US-based Hawaiian Electric has submitted applications to the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for the approval of six power purchase agreements (PPA) for solar projects, with a combined generation capacity of 207MW.
The schemes are part of the firm’s energy plan, which intends to bring down power bills for the customers and offer them better service options.
Hawaiian Electric intends to almost triple its distributed solar capacity and wants to produce 65% renewable energy by 2030.
The projects in Oahu include 19MW Hoohana Solar, 49MW Kawailoa Solar, 15MW Lanikuhana Solar, 28MW Waianae Solar, 46MW Waiawa PV and 50MW Waiawa Solar.
The developers for the independently owned projects include FCHQC Development (Hoohana), First Wind (Kawailoa, Lanikuhana and Waiawa PV), Eurus Energy America (Waianae) and SunEdison (Waiawa).
Application has also been submitted for the 15MW Ka La Nui Solar project in Waianae by NextEra Energy Resources.
This takes the utility-scale solar projects proposed for Oahu to 222MW.
Hawaiian Electric vice-president for corporate planning and business development Shelee Kimura said: "Our companies have never before signed agreements for this much new renewable energy at one time.
"This is a significant step towards transforming the generation portfolio on Oahu to achieve our aggressive, low-cost clean energy goals we put forth to the PUC in August."
Average price for all seven solar projects is 14 cents per KWh, much below the cost of power generation from fossil fuels.
The projects were awarded to the developers through competitive bids by Hawaiian Electric as a part of ‘Low Cost Renewable Energy Projects on Oahu’.
PUC had previously given its approval to the power company to negotiate with responding project developers directly, outside of the bidding process.
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