Hawaii legislature last week sent a bill to Governor David Ige's desk that directs the state's regulators to open a proceeding to create a microgrid services tariff to facilitate development and use of microgrids in Hawaii.
The bill states that while Hawaii leads in renewable energy development including wave and airborne wind energy trials, very few microgrids have been installed there. "Their development has been inhibited by a number of factors, including interconnection barriers and a lack of standard terms regarding the value of services exchanged between the microgrid operator and the utility."
The intention is that the tariff will provide fair compensation for electricity, electric grid services and other system benefits. If Ige signs the bill, the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission will have until July 1 to open a proceeding.
For more information see the IDTechEx report on energy harvesting off-grid microwatt to megawatt. Also attend the IDTechEx business & technology insight forums, June 19, 20 and 21 2018.
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