Utilities Mount PR War on Rooftop PV

An article in Scientific American talks about the impact of cheap rooftop PV is having on utilities. Some utilities like Arizona Public Service (APS) are fighting against solar as HECO/MECO are doing: In response APS and other utility companies across the country have launched a propaganda war against an energy source that still accounts for less than one quarter of 1 percent of U.S. electricity. In Arizona that fight became very public in 2013, as … Read more

Former U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu lashes out at Hawaiian Electric

A Forbes article by Steven Chu: Utility companies have been looking for new regulations and higher connection charges to save them from a “death spiral” spurred by a surge in rooftop solar installations. Instead, says former Energy Secretary Steven Chu, they should get into the rooftop solar business. Utilities are in danger of being FedExed, Chu said, “like the Post Office got FedExed,” as rooftop solar modules drop in price. “The cost of modules has plummeted. … Read more

Sierra Club Supporting Solar

Solar Makes a Splash!  In partnership with Pacific Resource Partnership, we recently announced the results of a state-wide poll that showed a stunning, nearly unanimous 96% support for solar energy. In addition, we also took the opportunity to literally roll out the petition that over 900 people signed in support of a modern, clean energy grid. If you’ve ever wondered what 900 people in a legislator’s office looks like, it looks something like this: The … Read more

Henry Curtis: HELCO Ignores Residential PV

By Henry Curtis 05/15/2013
A year ago the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC) opened a regulatory proceeding on Integrated Resource Planning (IRP). The HECO Companies (HECO, MECO, and HELCO) were given a year to develop short-term Action Plans and evaluate how utility actions would be impacted by different long-term possible future scenarios. The PUC created a 68-member Advisory Group, to be overseen by an Independent Entity (IE), to help the utilities create these Action Plans.

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Community Solar Summit

Due to high demand, the Maui Solar Summit has changed locations from the college to the Castle Theater at the MACC. The hours are extended from 11:00am-1:30pm. A sandwich lunch by the Maui Culinary Academy will be available in the courtyard at 11:00am subsidized by the county for only $5. The blessing will start promptly at 11:30am. Please arrive early to get your seat.

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Utilities vs. rooftop solar: What the fight is about

(Photo courtesy Rising Sun Solar)

The conflict between electric utilities and distributed energy— mainly rooftop solar panels — is heating up.

David Roberts takes a look at the fight over utilities who don’t want to take more rooftop solar – a subject that is hot in Hawaii, where folks are being charged $3000 for “interconnection studies” and being denied the opportunity to install PV.

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Sierra Club – Working for YOU

HI-clean-energy-champions

The state of Hawaii has passed a first-of-its kind clean-energy financing measure that will make it easy for residents of the Aloha State to go green and install clean energy, while saving some green at the same time. The Sierra Club and a coalition of environmental and labor groups championed the measure, which will reduce the upfront costs of solar energy and energy-efficiency for residents and small businesses.

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