Hawaii’s Power Crisis and Solar Solutions with Ryno Irwin

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Interview Transcription

ADRIENNE: 
Welcome back, and thanks for listening to the Team Lally Real Estate show home of the guaranteed sold program, or we’ll buy it. I’m Adrienne and I’m Attilio, and if you have any questions, just give us a call at 7999596, or check us out online at Team lally.com Today’s

ATTILIO: 
guest moved to Maui at age seven and lived there until high school. After after a time on the mainland and returning to Maui for college, he settled on Oahu and launched a construction business in Makaha in 2006 starting his entrepreneurial journey

ADRIENNE: 
as the owner and CEO of Hawaii Unified Industries, he’s focused on growing the company and creating local jobs that support families. He’s proud to serve as a steward of the company and its future. Please welcome back our guest, Ryno Irwin.

ATTILIO: 
Hey Ryno,

RYNO: 
Aloha guys, wow. Thank you for the kind introduction. Yes,

ATTILIO: 
welcome. Welcome. And so you know, I think you’re always traveling and stuff like that. Where do if he

ADRIENNE: 
was, like, in Paris and Mexico, like, traveler for

ATTILIO:
people that do, you know, our radio show turns into a podcast, and then I ripping this off from people that have, like, millions of listeners, not like us. I think it’s, um, I had a listener last week, my mom. But anyway, um, Don’s ask this question, Where does this? Where do we find you today? Like, where are you at? Are you in Makaha? Are you in Paris? Where are you at?

RYNO: 
Um,

I am in the office in Makaha. Oh, okay, cool.

ADRIENNE: 
Welcome back.

RYNO: 
Thank you. Yeah, it was a long travel spin. Glad to be back in Hawaii as always. Yeah.

ATTILIO: 
Alrighty. So public safety. So let’s talk about, you know, you you one of the topics that we always, we always come circle back to on our show, you know? And I was talking, I had a chance we Adrienne, I had to do, a chance to do a zoom on some other business opportunity with these older former military. They were stationed here in Oahu. They’re in their 80s, 70s, 90s, super old, uh, wise, uh, business person. They are old and wise and very successful. I mean, multi millionaires. And one of the the things that they brought up was is that when you’re taking a look at a home, you need to have pay attention to two things, not only the purchase price, but the cost, the cost of staying in that home and owning that home. And we know that in Hawaii, because of our utility rates, that the second largest bill, the second largest bill to or cost of a home every month, month time. Per month right after the mortgage, is what Adrienne,

ADRIENNE: 
the electric bill, the electric bill.

ATTILIO: 
So let’s talk about some things that have come up in the news. And first one was, what are they? What does that mean? HECO, when they do public or what is it when they make those announcements? And what did they come from this public safety shut off program. What is that?

RYNO: 
Yeah, the Public Safety Power Shut Off Program. This is an initiative that Hawaiian Electric put in place, predominantly to avoid wildfires. So it’s anytime that they have, like high winds, dry, you know, conditions that could be a high exposure area to a wildfire risk. They implement these public safety power shut offs. One of the challenges with that is there’s really no no for warning or notice when they when they could happen. So, you know, it could just be an immediate, you know, ship power shut down. And, you know, you you’re not prepared.

ATTILIO: 
Yeah, and I think the the history of this, and this is all you know, whenever you have a major challenge occurs or catastrophe, you always evaluate the situation. You do risk management. You think, Okay, what kind of things can we do or put in place to prevent that? You know, you can never 100% eliminate risk. All you can do is manage it or minimize it. You know, with the Lahaina fires, they had exactly what you just talked about, exactly what happened. You had a hurricane was on the way, but it didn’t landfall, but they had the high winds. And then you had, it was an extremely dry season prior to that, so all the brush in that area, in the haina area, was super dry. Then you got the power lines, and then those, you know, fall down. And I think the other thing too, that they did is having the policy in place, because one of the things they realized was that, okay, we didn’t shut these off. It blew off. They landed, created these fires, then they shut the electricity off, and you need that to pump the water, to fight the fires, so it was just one thing after another that was just a terrible situation. So what they’re, what they’re and I think people need to realize too, is like, it’s a prediction, right? You’re making a prediction that we have high winds and that it possibly could blow down these power lines, so you’re going to flip them off, and then nothing could happen. But what do we know for sure you have no electricity at your house

ADRIENNE: 
unless you have a battery, right? Yeah, yeah.

