Honolulu City Lights: How the Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) Flipped the Switch on Hawaii's Solar Power Boom

Abstract

The following describes the challenges Hawaii has faced in creating an electrical utility provider that derives 100% of its energy through renewable energy resources. We describe how the rise of distributed solar electrical generation units created a safety and financial crisis for Hawaii Electric Company (HECO). Hawaii is the first state in the country where the success of solar and distributed power generation has become a potential existential threat to the utility company. The lessons learned in Hawaii can serve as a guide for other states as they strive to become less dependent on fossil fuel and more reliant on renewable energy resources for electrification.