Thursday, November 21, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Friday, November 13, 2015
‘Time of Use’ Rates to top out at $0.479 per kwh
By News Release @ 5:28 PM :: 5654 Views :: Energy, Cost of Living

Hawaiian Electric Companies propose expanded time-of-use rates

Options will support renewable energy, new technology, help customers save on energy costs

News Release from Hawaiian Electric

HONOLULU, November 13, 2015 - The Hawaiian Electric Companies have proposed to expand their time-of-use rate options to help customers gain more control over their electric bills, support increased use of renewable energy, and promote the adoption of new technologies such as energy storage and electric vehicles.

Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric, and Hawaii Electric Light Company proposed new voluntary time-of-use rates for residential customers that encourage the use of power during times when solar and wind resources are most productive. In addition, the Companies proposed revised time-of-use rates for electric vehicle (EV) charging aimed at continuing to support the growing EV market.

These new options would complement the new, lower day-time electric rates for the Hawaii Department of Education proposed last week by the Hawaiian Electric Companies. The DOE rates could help public schools manage their electricity costs as they add more air conditioning and cooling equipment, while also using renewable energy that is available during day-time hours.

“We want to give our customers options to help them manage their bills and encourage the use of more low cost renewable energy,” said Jim Alberts, Hawaiian Electric senior vice president of customer service. “Rate options like these can give customers choices and help us collectively achieve our state’s 100 percent renewable portfolio standards goal.”

Residential customers

Residential time-of-use rates would be most beneficial for customers who are able to use more electricity during the middle of the day until 4 p.m. – for example, to wash and dry clothes, wash dishes, charge an electric vehicle, for cooking, or to cool the house. Next best would be to move some energy usage to after midnight, for example by using timers to do laundry, run dishwashers or to charge an electric vehicle.

Actual savings will depend on how much customers are able to change their use patterns to the middle of the day when the amount of solar power is greatest or to overnight hours when wind farms are typically productive and to help avoid the need to run additional utility generators to meet the evening peak demand. This will help reduce the state’s reliance on oil and make the most efficient use of renewable resources.

In addition, customers with energy storage systems can store lower-cost energy generated by their rooftop PV systems during the day and then use some of that stored power to meet some of their needs during the evening peak period. This can help customers better manage their bills and maximize their investment in their rooftop PV and energy storage systems.

Based on current fuel prices and other surcharges, if the proposed rates were effective today, they would be as follows:


Effective Residential Time-of-use rates – Nov. 2015 Oahu Hawaii Maui Molokai Lanai
Mid-day 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. 13.4 ¢/kWh 17.2 ¢/kWh 17.1 ¢/kWh 21.6 ¢/kWh 26.5 ¢/kWh
Off-Peak 12 a.m. - 9 a.m. 16.0 ¢/kWh 19.3 ¢/kWh 20.2 ¢/kWh 21.6 ¢/kWh 25.7 ¢/kWh
On-Peak 4 p.m. – 12 a.m. 38.5 ¢/kWh 47.9 ¢/kWh 39.0 ¢/kWh 44.8 ¢/kWh 42.3 ¢/kWh
Effective Nov. 2015 Non Time-of-Use residential rates 24.4 ¢/kWh 30.3 ¢/kWh 26.3 ¢/kWh 30.7 ¢/kWh 32.2 ¢/kWh
 

Electric Vehicles

The Hawaiian Electric Companies are also proposing to revise existing time-of-use rates for electric vehicles to allow customers to select options that best suit their needs. The revised proposal includes:

  • A revised “whole house” rate that would include EV charging along with all of the electricity use measured by a single electric meter at a customer’s home;
  • A revised rate for customers who have a separate electric meter just for charging electric vehicles.

For both EV rate options, the Companies propose a mid-day period of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., an on-peak period of 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., and an off-peak period of 9 p.m. to 9 a.m., every day.

The residential and EV time-of-use proposals were submitted as part of the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission’s ongoing review of distributed energy resource programs. Before any of these rates can be offered to customers, they must be reviewed and approved by the PUC, with input from the Hawaii Division of Consumer Advocacy and other parties in the distributed energy resources proceeding.

“This is another step toward offering customers more choices. As we move ahead, we want to ensure these programs can be successful and benefit all customers. So we will monitor these programs closely to determine if any adjustments are needed over time,” Alberts said.

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii