Solar Panel Installation in Hawaii
Thinking about panels on your Hawaii roof? Here's how installation usually goes, from roof review to utility approval, and a free way to talk to a local provider.
Call to see if your home qualifies(877) 565-3409Home Solar Line connects you with an independent solar provider. We don't sell or install anything ourselves. Calls may be recorded.
- Free call
- No forms to fill out
- Independent local providers
- No obligation
Who this is for
Check all five before you call:
- You own the home (not renting)
- It's a single-family house or townhouse
- The roof gets full sun or only light shade
- Your power bill is over $100 a month
- The home doesn't already have solar panels
Renting, in a condo, apartment or mobile home, under heavy shade, or already have panels? This line can't help with those, so please don't call.
What happens when you call
- Answer a few quick questionsDo you own the home, how much is your power bill, how sunny is the roof.
- Get connectedIf your home fits, you're put through to an independent solar provider who serves your area.
- Talk it through, then decideThey look at your roof and usage and explain options. No obligation to buy.
Installing solar in Hawaii
In Hawaii, the design question is usually how much power to store and use at home, rather than how much to send back.
Strong sun year-round, with salt air that makes equipment and mounting choices matter.
Interconnection goes through your utility. In Hawaii that could be Hawaiian Electric on Oahu, Maui and Hawaii Island, and Kauai Island Utility Cooperative.
Each island has its own grid, so rules and program availability can differ between Oahu, Maui, Hawaii Island and Kauai.
The installation steps in Hawaii, in brief
- Roof and usage review
- Design and proposal
- Site visit
- Permits and paperworkLocal permits, HOA approval if you have an HOA, and an interconnection application to your utility.
- Installation
- Inspection and permission to operateThe town or county inspects, then the utility approves the connection before the system is switched on.
Weather and site issues in Hawaii
Salt air
Near the coast, salt air corrodes lower-grade hardware. Ask about the corrosion rating of the racking and fasteners, and what the warranty says about coastal installs.
Heat
Panels produce a bit less when they run hot, and long cooling seasons push summer bills up. Ask how the production estimate accounts for heat.
Permits, HOAs and inspections in Hawaii
Your town or county issues the building and electrical permits and inspects the finished system. Then your utility reviews the interconnection application and gives permission to operate.
Hawaii law keeps most private covenants from prohibiting solar energy devices on single-family homes and townhouses.
Hawaii's Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) licenses contractors and has an online license search.
Is your roof a good fit?
South-facing roof planes with full sun from mid-morning to mid-afternoon are ideal. West and east can work. An old roof should be replaced first, since panels stay up for decades.
Ready to find out if your home is a fit?
One free call. Tell a provider about your roof and your bills, and decide from there.
Who this is for
Check all five before you call:
- You own the home (not renting)
- It's a single-family house or townhouse
- The roof gets full sun or only light shade
- Your power bill is over $100 a month
- The home doesn't already have solar panels
Renting, in a condo, apartment or mobile home, under heavy shade, or already have panels? This line can't help with those, so please don't call.
Questions
Can an HOA stop me from adding solar in Hawaii?
Hawaii law keeps most private covenants from prohibiting solar energy devices on single-family homes and townhouses. The details and exceptions matter, so read your covenants too.
How do I check a solar provider in Hawaii?
Hawaii's Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) licenses contractors and has an online license search. Also ask for proof of insurance before signing anything.
Are you a solar company?
No. Home Solar Line is a free phone line that connects homeowners with independent solar providers. We don't sell, design or install systems, and we don't set prices.
Does the call cost anything?
No. The call is free, and there's no obligation to buy anything from the provider you talk to.
Who qualifies?
Homeowners in a single-family house or townhouse with a roof that gets full or mostly full sun, a power bill over $100 a month, and no solar panels already. If that's not you, the provider won't be able to help.