FAQs About Going Solar in Hawaii

Hawaii goes solar with SunPower^®

The solar outlook is bright and sunny in Hawaii

The state of solar power in Hawaii

Hawaii has a well-earned reputation for sun, surf, and sand. It's an island paradise covered in breath-taking mountains, rugged valleys, volcanoes, and miles and miles of beautiful, pristine beaches.

Summer temperatures typically hit the 80s and 90s, and winter days are usually in the mid-to-high 70s. Beautiful skies mark the sunrise and sunset, and there is an average of 3,172 hours of sunlight every year.

In fact, sunshine makes up approximately 72.4% of daylight hours — about 271 days in total. With these numbers, is it any surprise that Hawaii has embraced solar power?

How much solar power does Hawaii produce?

Hawaii ranks 15th in the national ranking for solar energy use in the United States. In 2018 it ranked 16th. The amount of electricity that is generated from solar energy alone could power approximately 258,734 homes and account for 11.72% of the state’s electricity. Historically, Hawaii has created more solar energy than its current power grid can handle.

Is solar feasible in Hawaii?

Hawaii goes solar with SunPower

According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Hawaii is one of the states with the most solar resources. Hawaiian home and business owners are also highly motivated to embrace solar energy.

Due to the isolation of the island chain and the need to import fuel, Hawaiians pay higher electrical costs than anyone else in the U.S. According to Choose Energy, Hawaiians pay an average of $0.31 per kilowatt-hour, or kWh, compared to Washington state's $0.9 kWh and Nebraska's $0.11 kWh.

While Hawaii has had a troubled history with solar energy storage, the state government has an aggressive plan to help it achieve 100% clean energy by 2045.

What legal considerations affect solar power in Hawaii?

Hawaii has several programs available for those with solar installations. While net energy metering (NEM) is no longer available to new applicants (their smaller grid couldn't handle the amount of energy exported), they do allow current NEM customers to add additional, non-export capacity to their systems.

The Customer Grid-Supply Plus program is a way for customers with a rooftop system to export extraneous energy back into the grid. While exportation requires the installation of specific equipment to protect the network and may limit the amount of energy exported, the program does incentivize solar customers to participate.

Customers may also participate in the Customer Self-Supply program and the regular Customer Grid-Supply program. Find out more information about these opportunities or consult with a certified photovoltaic installation professional.

How can I start using solar In Hawaii?

Hawaii goes solar with SunPower

You can start by designing your solar system with the SunPower Design Studio, a powerful tool to help you visualize what your home will look like with panels in place. You can also contact us and let our experts help you determine your individual needs.

We'll work with you to help design a solar panel and storage system to meet your needs, and then refer you to certified installers in your area. Each SunPower installation contractor must meet our high standards. We train and certify them to install your system.

We use only the finest solar panels available, which provide 19% to 22.3% efficiency. With both flexible and static panels and our simple but powerful storage solutions, we've got your home, boat, or outdoor installation covered.

Contact SunPower now and ask us about our flexible payment options to get you started with solar power for your home.