Frequently Asked Questions

Shared solar, or community solar, allows members of the community to split the benefits of a single solar installation without owning it. The solar electricity is delivered to the local utility grid and subscribers to the program get energy credits from HECO, as if the solar panels were installed on their property.

You save based on the difference of what you pay for your subscription size and the bill credits you receive from HECO. As long as the shared solar farm produces energy, you will be receiving bill credits.

Watch HECO’s video to learn more about shared solar.

Technical and economic feasibility studies and local permitting may delay or block the construction of the 2 community-based solar farms.

Even though we are awarded to be a provider of HECO’s community-based renewable energy program on the Big Island, HECO still needs to complete their interconnection study. This determines if connecting the proposed community solar farms to the local grid in Waikōloa Village is technically and financially doable for customers to gain savings from solar. Local land use and environmental permits are required for the 2 solar farms to be built too.

If you want to know when applications open to possibly get your portion of solar energy in 1 of our 2 community-based solar farms, you can Interest List→

We accept all HECO customers on the Big Island, but priority and a portion of subscriptions is set aside for Low-to-Moderate Income households.

“LMI Customers” are defined in Tariff Rule No. 29. These households must meet the housing income limits defined by the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the County such as this listed here. Please refer to the latest HUD data.

Those who receive assistance from low-income programs are considered by HECO as LMI customers. These include and are not limited to: GEM$ On-Bill Money Saver Program, Hawaii MedQuest Program, Hawaii Energy Affordability and Accessibility Program, Hawaiian Telcom Internet Kokua Program, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Section 8, SNAP, AUW 2-1-1, Basic Needs Program of The Salvation Army, any verified Federal of Hawai’i State program (government or nonprofit), etc.

We will always post here on our website when and where the next community meeting will be scheduled.

Some public or community meetings will also be advertised in local groups, media, and resident mailers.