Hawaii’s electric utility companies, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative and Hawaiian Electric Cos., are among the leading utilities in the United States for energy storage, according to a new report.
Both companies are featured on this year’s top 10 list for energy storage, which is compiled annually by Smart Electric Power Alliance.
The 2018 survey ranks utilities based on their addition of solar and energy storage in 2017, both in total megawatts and watts per customers, according to the nonprofit’s website.
KIUC led the nation by adding 415.3 watts per customer of energy storage during the last year. That is over eight times more than second-placed Tucson Electric Power with 50 watts per customer.
Maui Electric and Hawaii Electric Light Co., both subsidiaries of Hawaiian Electric Cos., also made the top 10. Maui Electric came in third with 36.5 watts per customer and HELCO was ranked seventh with 16.4 watts per customer.
In terms of total megawatts, KIUC took home the fifth place with 13.7 megawatts, while Maui Electric and Hawaiian Electric Co. rounded out the top 10 with 2.6MW and 2.2MW, respectively. The utility adding the most energy storage last year was Southern California Edison with 56.2MW, according to the report.
“This year’s Top 10 lists reflect a pivotal moment in the U.S. energy transition, as utilities increasingly focus on solar and storage as distributed resources providing value to customers and the grid,” SEPA CEO and President Julia Hamm said in a statement. “Beyond their impressive numbers, Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric and Hawaii Electric Light embody a strong model for innovation and leadership that utilities across the country will continue to build on as we move toward a clean, smart and resilient energy future.”
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