Hawaii Energy Connection Installs 1,000th Residential Energy Storage System

Hawaii Energy Connection, known locally by its flagship brand KumuKit™, has reached a significant milestone by completing its 1,000th residential energy storage system installation in the state. This achievement comes as Hawaii regulators are considering a virtual power plant (VPP) program that could compensate homeowners for the power their batteries send to the grid.

The milestone marks the installation of 1,800 FranklinWH aPower battery units in more than 1,000 Hawaiian homes, with an average of nearly two units per household. This reflects growing demand among homeowners for increased energy storage capacity. Oahu regulators are advancing the VPP program, which would allow utilities to call on thousands of home batteries simultaneously, similar to how they would draw power from a traditional power plant.

Hawaii Energy Connection installs the FranklinWH System, a comprehensive energy management and storage solution that combines battery storage, intelligent energy management, and solar integration. The system is designed to provide whole-home energy during peak hours and backup power during outages, while also allowing for storage capacity to expand as household energy needs grow.

"Reaching 1,000 system installations shows that Hawaii's battery market has moved beyond early adopters," said Vincent Ambrose, chief commercial officer of FranklinWH Energy Storage. "Families now seek energy independence and compensation for sending stored energy to the grid when it's needed. Homeowners in Hawaii can rely on the FranklinWH Certified Installers at HEC, who have a strong reputation for delivering quality installations."

For Hawaii Energy Connection, the milestone signifies the increasing interest among homeowners in battery storage as electricity costs remain among the highest in the nation, and concerns about outages, severe weather, and grid reliability continue to rise. "Reaching 1,000 installations represents the trust families have placed in our team to help them make important decisions about their energy needs," said Chris DeBone, co-founder of Hawaii Energy Connection. "Our goal is to provide a level of service and product quality that homeowners feel good about sharing with their friends and neighbors. As energy storage becomes a bigger part of Hawaii's future, our partnership with FranklinWH allows us to continue educating homeowners on the benefits of these systems."

Hawaii leads the nation in rooftop solar installations per person, with more than 1 gigawatt of residential solar installed and approximately 410 megawatts of battery storage paired with those systems. However, fewer than 16 percent of those batteries participate in programs that support the electric grid, leaving significant untapped capacity that could help meet current and future energy needs.

Residential battery adoption continues to grow nationwide. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, 45 percent of new residential solar installations in the United States now include battery storage, driven by demand for backup power, energy management, and participation in programs that compensate battery owners for supporting the grid.

The FranklinWH System, manufactured by FranklinWH Energy Storage Inc., is a next-generation whole-home energy management and storage solution. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, FranklinWH's team brings decades of expertise across energy system design, manufacturing, sales, and installation. The company is AVL-listed with multiple financial institutions and is dedicated to empowering homeowners to achieve true energy independence.