molokai General Hospital, and the majority of businesses in Kaunakakai. While some had backup generators to keep stock fresh, Friendly Market and others still had spoilages.…

Planning for Molokai’s Energy Future

Wednesday, June 30th, 2021

MCEH News Release

We must go slow, to move fast. This proverb is true for Molokai’s renewable energy needs.

In 2017, Hawaiian Electric Companies (HECO) revealed a statewide plan including Molokai for 100 percent renewable energy by 2020. However, Molokai is not even close to the goal. Molokai has an abundance of rooftop solar, but customer options for roof top solar are limited due to technical limitation with the grid.

Over the last decades, four large-scale renewable energy developers have come and gone without completing projects for various reasons, primarily costs and roadblocks with HECO. Today Molokai remains dependent on expensive and environmentally damaging fossil fuels.…

Energy Coop Tech Review Continues

Wednesday, June 9th, 2021

Ho’ahu Energy Coop News Release

Hoʻahu Energy Cooperative Molokai, a new local entity formed to support community-owned energy projects, invites you to join us for our next virtual workshop on Saturday, June 12 from 9 to 10:30 a.m.

This workshop will be Tech Review Day, Part 2! In May, we learned about some of our options for different solar panel modules to install for our projects. This week we will learn about battery storage technologies and then we will discuss our priorities in selecting which equipment we would install.

The workshop continues the Coop’s work to design solar and battery storage projects for Maui Electric’s upcoming Community Based Renewable Energy (CBRE) Request for Proposals (RFP).…

Hawaiian Electric Urges Hurricane Preparedness

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2021

Hawaiian Electric News Release

The 2021 Central Pacific hurricane season starts on June 1 and Hawaiian Electric is advising customers, both residential and commercial, to be prepared and have emergency plans in place.

Hawaiian Electric crews work year-round to harden the company’s five island grids so they are better able to withstand the effects of powerful storms. A major focus of Hawaiian Electric’s efforts to build resilience involves reinforcing poles, lines and other equipment. The utility also spent $18 million in 2020 to clear trees and vegetation from around power lines and equipment, resulting in fewer and briefer outages during storms.…

Rent and Electric Bill Assistance

Wednesday, May 19th, 2021

Hawaiian Electric News Release

With the moratorium on disconnections for nonpayment set to end May 31 for Hawaiian Electric customers, Molokai renters behind on utility bills are urged to seek financial help through new county program. Millions of dollars in federal assistance to households behind on rent and electric bills are now available through the County of Maui.

Disconnections for nonpayment and collections activities have been suspended for more than a year as part of Hawaiian Electric’s effort to help households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The moratorium, set by the Public Utilities Commission, is scheduled to end on May 31.…

Hawaiian Electric Celebrates a Century With Nonprofit Donations

Thursday, May 6th, 2021

Hawaiian Electric News Release

In commemoration of 100 years of serving its customers and communities on Maui, Molokai, and Lanai, Hawaiian Electric is recognizing 21 nonprofit organizations across the county with a total contribution of over $11,000. The company’s employees nominated the organizations to receive donations for their impactful and positive efforts in the areas of community resilience, environmental sustainability, and educational excellence. On Molokai, Molokai Community Service Council and Molokai Land Trust both received $1,000.

“We’re celebrating our century of service with a reflection of our employee’s long-standing commitment to supporting our communities and customers,” said Mahina Martin, director of government and community affairs for Hawaiian Electric in Maui County.…