Hawaii Energy, a ratepayer-funded energy efficiency program, is offering $2.1 million in incentives for projects that reduce energy consumption in the state’s first energy efficiency auction.
The auction is open to contractors, developers, energy efficiency solution providers, energy service companies, energy vendors and property managers. Winners can use incentive funds to offset project costs.
Proposed projects must reduce energy consumption and deliver one or more of the following:
- Improved cost-effectiveness compared to existing Hawaii Energy offerings
- Increased energy efficiency in high energy consumptionor hard-to-reach geographic areas
- Mass installations of specific energy efficiency technologies or offerings
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Hawaii Energy hopes to identify and enable turnkey energy efficiency projects that provide the best value (based on first-year and lifetime energy savings).
“Since the inception of Hawaii Energy five years ago, we’ve made tremendous strides in saving ratepayers energy and money on their electric bills. However, there is still great untapped potential to expand our reach to help even more residents and businesses,” said Ray Starling, program director, Hawaii Energy. “With our new efficiency auction, we’re calling upon industry professionals to demonstrate their ingenuity and market savvy to bring additional energy-saving solutions to electric customers.”
Proposed projects must serve electric utility ratepayers in Hawaii, Honolulu or Maui counties who pay the public benefit fee charge on their electric bills. Projects that are already in contract do not qualify for the auction.
The program has set aside $977,000 for selected residential projects requiring a minimum incentive commitment of $10,000. More than $1.14 million is earmarked for commercial projects with a minimum incentive requirement of $50,000 per selected project.
There are two project categories:
(1) Targeted projects which focuses on specific target markets (residential or commercial) or specific technologies
(2) Innovative projects which are new energy efficiency technologies not currently offered by Hawaii Energy.
The residential target markets include renters and hard-to-reach geographic areas. Specific technologies may include solar thermal water heaters for multi-family homes, LED lighting, smart thermostats, occupancy sensors and whole home monitors/energy management systems.
The commercial target markets consist of professionally-managed housing (e.g., privately-managed communities or military housing), schools, healthcare, small businesses and restaurants, as well as businesses in hard-to-reach geographic areas. Specific technologies may include LED lighting, controls (e.g., lighting and building management systems), refrigeration/cold storage, kitchen equipment, demand response as an energy efficiency initiative, business submetering and re-commissioning/retro commissioning.
Applicants will be notified if their project is selected by Oct. 17, 2014. Preference will be given to projects that can be completed by May 30, 2015. However, longer duration projects may be accepted based on value to the program.
Interested participants must submit an application (along with an estimated energy savings worksheet and project proposal) online at http://auction.hawaiienergy.com, via email to John Rei at [email protected], or hard copy to Hawaii Energy at 1132 Bishop Street, Suite 1800, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813.
The request for project applications and an application form are available at http://auction.hawaiienergy.com. Applications must be received online, via email or in hard copy by Monday, Sept. 29 by 4 p.m. (Hawaii Standard Time). All companies that are licensed and insured to conduct business in Hawaii can submit an application. There are no application fees.
The contact for more information is John Rei at (808) 839-8823 or visit http://auction.hawaiienergy.com.
