Discounted tech to save energy for Hawaii residents
by Andrew Millard | Sept. 30, 2025
Working at Hawaiian Electric, I learned there are creative tech products with reduced prices available for Hawaii residents at the Hawaii Energy Marketplace. Hawaii Energy often discounts efficient gadgets to promote saving energy in Hawaii. I looked through the catalogue and purchased a discounted smart surge protector, energy efficient light bulbs and some smart bulbs. I found that there are so many different types of cool tech available and today I’d like to share this information to you.
Smart Surge Protector
The smart surge protector is one of the items I bought. What makes it smart? When you turn off a primary device, the smart surge protector will stop the flow of power to accessory devices. For example, you could set it up so that when you turn off your TV, power will no longer flow to your cable box, DVD player, gaming console and speakers. Disconnecting the power in this way prevents power loss from these devices while they are in standby mode. This is important because many devices have phantom power drain which means that they will still consume power while you think they are turned off.
Power Switch
A handy way to prevent phantom power drain is to use a power switch. These are placed between your device and the outlet and allow you to manually turn off the connection. This allows you to easily stop and start the flow of power to a device without having to constantly plug and unplug the device. This could be used for phone chargers, lights, electric kettles and more.
Low Flow Water Nozzle
The low flow water nozzle allows you to save on both energy and water and is made for both sinks and shower heads. They provide the same pressure you’d want but have less water flowing through. This allows you to have nozzles that are just as effective but require less hot water. Less hot water means less energy spent heating up water.
Light Sensitive Bulbs
These two types of devices make your electricity usage more efficient with automation. The first one is a simple automatic night light. These night lights have built in sensors, so they aren’t on during bright hours of the day but still provide nighttime safety and comfort. Similarly, there are also dusk to dawn lights. These are special light bulbs that when used outdoors will only stay active during the dark hours from dusk to dawn. This allows you to save energy during the day but still provide nighttime security and illumination. Some even come with motion sensors so they are only on when movement is detected.
Smart Plug
For a rather versatile device there is the smart plug which allows you to turn almost any electronic into a smart device. Placement is the same as a power switch (between the outlet and the device) and once installed you can control the device anywhere from your phone. You can manually turn the device on and off or even set schedules. Multiple smart plugs can be linked so when you turn one off or on, the rest do the same.
Smart Thermostat
The smart thermostat is a device that allows more control over your air conditioner. The one currently available at the Hawaii Energy Marketplace is for mini-split AC’s but other types exist as well. With the smart thermostat you can also set schedules, to ensure the AC doesn’t run during hours when it isn’t needed. To go further there are geolocation features so that the AC only runs when you are near the house, preventing electricity from being wasted on cooling an empty home. These settings can be done using your phone, and from there you can also view your usage to examine potential ways to save energy.
From remote controlled outlets to efficient faucets, there are so many different types of innovative gadgets available. I hope you found these creative solutions for everyday items as interesting as I have. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for new energy-saving technologies.
Andrew Millard is a digital communications analyst at Hawaiian Electric.
