Enphase's data and grid visibility provide Hawaiian Electric with
tools to accelerate solar deployment for its customers
PETALUMA, Calif. & HONOLULU--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENPH), announced today that the company has
collaborated with Hawaiian Electric Company to clear the backlog of
solar customers awaiting interconnection on the island of Oahu.
After making a commitment in October 2014 to clear 90 percent of the
interconnection backlog by April 2015, Hawaiian Electric sought out
Enphase's technical assistance to get a highly detailed analysis of grid
conditions in every neighborhood across the island. Approximately 25,000
Enphase® systems have been installed on Oahu and represent approximately
70 percent of all PV system production on the island. The Enphase PV
systems are able to report high-granularity voltage and frequency data,
providing a highly detailed view of events of grid instability. The two
companies used this PV production data to create statistically rich
"heat maps" that supported the initial technical reviews by Hawaiian
Electric's engineers. Utilizing the data-rich analysis provided by
Enphase helped Hawaiian Electric meet its commitment to release
approximately 4,000 PV systems, or over 20MW, of solar interconnections.
"Leveraging Enphase's smart microinverters, and our data communications
technology to clear Oahu's interconnection queue exemplifies the
innovative thinking that Hawaiian Electric is applying to accommodate
higher levels of solar penetration," said Paul Nahi, president and CEO
of Enphase. "Our collaboration shows that solar technology companies and
utilities can and must work together to the benefit of ratepayers while
making the large-scale grid integration of solar a reality."
"After extensive analysis and evaluation by Hawaiian Electric
distribution engineers along with our partners at Enphase, we have been
able to clear nearly all of the backlog of customers awaiting approval
to interconnect their rooftop solar systems in a safe and reliable
manner," said Jim Alberts, senior vice president of customer service at
Hawaiian Electric. "By working with industry partners like Enphase, we
are pioneering technical solutions to integrate record levels of solar
energy."
"The clearance of the Oahu interconnection queue is welcome news for the
solar community and provides another example of Enphase's technology
leadership as well as the value that the company offers beyond
microinverters," said Raghu Belur, co-founder and vice president of
products and strategic initiatives of Enphase. "With the backlog gone,
the solar community can now get back to what it does best—installing
rooftop solar and helping customers save on their energy bills."
The interconnection queue clearance is the latest success story in the
ongoing partnership between Enphase and Hawaiian Electric to find
technical solutions for integrating high levels of PV in Hawaii at a low
cost to end-customers. Earlier this year, Enphase
remotely upgraded the operating behavior of approximately 25,000
systems of its software-defined microinverters installed in Hawaiian
Electric's service areas, helping to improve the stability of the
overall grid.
About Enphase Energy, Inc.
Enphase Energy delivers energy management technology for the solar
industry that increases energy production, simplifies design and
installation, improves system uptime and reliability, reduces fire
safety risk and provides a platform for intelligent energy management.
Its semiconductor-based microinverter system converts energy at the
individual solar module level and brings a system-based high-technology
approach to solar energy generation, storage, control and management.
For more information, visit www.enphase.com.
Enphase Energy®, the Enphase logo and other trademarks or service names
are the trademarks of Enphase Energy, Inc.
About Hawaiian Electric Companies
Hawaiian Electric and its subsidiaries, Maui Electric and Hawaii
Electric Light, serve the islands of O‘ahu, Maui, Lānaʻi, Moloka'i and
Hawai‘i, home to 95 percent of the population of Hawai‘i. Hawaiian
Electric's parent company is Hawaiian Electric Industries (NYSE:HE). In
a changing world, the Hawaiian Electric Companies are taking the lead in
adding renewable energy and developing energy solutions for its
customers to achieve a clean energy future for Hawai‘i. For more
information, visit www.hawaiianelectric.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including
statements related to Enphase Energy's financial performance, market
demands for its products, advantages of its technology and market
trends. These forward-looking statements are based on the company's
current expectations and inherently involve significant risks and
uncertainties. Actual results and the timing of events could differ
materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as
a result of these risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed in
the "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in Enphase Energy's latest Securities
and Exchange Commission filings and reports. Enphase Energy undertakes
no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained
in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes
in its expectations.
Enphase Energy
Michelle Taylor, 707-763-4784
pr@enphaseenergy.com
or
Hawaiian
Electric
Darren Pai, 808-543-7753
darren.pai@hawaiianelectric.com
Source: Enphase Energy, Inc.
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