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Hawaii's solar power flare-up: Too much of a good thing?

LA Times -- So many private solar panels are returning power to the grid that utilities fear their systems can't handle it all.

WAILUKU, Hawaii — On an island whose stock in trade is sun, and lots of it, Lawrence and Cindy Lee figured they'd be foolish not to join their neighbors and put a few solar panels on the roof.

The Lees called one of the solar contractors racing around Hawaii these days, and put in their order. Eleven months later, in October — after endless consultations, emails and a $3,000 study required by Maui Electric Co. — they were still waiting for a permit.

"Instead of it being like they want to help you get your solar system in," Lawrence Lee said, "it's more like they don't want you to."

Solar power has grown increasingly popular across the U.S. Sun Belt,

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Submitted Nov 18, 2012 By: LetemEatCake

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Ray_10589 Champion Author New York Posts:4,956 Points:1,184,935 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Nov 20, 2012 12:24:53 AM Ignore Ray_10589 Report Abuse solar is great...
SycamoreISU Champion Author Indiana Posts:1,040 Points:261,185 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 11:12:39 AM Ignore SycamoreISU Report Abuse When the wind gets too strong or if power needs are met, wind turbines shut down. Perhaps something similar can be set for solar power.
F81M Champion Author Indiana Posts:1,504 Points:788,110 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 10:58:46 AM Ignore F81M Report Abuse Of course the power company isn't in a big hurry. They lose money when you sell rather than buy.
Norm10 Champion Author British Columbia Posts:3,342 Points:162,925 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 10:49:39 AM Ignore Norm10 Report Abuse Maybe they should consider selling it to someone who can use it.
eschroth442 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:1,084 Points:333,720 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 9:20:21 AM Ignore eschroth442 Report Abuse put in the panels and don't connect it to the grid. run off the grid. Tell the power company to stuff it.
AnObserver Champion Author New Jersey Posts:8,364 Points:2,259,730 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 9:15:02 AM Ignore AnObserver Report Abuse If solar can stand on its own with without tax credits - go for it
leeac Champion Author Ohio Posts:1,606 Points:435,855 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 5:16:21 AM Ignore leeac Report Abuse There is no such thing as too much solar energy. It is simply a management problem. This is a wonderful problem to have.
NedW Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:5,625 Points:1,144,195 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 4:55:52 AM Ignore NedW Report Abuse I hope the panels were manufactured domestically.
quasar502 Champion Author Lansing Posts:3,593 Points:803,300 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 3:58:46 AM Ignore quasar502 Report Abuse Status quo never seems to want change does it?
GoGoGoodyear Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:2,055 Points:508,975 Joined:Mar 2010	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 2:34:05 AM Ignore GoGoGoodyear Report Abuse Why is it a problem when solar power generated on a homeowner's roof varies as clouds pass over the house, but not a problem when the same power is generated by solar panels owned by the electric utility company? Don't clouds ever interfere with the utility companies' solar panels? The problems of variable sunlight can be solved with good engineering and design, so it's a specious argument, and residential solar systems don't produce power uncontrollably on a bright sunny day. They have electronic regulators installed as part of the system. I think the utility companies are becoming concerned that all those solar panels are eating into their profit margin. They didn't worry about it before, but now there are so many residential solar installations that it's taking over a big chunk of their generating capacity, and profits.
hilogirl65 Sophomore Author Las Vegas Posts:137 Points:389,125 Joined:Mar 2003	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 2:23:50 AM Ignore hilogirl65 Report Abuse Love how big business hinders green energy. Even in local government
teafortwo Champion Author Washington Posts:22,132 Points:1,387,015 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 2:21:58 AM Ignore teafortwo Report Abuse Interesting article. Thanks for sharing Cakeman ;0}
UseLessGasFolks Champion Author Iowa Posts:5,456 Points:1,297,800 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:57:58 AM Ignore UseLessGasFolks Report Abuse A good problem to have.
jackson661 Champion Author Columbus Posts:3,772 Points:1,478,745 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:55:07 AM Ignore jackson661 Report Abuse Unstable.
RENEGADEGAS Champion Author Missouri Posts:14,924 Points:1,593,175 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:50:22 AM Ignore RENEGADEGAS Report Abuse Going green sure pays off, huh? Way to much money!
TBONE3 Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:8,756 Points:1,978,600 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:42:17 AM Ignore TBONE3 Report Abuse Guess Hawaii just has too much sunshine per day. That proves we can produce enough home made power to scare the BIG power companies. Now ain't that somethin special???
TheRedFez Veteran Author Las Vegas Posts:341 Points:115,155 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:41:56 AM Ignore TheRedFez Report Abuse Having too much power available is like having too much money. These folks need to find something worth complaining about.
wcp3rd All-Star Author New Jersey Posts:739 Points:363,350 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:41:25 AM Ignore wcp3rd Report Abuse ok
Bubba44612 Champion Author Ohio Posts:7,401 Points:1,878,055 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:40:54 AM Ignore Bubba44612 Report Abuse Power companies don't make any money from solar.
rahcat Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:2,478 Points:664,150 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:40:05 AM Ignore rahcat Report Abuse Too cloudy in west Michigan.
mcmonsta Champion Author Honolulu Posts:3,232 Points:819,520 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:38:17 AM Ignore mcmonsta Report Abuse yes....but ...wait ....but...maybe...but....we can't afford you to do it
