Home solar-storage systems to provide capacity, grid services in Hawaii

January 19, 2021
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Large-scale solar project on Oahu, Hawaii. For the contract with Swell Energy, utility Hawaiian Electric has gone down a different, more distributed route to meeting its energy needs. Image: Hawaiian Electric Companies.

US utility Hawaiian Electric will turn to thousands of home solar-plus-storage systems for capacity and grid services under a new contract with a virtual power plant provider.

California-based Swell Energy has been contracted by the utility to execute the project, which will see more than 25MW of distributed solar generation paired with around 80MW of domestic battery storage systems to create a “comprehensive” virtual power plant network for three of Hawaii’s islands.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

The contract, valued at around US$25 million, has been rubber stamped by state regulator the Hawaiian Public Utilities Commission.

Systems installed by Swell will provide capacity to local networks when required while also providing grid services on the islands of Oahu, Maui and Hawaii.

For more on this story, visit our sister publication Energy-Storage.news.

Read Next

Premium
February 3, 2026
PV Talk: Vote Solar’s Sachu Constantine discusses the growing role of state and local governments in driving forward clean energy policy in the United States.
February 2, 2026
Independent power producer (IPP) TerraForm Power has acquired a 1.56GW solar project in Lee County, Illinois from Hexagon Energy.
February 2, 2026
Private equity firm Younan Company has launched an 880MW solar-plus-storage project in California, marking its entry into utility-scale solar PV in the US.
February 2, 2026
The price of solar PPAs signed in North America increased 3.2% between the third and fourth quarters of 2025, reaching a high of US$61.67/MWh.
January 30, 2026
US-based PV recycling firm Solarcycle has begun operations at its Cedartown recycling facility in Georgia, US.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK
Upcoming Webinars
February 18, 2026
9am PST / 5pm GMT
Solar Media Events
March 24, 2026
Dallas, Texas
Solar Media Events
April 15, 2026
Milan, Italy
Solar Media Events
June 16, 2026
Napa, USA