ATTILIO: 
Are we seeing more and more of these?

RYNO: 
Yeah, we’re seeing them more frequently. You know, I hate to be the guy that waved the flag. I mean, there’s all different topics you know that come up about this discussion, you know, surrounding our power, but we’re effectively in an energy crisis in Hawaii. I mean, between these public power safety shut offs, but also just the demand of energy that we require. And you know, simultaneously why we are pushing for 100% renewable energy and decommissioning power plants. You know, we don’t have enough energy at all times to adequately supply what our demands are here in Hawaii, yeah, yeah. I

ATTILIO: 
think to put in that causes more power outages. Yeah. Put it in the context people in the mainland, you have an Eastern grid, western grid, and then you got Texas all by themselves. In Hawaii, we got Hawaii. And then so, I mean, you got Oahu like even the islands are not interconnected, correct me, if I’m wrong. So if Oahu goes down, we only have ourselves to rely upon. Same thing, Kauai, Maui, Big Island. Talk about this $2 billion settlement for the Lahaina wildfires. What? How does that trickle down to the rest of us?

RYNO: 
Yeah, well, through that, you know, fire investigation, they did determine that was the primary cause of the fire. So that, you know, there was a settlement for $2 billion by Hawaiian Electric Well, there’s, you know, not very many places where that money is going to come from, yeah, other than our rate payers and our residents, you know. So we’ve already experienced, you know, the highest cost of electricity by three times over the national average in Hawaii. And it’s pretty much foretold through that settlement that we were going to see more rate increases coming our ways. I

ATTILIO: 
mean, it’s basic math. I mean, you have the cost to produce power, but then you have all the other we’re we all business owners. You’re a business owner. We’re a business owner. Insurance is the cost of doing business, and when you have a claim and you got to do a payout, your premiums are going to go up. So all that. And then, you know, there isn’t somebody down there at the board saying, Oh yeah, we’ll absorb all that. No, it just gets passed on to your subscriber, your customers and the form of rate increases, right?

RYNO: 
Yeah. So you know, our in the in the solar inner industry, our primary conversations two years ago were surrounding on energy savings and cost savings and. Saving money every month now, and now it’s becoming more of a focus point about energy security and energy independence, and that’s really what solar plus battery provides for our homes. You know, it’s becoming increasingly more important. We’ve seen what’s happened on the east coast the last month with, you know, Helena and Milton. You know, so long term power outages. I don’t have to tell you guys, we’re literally in the most remote populated land mass in the world, 2500 miles away from the mainland. Yes, 70% of all of our energy is produced through fossil fuels that are being imported into the islands. So if those ships can’t get in, we’re we’re out of power, yeah.

ATTILIO: 
And so let’s talk about the

ADRIENNE: 
the solutions. Let’s talk about energy security, yes. So like, so I, so I have a battery on my house, and I’m very happy to have that. And then right now, till you and I have submitted our office electricity bills to get that part started so we can be, you know, sufficient and protected, yeah? You know, should the power go down? What kind of programs? Yeah, what kind of programs are currently available for, you know, for people that don’t want to be without power during these these shut off.

ATTILIO: 
Start off with the people have nothing. And then and then and then after that, go into the people that already have PV, but maybe not batteries. Sure?

RYNO: 
Yeah. So you know what we do is we provide a free analysis. If they submit their electric bill to us, we will do an evaluation to see how much money they would save if they added solar and battery. We have no money pocket, no out of pocket. My cost programs, financing. So, yeah, so you don’t have to put any cash out, and then you start saving from day one. So that’s a great way to start producing some, some free cash flow.

