It’s encouraging to hear that Hawaiian Electric Co. and the U.S. Department of Energy will spend a combined $4.8 million to research ways to increase rooftop solar and energy storage on Hawaii’s grid.

The $2.4 million award from the Energy Department was one of six granted nationally for clean-energy research.

HECO said it will match $2.4 million as it looks for technologies to handle high levels of renewables on the grid. Over the next three years, HECO will work with about 20 commercial and industrial customers to test the project.

Kudos for trying to rethink how grids with high penetrations of distributed generation are cost-effectively planned and operated.

Really, here’s how to ease pain of jellyfish sting

Beach towels, sunblock and … vinegar? To treat a jellyfish sting, yes.

University of Hawaii researchers recommend the application of vinegar to neutralize stings of the Hawaiian box jellyfish, or Alatina alata.

It’s good to know what really works. Those of us who’ve grown up dodging jellyfish or Portuguese man-of-war in local waters have learned about all kinds of home remedies for treating the stings — some of them embarrassing, most of them useless.

Jellyfish tend to show up mostly about 9-12 days after a full moon, but sometimes at other times as well. And the painful sting can be disabling and possibly even fatal. So be careful out there. And pack the vinegar.