Solar in Honolulu, HI
With Hawaiian Electric's electricity at about 43.7¢ per kWh and 1,586 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Honolulu home today: about a 6.9-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 6.9 yrsHawaii: 6.7 yrs
- 25-year net
- $34,325after paying $9,700
- Sun
- 1,586kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 43.7¢143% above U.S. average
A typical Honolulu home, by the numbers
| Utility | Hawaiian Electric |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 468 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3.2 kW, about 7 panels, 5,074 kWh a year (90% of use) |
| Cost | $14,700, or $9,700 after state incentives |
| First-year savings | $1,411 |
| Payback | 6.9 years |
| Exported power | 13.5¢/kWh (Hawaiian Electric) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.2% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Honolulu
- Owner-occupied homes
- 49%
- Single-family detached
- 27%
- Median home value
- $843k
- Median year built
- 1974
- Population
- 345,482
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 97%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 64,268 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Older housing stock. Many homes here were built before 1975. Have the roof and electrical panel checked before signing; a roof or panel upgrade can add thousands. Roof first?
Installers working in Honolulu
Public installation records for Hawaii don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Hawaii.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Honolulu
Is solar worth it in Honolulu, HI?
For a typical home in Honolulu, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3.2 kW system costs about $9,700 after state incentives, saves about $1,411 in year one and pays back in about 6.9 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Honolulu?
About 1,586 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 3% more than the Hawaii average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Honolulu?
Most homes in Honolulu are served by Hawaiian Electric, at about 43.7¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Honolulu?
A fair cash price is around $4.00 per watt before incentives, so about $14,700 for a 3.2 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Kaneohe 6.9 yrs
- East Honolulu 7.1 yrs
- Kailua CDP (Honolulu County) 6.9 yrs
- Pearl City 6.9 yrs
- Waipahu 6.6 yrs
- Ewa Gentry 6.7 yrs
- Mililani Town 7.1 yrs
- Kahului 6.4 yrs
- All of Hawaii
Data: PVWatts (National Laboratory of the Rockies), EIA-861 2025 adjusted to 2026, U.S. Census ACS, LBNL Tracking the Sun, state policy research as of October 2026.