ATTILIO: 
Yeah, so electric bill, Senator Ryno your electric bill, yeah. But keep going. Keep going, yeah. So

RYNO: 
so that, you know, that’s a big benefit, we can see if it makes sense for for the homeowners, but also for businesses. We can evaluate the business. We will, you know, do a full savings report and make it very easy and accessible for anyone that wants and needs this energy security. Well,

ATTILIO: 
you know, they always say there’s only, you know, two guarantees in life death and that your electric bill is going to continue to increase. I don’t know if that’s the second one, but it’s a close. It’s

ADRIENNE: 
a close second one. That’s what’s happening here in Hawaii anyways, for sure. So

ATTILIO: 
the cost of home ownership is going to continue to rise. And you just said, like, at a rate higher than anywhere in the nation per kilowatt hour. Talk about, you know, you had mentioned it before, too, but that talk about this thing that it’s, it’s in people, are you going to hear me say this? And you think I’m pitching you guys to get more PV panels than than what you need? But do you, has it been your experience that people will their behavior changes once they get PV? It’s kind of like, Yeah, talk about that. Their usage, it goes, it doesn’t, it doesn’t stay the same.

RYNO: 
Yeah, it’s the human nature effect, right? They know, if they have solar panels on their roof that they’re getting this, you know, energy from the sun every day. So they become a little bit more liberal with their energy use running the AC longer, you know, not such a, you know, emphasis on turning out all the lights. So they’re inherently they tend to use a little bit more energy, yeah. So what we found is, you know, when people had gone solar, five, 710, years ago, as because we are early adopters, they now need more solar, more solar panels, but now they can add batteries to get that energy independence and energy security. So we also provide that solution of providing a retrofit with either more solar and battery or adding in a battery to their existing system, yeah.

ATTILIO: 
So the important thing is, if you have the battery, then, like, you know, here’s the thing I’m wondering, if you’re suggesting this to people, like, you have, like, you’re part of the grid that’s operating, and you have your PV panels on the roof, and you got your batteries. Is there any suggestions on your part? Like, okay, you know, that proposal is for batteries. Why don’t I just get six batteries? Or can you kill?

RYNO: 
Well, it’s very this is one of the key things in solar, is that the system has to be professionally and accurately designed. Yeah, you want to make sure that you know you have enough battery to have capacity to run all the way through the night. And then if, if you want some additional storage there for that additional security, you can choose to add that, but you need to still make sure that you have enough PV panels to be able to charge those batteries. Otherwise you won’t be able to fully charge them. Gotcha.

ATTILIO: 
So.

ADRIENNE: 
So right now. I know that, like with solar, they get kind of solar companies get kind of a bad rap, but I know Hawaii Unified is more than just the solar and energy you guys can service a variety of different construction needs. Here’s

ATTILIO: 
what I would tell people, where are you coming to us from? Again, where’s your office? Maka, if you have a business and you’re running it out of Makaha, I think you all in on being here in Oahu since 2006

ADRIENNE: 
since 2006 so, yeah, we want to point that out, like Ryno and his team and his company are here to stay. Yeah,

ATTILIO: 
do you would you find that you guys have come across a lot of challenges with people with do you have first hand experience of coming across people who’ve had systems installed and the company is no longer in business?

RYNO: 
Absolutely, yes. They call them orphan systems. There’s a big number of them out there, you know, but we can help those clients too, you know, it’s sometimes, you know, these things do require maintenance, yeah, you know, occasionally, and so we can help get their system back up and running and optimized, and help them out.

ATTILIO: 
Yeah, I know, I know what you’re talking about. Saw homeowners there was at this intersection, they had cardboard signs. And my solar installer has left the island, it said on the cardboard sign. So,

ADRIENNE: 
if you’ve been orphaned, Hawaii Unified and Ryno and his team, they can, they can help you. Yeah, and actually, that happens quite frequently. We had a seller who they were orphaned, and there was all, they had all sorts of questions about the system the buyers. And they just, you know, they felt a little clueless,

ATTILIO: 
well, and then, yep, you know, back to the storms on the East Coast. You’re a professional in the industry. You’re seeing. You know, we as lay people, just see whatever we see, but you’re in the industry, so you’re not what are you seeing is happening there? And what are some lessons that we can take here in Hawaii to to learn from what’s going on with those storms on the East Coast?

