
Hawaii's Public Utilities Commission is reviewing ways to improve a green energy initiative in the state, the Associated Press recently reported.
The initiative, called a feed-in tariff, pays Hawaii residents and businesses that feed the state's power grid through renewable energy generators like solar panels. Since launching in November, 2010, the initiative's net energy metering program, which allows residents to subtract the power they feed to the grid from their electricity bills, has been a sucess, according to the AP. However, not many large-scale green energy projects have been undertaken.
A solar power developer, Erik Kvam, told the AP that businesses have not embraced the program because there is no stipulation that the public utility will have to pay for the power produced by new renewable energy systems. Without this guarantee, Kvam said, investors won't sink their money into large-scale projects that could produce up to 5 megawatts of electricity.
The Public Utilities Commission will accept proposals for improvements to the feed-in tariff program through September 6, then will study the recommendations and decide on a course of action, the source reports.
A spokesperson for Hawaii's Renewable Energy Development Venture recently told the Hawaii Reporter the state has gotten a good start on reaching its goal of running on 70 percent green energy by 2030.

