Demand Response

Contact Us

For more information about Hawaiian Electric's Demand Response program, please email us at energyscout@hawaiianelectric.com.

Demand Response Benefits

Demand Response (DR) is a partnership: the utility rewards customers who are willing to temporarily reduce electricity use in response to a request from the utility.

Demand Response is Used

  • During periods of peak energy use;
  • During grid emergencies or to prevent a grid emergency;
  • To reduce Hawaii's dependence on imported fossil fuels;
  • To assist in accepting more renewable energy onto the grid and into our homes and businesses;
  • To keep the grid stable, reliable, and running efficiently.

Demand Response Strategy

Hawaiian Electric's DR strategy is to develop a portfolio of residential and commercial and industrial customer loads which will enable the reliable and economic operation of the modern grid. Our DR strategy will be implemented incrementally, over time, through a combination of shorter-term initiatives including pilot programs, participation in research, development and demonstration projects, and market studies.

Customer Benefits

The newest program in our portfolio, Fast DR is a way to quickly reduce customer's electricity demand for brief periods when power from intermittent renewables such as solar and wind drops off. By reducing customer demand temporarily, Hawaiian Electric is able to reduce the amount of generating units it must continually have available. In short, demand response helps to reduce overall energy costs to all customers and also reduces Hawaii's dependence on imported oil.

Customers participating in the DR programs help to:

  • Reduce the system peak, lowering costs for all customers
  • Stabilize grid frequency
  • Prevent or fix grid emergencies
  • Reduce the amount of imported fossil fuel used to generate electricity
  • Improve the ability for Hawaiian Electric to use renewable energy
  • Keep the grid running reliably and efficiently

Demand Response is one of many Energy Solutions that Hawaiian Electric offers customers to keep electricity costs lower for everyone. Learn which DR program can help tame your electric bills at your home or business:

For residences

  • Water Heater
  • Air Conditioner

For businesses

  • Fast DR
  • Small Business
  • Commercial & Industrial DLC

Demand Response Program Comparison

Residential Business
Water Heater Central Air Conditioner Direct Load Control Small Business Fast DR
Curtailment Window 24x7x365 24x7x365 24x7x365 24x7x365 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Monday - Friday
Annual Limit None None 300 hours/year 300 hours/year 80 hours/year
Event Duration Limit None None None None 1 hour
Annual Event Limit None None None None 40 or 80 events
Trigger Method Dispatch*/Under Frequency Trip (UFR)** Dispatch/Under Frequency Trip (UFR) Dispatch/Under Frequency Trip (UFR) Dispatch/Under Frequency Trip (UFR) Dispatch Only
Capacity Incentive $3/month $5/month Dispatch = $5 per kW
Dispatch/UFR = $10 per kW		 A/C = $5 per ton/month
Water Heater = $5 per kw/month		 $5 for 40 events or $10 for 80 events
Notification None None 1 hour prior to DR event None 10 minutes prior to DR event
*Dispatch refers to an event triggered manually by a system operator.
**Under Frequency Trip refers to an event triggered automatically by the system when monitoring devices sense that frequency has dipped too far below an acceptable 60 Hertz level.