RYNO: 
Well, I think the the closest relation that we can make is actually Puerto Rico, when they had hurricane Maria in 2017 data. Yeah, yeah, but the data is out because they were already starting to do some solar plus battery, but 90% of their systems still operated their solar systems after the storm. So, you know, I think that’s a good indicator for us. You know why we should be putting solar and battery on our homes? Because, you know, if we are hit with a storm, that could be our only lifeline to continue to have power, and it could be weeks, months, years, or, you know, it was up to a year in some areas of Puerto Rico where they still didn’t, weren’t able to restore the power. So, yeah,

ATTILIO: 
I remember that because it was a long time. I mean, we get all frustrated because it’s out for the weekend, and we kind of watch pay per view, or, you know, football and stuff like that, and then it goes off on the Super Bowl. Yeah, that’s a bummer too. That’s a bummer too. And then we all like stockpiling on toilet paper, ice and bottles of water, yeah, but just imagine it happening for a couple of weeks. I know you guys, especially in situations where you need to have for, you know, insulin, or situations where for your health, or for the elderly that they need to be have steady Freddy on the electricity that can be life threatening. That’s right, all right. So for you guys, they send you an electric bill. You know, the other thing I want to talk to you well, segueing a little bit, you guys have a nonprofit out there that’s educating the kids out there on the west side. What do you guys? What’s that all about?

RYNO: 
My wife runs a nonprofit called the Makaha Learning Center out in Makaha, we’re focused on workforce development for Native Hawaiians and our young adults. We provide a couple of different programs. We provide a core construction program, which is the pathway to any of the licensed trades of construction. Go to plumbing, electrical, etc. Yeah. And then we have a solar 101, class which goes into all aspects of solar. It’s a 16 week accredited and certificate program that essentially, when you graduate through that program, you have about the club in equilibrium, see about three years of on the job training.

ATTILIO: 
Nice, wow. So they’re directly having an economic impact into the west side of Oahu by teaching these kids, because let’s and then,

ADRIENNE: 
and then the kids also would have the opportunity to interview to come and work for Hawaii unified, yeah, right, because you guys offer a lot of these, you know, service workplaces, right? With within your your company,

RYNO: 
this is true, but we’ve actually put over 200 students through these programs with certification, so that’s a lot more than we can employ, yeah, but what we have found is, you know, we have job fairs at the end of these classes, and you know, we’ve been able to help them get positioned into jobs with, you know, some of our friendly competitors out. Are

ATTILIO: 
as well. And you know it, we do have a labor shortage. How can I tell? Here’s your economic indicator. Every time I go outer island flight, there’s a lot of people on the flight with the fluorescent shirts, yeah? So you know my mind included Exactly. And speaking of which, I mean, you do you guys service all the islands? Kauai, Big Island, Maui, we do, yeah, okay, awesome, yeah, because the show, our show, goes statewide, yeah, oh, awesome, yeah, yeah. So people are listening to the show on all the islands, and they’re like, Oh, that’s cool, you know? And you know what? All right, we usually we should give fundraisers for you guys over there.

ADRIENNE: 
I know that you guys were doing some, like, some project over on Maui, because I’m, I’m, I’m gonna have you come out and do some AC servicing on my home on Monday. Yeah, so I’m very excited to get the AC taken care of, yep. So I am like, I mean, it works, but you know you gotta, you gotta maintain it, yeah? So, yes,

ATTILIO: 
a couple last questions before we wrap it up with our show. Question number one, just go through the different things that you guys different services that you guys provide, just not only, not only, energy security, PV, panels, batteries, what else

RYNO: 
we also provide, air conditioning services. We provide garage door services and electrical services and roofing, and

ATTILIO: 
is all of that residential and commercial. Well, that’s

ADRIENNE: 
right, they’re doing a roof for us. They’re doing a roof for us. Yeah. You guys are helping us all all around with everything. Yeah.

