Although Hawaii is one of the sunniest spots in the US, there are still plenty of empty island rooftops that could be harvesting clean, free solar energy to power the home or business. Featuring all of the rooftop solar information you need to know, the following article gives you state and national data on solar installations, tips for evaluating solar installers, and a great list of the top Hawaii solar installers for 2017.
National & Hawaiian Solar Installations as of 2017
As reported by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), nearly 45 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity is now installed nationally. Over 2,044 MW were installed in the first quarter of 2017 — the 6th quarter in a row that has recorded more than 2 GW installed.
The annual growth rate of solar is surging at 68% over the last 10 years and has brought a current total of US solar installations to 1.54 million. No matter which state in the nation you happen to be living in, solar prices have dropped an average of 63%. So, if you haven’t installed solar up on your rooftop yet, this is clearly a great time to go solar.
Hawaii Annual Solar Installations. Credit: SEIA.org
In the sunny state of Hawaii, over 188,000 homes are now powered by free, clean solar energy. With a whopping 64% decline in solar prices over the past 5 years, Hawaii solar installers have been very busy. SEIA reports that over 107 megawatts (MW) were installed in 2016 alone, bringing the state total to 748.4 MW.
According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), Hawaii generated more solar electricity per capita from distributed facilities than any other state in 2015. The EIA also reports that solar energy from both utility-scale and distributed resources generated 35% of Hawaii’s renewable electricity.
With 3,194 solar jobs filled in Hawaii’s market, there is still plenty of room for growth. And, with over $258 million in solar investments during 2016 bringing the current investment total to about $2,558 million, solar growth is clearly in the forecast for sun-soaked Hawaii. This is good news for the 126 solar companies on the islands, including 3 manufacturers, 91 solar panel installers/developers, and 31 other solar-related businesses.
In 2016, several notable Hawaiian solar installations came online. SEIA notes that Phase I was completed on the Waiawa Solar Project. This is Oahu’s largest solar project and NRG recently took over the 50 MW solar installation on lands owned by Kamehameha Schools in Kawailoa on Oahu. The project is scheduled to come completely online in 2019 and bring enough solar energy to power over 12,587 homes in Hawaii.
KRS I Anahola Solar, with 12 MW capacity, is also among the larger solar installations in Hawaii, generating enough to power to run more than 3,021 homes.
Large retailers in Hawaii that have completed solar installations include Albertsons, General Growth Properties, and Green Growth Properties. SEIA notes that Green Growth installed a 1 MW solar system at its location in Honolulu.
A map of Kamehameha Schools land in Kawailoa indicates the placement of solar panels. Source: ksbe.edu
Top Tips For Evaluating Hawaii Solar Installers
Finding the right Hawaii solar installer is easier than ever before. Harvesting clean, free energy from the sun is cheaper than ever before, too. Over the past 5 years, hardware prices have declined substantially, bringing rooftop solar installations into more people’s budget. The labor and other “soft” costs, however, still take up around 50% of the installation price tag.
Keep in mind that the larger solar companies typically charge more for installations because they want to cover larger marketing sprees than the smaller solar companies. Ongoing support and warranties offered with your solar installation may be impacted by your choice of a local or out-of-town solar installer. Also, don’t let cost be the final determiner — higher quality products, while more costly, can be the key to getting the biggest harvest of power from the sun.
Understanding the process of installing a rooftop solar system is crucial to solar success. First, put together some basic information about your family’s current usage and your future electricity needs by answering the following helpful questions:
- How much electricity did your family use in the last 12 months?
- Do you have a pool or hot tub, or plan to install these in the future?
- Do you have or plan to purchase a new EV and plan to install an EV charger?
- Is your family, and subsequent electricity use, growing?
- Are you interested in owning or leasing your rooftop solar system?
- Are you on a tight time schedule for your installation?
Your answers to these questions will help guide your evaluation of Hawaii solar installers, covered below, as you are deciding who to hire for your new rooftop solar system. And, with this information, the solar panel installer you choose will be able to help you get the most effective harvest of energy from the sun.
Top Hawaii Solar Installers for 2017
The following list is specially curated to provide you with the top Hawaii solar installers for 2017. Please note that the list is in alphabetical order, not in order by ranking. This is because rankings are often based on many factors that may or may not apply to your unique situation. This list is created from sites such as solarreviews.com and solarpowerworldonline.com — all of the links have been hand-checked and represent a great place to start if you are a looking for the top Hawaii solar installers.
American Electric
OAHU – 799 Kahelu Ave, Mililani, HI 96789
MAUI – 360 East Uahi Way, Wailuku, HI 96793
KAUAI – 1865 Haleukana St. Unit A, Lihue, HI 96766
HILO – 221 Makaala St., Hilo, HI 96720
KONA – 73-4097B Hulikoa Drive, Bay 4, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
Haleakala Solar Inc
OAHU – 98-104 Kanuku St., Unit #101, Aiea, Hawaii 96701
MAUI – 70 E. Kaahumanu Ave., Unit C-3, Kahului, HI 96732
KAUAI – 3-2600 Kaumualii Hwy #1528, Lihue, HI 96766
Hawaii Energy Smart LLC
1727 Wili Pa Loop, Wailuku, HI 96793
Hi-tech Plumbing Corp.
2108 Lauwiliwili St, Kapolei, HI 96707
Island Pacific Energy
521 Ala Moana Blvd, Suite M302, Honolulu, HI 96813
La’akea Solar
2741 Kanoelehua Ave., Hilo, HI 96720
Maui Solar Project
320 Hoohana St #20, Kahului, HI 96732
Pacific Energy, LLC
94-1093 Hanauna St, Suite 102, Waipahu, HI 96797
ProSolar Hawaii
74-5565 Luhia St, #105, Kailua-Kona, HI 9674
Renewable Energy Services
45587 Lehua St, Honokaa, HI 96727
RevoluSun Smart Home
210 Ward Ave #140, Honolulu, HI 96814
Rising Sun Solar Electric LLC
355 Hukilike St Suite 201, Kahului, HI 96732
SolarCity
599 Kahelu Ave, Mililani, HI 96789
Sol Systems (Hawaii)
4246 Hanahao Pl, Lihue, HI 96766
Sunetric
201 Kapaa Quarry Pl, Bldg 30, Kailua, HI 96734
Sun King
365 Hoohana Bay 6A, Kahului, HI 96732
Sunrun
550 Paiea St #506, Honolulu, HI 96819
Vivint Solar
94-496 Ukeʻe Street #101, Waipahu, HI 96797