rosyLI Champion Author Long Island Posts:5,645 Points:1,070,555 Joined:Apr 2010	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:37:41 AM Ignore rosyLI Report Abuse Solar power is a fools game.
TxPDawg All-Star Author Austin Posts:657 Points:380,995 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:33:03 AM Ignore TxPDawg Report Abuse ok
SkooterG Champion Author Phoenix Posts:1,359 Points:329,335 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:27:39 AM Ignore SkooterG Report Abuse Fascinating. Some important lessons to be learned from Hawaii.
kgbellman Champion Author Ann Arbor Posts:2,723 Points:733,790 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:27:36 AM Ignore kgbellman Report Abuse ricebike, I agree. But again, it is the difference between the ice or swimming suit industry in Hawaii vs. Alaska. Hawaii has so much sun, they can't handle that much electricity being generated, whereas a less sunny area (Seattle ??) might welcome more of this "problem"
kiss4afrog Veteran Author Twin Cities Posts:421 Points:173,960 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:26:24 AM Ignore kiss4afrog Report Abuse Read the article. Their problem is their "grids" aren't a grid but a series of individual non-connected grids and the solar is overpowering some of the grids. It's working too well !! Wish the rest of us could afford to put some panels on our roofs to defray some of our own electric cost.
BCM1 Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:1,864 Points:782,995 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:23:43 AM Ignore BCM1 Report Abuse Would you help a competitor take your business?
ricebike Champion Author New Jersey Posts:10,043 Points:1,857,670 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:23:38 AM Ignore ricebike Report Abuse "They DON'T want you to install solar panels; they want you to pay them more for more electricity" i agree
chyguy3 Champion Author Wyoming Posts:2,855 Points:859,990 Joined:Sep 2006	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:22:25 AM Ignore chyguy3 Report Abuse these may go the way of the dodo bird or wind generators
comprof Champion Author Houston Posts:6,870 Points:1,358,700 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:21:01 AM Ignore comprof Report Abuse Just another example of government promoting things to get votes using taxpayer money without bothering to think about the overall sequences of what they were doing.
wally52 Champion Author Little Rock Posts:27,483 Points:816,460 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:20:35 AM Ignore wally52 Report Abuse It's nice if you have sun all the time.
jwalkerh Champion Author Louisiana Posts:6,135 Points:1,369,130 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:20:02 AM Ignore jwalkerh Report Abuse Too much of a good thing???
Eugenian Champion Author Oregon Posts:1,872 Points:364,080 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:18:35 AM Ignore Eugenian Report Abuse A nice problem to have.
hubcapLA Champion Author Louisiana Posts:3,905 Points:940,435 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:18:02 AM Ignore hubcapLA Report Abuse If you do or if you don't, you are still held up by government
joeschmo12 Champion Author New York Posts:1,027 Points:308,165 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:16:40 AM Ignore joeschmo12 Report Abuse can't handle the heat, huh?
nztyraider Champion Author Nevada Posts:2,273 Points:694,825 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:16:22 AM Ignore nztyraider Report Abuse No not too much.
wshokie12 Champion Author Winston-Salem Posts:1,330 Points:217,760 Joined:Aug 2012	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:14:56 AM Ignore wshokie12 Report Abuse This should be a good thing.
Dodge_Me Champion Author Atlanta Posts:2,214 Points:557,730 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:13:32 AM Ignore Dodge_Me Report Abuse Why the red tape?
Vette1967 Champion Author Albany Posts:5,972 Points:1,277,725 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:11:59 AM Ignore Vette1967 Report Abuse Sounds like they need a storage system.
probedude2 Champion Author Akron Posts:12,563 Points:2,382,155 Joined:Jun 2003	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:09:38 AM Ignore probedude2 Report Abuse They DON'T want you to install solar panels; they want you to pay them more for more electricity
Tigercat88 Champion Author North Carolina Posts:3,207 Points:618,815 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:08:09 AM Ignore Tigercat88 Report Abuse Hawaii is one of the only places it would work like this.
vulcan96 Champion Author Ohio Posts:26,931 Points:3,105,625 Joined:Aug 2004	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:02:35 AM Ignore vulcan96 Report Abuse store the excess in batteries, use inverters to change it back to ac when needed.
Buddy2264 Champion Author Tampa Posts:11,664 Points:2,361,920 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 1:00:00 AM Ignore Buddy2264 Report Abuse I have not seen that much here in Florida. I cannot see how this is a problem, as it reduces the generation during the day of other sources. The problem is in not being about to store the excess solar for use at another time, this has to change.
zcolt45 Champion Author Michigan Posts:3,952 Points:890,135 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 12:59:43 AM Ignore zcolt45 Report Abuse So much for going Green.
millerin Champion Author Orlando Posts:2,317 Points:483,090 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 12:55:57 AM Ignore millerin Report Abuse hmm...
Tiernan Champion Author Chicago Posts:3,485 Points:820,800 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 12:55:40 AM Ignore Tiernan Report Abuse Well, it SEEMED like a good idea, at first.
jorod55 Champion Author California Posts:1,485 Points:432,925 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 12:54:50 AM Ignore jorod55 Report Abuse Be careful what you wish for.
1momsunshine Champion Author Ottawa Posts:5,495 Points:1,002,305 Joined:Mar 2010	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 12:49:13 AM Ignore 1momsunshine Report Abuse OK
Rooster922 Champion Author Wilmington Posts:3,798 Points:658,020 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 12:48:38 AM Ignore Rooster922 Report Abuse really
10k Champion Author North Carolina Posts:21,267 Points:2,255,970 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Nov 19, 2012 12:48:33 AM Ignore 10k Report Abuse my solar panels are for hot water only..until today, my hot water breakers had been off since sometime in the early spring, but i had to flip the breakers for a coupla hours, cause we've had clouds and more clouds, and not enough daylight ;(