ATTILIO: 
So you know, one of the things we talked about Ryno with the other guests, the other vendors we had on the show for a short time. You’re the main guest. Is that we try, we we make sure that we’re bringing people on with a master level, coming, master level of expertise, service providing. And then local businesses that will be here today, not gone tomorrow, because I would say, like, I mean, I get them in in everybody, seeing them in all the neighborhoods, you have the people door knocking, and the first thing you got to ask is, what is the company that’s that? Is that you’re here representing, and how long have you been in business? Because it happens time and time again. They’ll come roll through, start door knocking, and then that company will come in, set up your system, and then they’re gone.

RYNO: 
What I’d like to add one, yeah, go ahead. One more qualifier there. I think it’s a really good idea for our residents to also ask if they do get someone knocking at their door to system, ask them if they have a Hawaiian driver’s license. Oh, there you go. Invested. They are to be in here in Hawaii. Yeah,

ADRIENNE: 
that’s a good one.

That is a good one Ryno,

ATTILIO: 
yeah. And then, then you, then, if they don’t, then you another one. You can say is, hey, you guys give kama aina a discount. And if they go, what the kamaina slam the door. Exactly. Yeah. So the but, so there’s that. And then there was the talk about, what else did you want to share? Anything else, as far as, like the, what are the current tax benefits state and federal for installing solar, so

RYNO: 
that there is a 30% federal tax credit that’s available if you purchase solar, and there’s also a state tax credit, and that ranges by the size of your system and the size and the cost of your system, but it could be anywhere from five to 20,000 generally, depending on the system that you purchase. Yeah, everybody got a very great incentive available for

ATTILIO: 
everybody got to pay taxes. I’d rather read divert some of those back into some PV panels and batteries

ADRIENNE: 
green I’m happy to share, like my, my, my story was so, yeah, so I had panels, I think I got my panels back, like in 2008 and then they just didn’t seem to work as well. And I just noticed my, my bill was creeping way up, and I think it was up to like, maybe five or $600 even with the panels. And then I got them put I got panels and a battery put on. And now instead of paying an electric bill, I just pay my finance charge for these panels and a battery. And I think it’s like $230 a month, nice which, and plus, I got all those tax write offs. So, I mean, it just definitely that was a no brainer.

ATTILIO: 
Her neighbors giving her stink eye. They got one $800 electric bill, and they still sweaty panels on the battery. So, but, I

ADRIENNE: 
mean, I sat down and got the numbers and it made sense, and I know that Ryno and his team out there with the Hawaii Unified and Go Local Powur. This is what they do. You know they they make it easy for you.

ATTILIO: 
Yeah, so folks, go to what would be the best website to go to

RYNO: 
if you know you’re interested in getting a free evaluation for solar. I would suggest. You go to go local powur.com, and what’s unique about our website is it’s power, P O W u r, go, local power, P O W u r.com, and then we can, you can put your information in and get a pretty much a generalized quote what it would be, but then we can follow up and give you a more detailed savings report.

ATTILIO: 
You know that just proves my theory that you really don’t need to be a good speller to be successful, because they spelling. Powur, would on you. No, no, it’s a marketing thing, folks. It’s a marketing thing and it’s a memory hook. Power, yes, w you are and get a get them to come give you a free quote. You got nothing to lose their local company. And then not only, here’s the thing I plug for you guys, not only are you guys utilizing a local company, which you’re giving back to the community, to our kids out there to get educated so that they can go get jobs in these industries. Because let’s be real, not 100% of all high school graduates are going to go to college. They’re just going to go straight into the work for success. Nor

ADRIENNE: 
should they. It’s not always the best choice. Yeah, my son’s going to each back

ATTILIO: 
80% Yeah, 80% of college graduates do not work in the field. They got their degree in that’s the facts, but they got $100,000 in student loans. So take a look at their their non profits on their website, which I’m sure you have links to, but that’s it.

RYNO: 
Yes, yeah, Makahalearning.org

ADRIENNE: 
Thank you. Thank you Ryno for being our guest. Yeah, yeah. We only have a couple minutes left, so just want to thank you for for sharing and coming back on and giving us an update on everything.

ATTILIO: 
Keeping Adrienne or hang out with you guys. All right, yes, we’ll

ADRIENNE: 
see we’re gonna see you soon.

ATTILIO: 
Alright, thanks, Ryno. Yeah, sounds good. Aloha. Alrighty, alright.

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