Bring Your Own Device Plus: How the Hawaiian Electric Battery Program Pays Homeowners

The Hawaiian Electric battery program for new home batteries is Bring Your Own Device Plus, usually shortened to BYOD Plus, and it pays homeowners in two ways. You receive a one-time upfront incentive of $400 for every kilowatt of battery capacity you commit, with no cap, and most participants also earn a monthly bill credit. In exchange, your battery sends stored energy toward the grid during a two-hour window you choose, every day, for the length of a five-year agreement. For a battery you were buying for hurricane backup anyway, that turns storm insurance into an asset that pays you back. ProVision Solar enrolls battery customers across Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island, and this guide breaks down how the payments, the daily window, and the fine print actually work.

What Is the Hawaiian Electric Battery Program Called BYOD Plus?

The Hawaiian Electric battery program called Bring Your Own Device Plus is an incentive program that pays customers who install a new battery and let it provide a daily grid service. It replaced the earlier Battery Bonus program, which closed to new participants on July 1, 2024. The core eligibility rules, per Hawaiian Electric, are straightforward:

• New battery: the battery must be newly installed, not an existing system already in another incentive program
• Paired with renewables: the battery must be connected to renewable generation, which for homeowners means rooftop solar
• Minimum commitment: at least 1 kilowatt of battery capacity committed to the program
• Advanced meter: required for two-way data communication with the utility
• Compatible programs: available with Smart Renewable Energy Export, Smart Renewable Energy Non-Export, and legacy programs such as Net Energy Metering
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How Much Does the Hawaiian Electric Battery Program Pay?

The Hawaiian Electric battery program pays $400 per kilowatt committed upfront, with an additional $400 per kilowatt for qualifying low- and moderate-income households, and neither amount has a maximum cap. Hawaiian Electric’s own example shows a customer committing 5 kilowatts receiving a $2,000 one-time payment plus a monthly export credit of about $52. Over the five-year agreement, that example adds up to roughly $5,100 in combined value, and a qualifying low- or moderate-income household would receive $4,000 upfront for the same commitment.

The monthly credit depends on your underlying solar program. Customers on programs such as Smart Renewable Energy Export receive a separate monthly export credit calculated under the utility’s tariff rules, while legacy Net Energy Metering customers see the exported energy credited through their existing agreement. Your actual credit varies with island, program, and committed capacity.

Hawaiian Electric Battery Program Payments vs. the Old Battery Bonus

BYOD Plus pays less upfront than its predecessor but offers more flexibility. Battery Bonus paid $850 per kilowatt committed plus a $5 per kilowatt monthly capacity credit, but it required a ten-year commitment with a two-hour window set by the utility between 6 and 8:30 p.m., per Hawaiian Electric. BYOD Plus cuts the commitment to five years, lets you pick the window, and adds the income-qualified bonus. Homeowners who missed Battery Bonus are encouraged by the utility to apply under BYOD Plus instead.

How Does the Daily Two-Hour Window Work?

The daily two-hour window works by scheduling your battery to discharge at the committed power level during a period you select, every day of the agreement. Your home’s own needs are served first, and any remaining discharge flows out to the grid. Most homeowners choose an evening window, because that is when Hawaii’s grid needs support most and when exported energy is valued highest. On Oahu, for example, the Smart Renewable Energy Export credit is 32.9 cents per kilowatt-hour from 5 to 9 p.m., compared with 13.5 cents during the day, per Hawaiian Electric’s published export rates.

The commitment level also decides how much backup you keep. A 5 kilowatt commitment held for two hours can use up to about 10 kilowatt-hours, which is most of a single 13.5 kilowatt-hour Tesla Powerwall 3. Homeowners who prioritize storm backup often commit a smaller share of their capacity, or add a second battery so one unit’s worth of energy stays in reserve. ProVision Solar models these tradeoffs during every Tesla Powerwall Installation so the incentive never leaves your family short during an outage.

Is BYOD Plus Worth It for Your Hawaii Home?

For most Hawaii homeowners buying a new battery, the program is worth it, provided the commitment level fits your backup needs. The program pays for something the battery already does well, and the upfront incentive stacks with Hawaii’s Renewable Energy Technologies Income Tax Credit, worth 35% of eligible system cost up to $5,000 per system for single-family homes, per the Hawaii Department of Taxation. Weigh these points before enrolling:

• Five-year agreement: leaving early requires 60 days of written notice and a prorated repayment of the upfront incentive
• Daily cycling: the battery discharges every day, which is normal use for a modern battery but worth understanding
• Backup reserve: the committed kilowatts determine how much stored energy remains for outages
• Terms can change: program rules and credit values are set by the utility and regulators

Every current state and utility incentive is listed on our Hawaii Solar Incentives page. If you do not have solar yet, the battery and panels can be designed and enrolled together as part of a Residential Solar Installation, with ProVision Solar handling the utility application.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Hawaiian Electric pay for a home battery?

Bring Your Own Device Plus pays 400 dollars per kilowatt committed upfront, plus an extra 400 dollars per kilowatt for qualifying low- and moderate-income households. Most participants also receive a monthly credit. Hawaiian Electric’s example shows a 5 kilowatt commitment earning 2,000 dollars upfront and about 52 dollars per month.

Can I still use my battery for backup if I join BYOD Plus?

Yes. Your battery still powers your home during outages. The program only schedules a daily two-hour discharge at the committed power level, so choosing a smaller commitment or adding battery capacity keeps more stored energy available for storms.

Do I need solar panels to join BYOD Plus?

Yes. Hawaiian Electric currently requires the battery to be paired with renewable energy generation, which for most homes means rooftop solar. The battery must also be newly installed, and the home needs an advanced meter.

What happens if I leave BYOD Plus early?

Participants agree to a five-year term. Leaving early requires 60 days of written notice and repaying a prorated portion of the upfront incentive. Selling your home or changing equipment are common reasons to review the agreement terms before enrolling.

Let Your Battery Earn Its Keep

The Hawaiian Electric battery program rewards homeowners for backup power they wanted anyway, and the right commitment level keeps both the payments and the storm protection working for you. ProVision Solar has designed solar and storage on the islands since 1998 and handles program enrollment for every battery customer. Contact Us Today to see what BYOD Plus would pay for your home.

Information pertaining to laws, regulations, or incentives is accurate at the time of writing this content. However, regulations and systems can change at anytime.