Plug-In Solar in Hawaii

Hawaii doesn’t have a plug-in solar law. A 2026 measure for condo kits of up to 1.2 kilowatts cleared the Senate but stopped in a House committee.

A home with a plug-in solar panel on the porch railing, the kind of kit Hawaii's rules apply to

No plug-in solar law in Hawaii yetBill SB 2902
Utility rules are in effect.There's no cap on the watts you plug in.
46.4 centsHome price per kWh averaged by EIA, Jan to Aug 2026.
That’s $587 each year.For an 800 W kit in Honolulu, before paying any utility solar fee.

In Hawaii, approval from your electric utility comes before you connect, and the inverter needs a UL 1741 listing with anti-islanding or a UL 3700 listing.

Hawaii Plug-In Bills

Passed by the Senate 25 to 0 (SD 2) in a vote on 10 March 2026, SB 2902 (2026) moved to the House energy committee, which amended it (HD 1). Its final step came on 19 March 2026, when it went to the House Consumer Protection (CPC) committee. The HD 1 version permitted devices of a maximum of 1.2 kW, and only in condominium units, owned or rented. It called for no utility approval and no fee, but it did require PUC online registration, and it exempted these devices from net metering and interconnection rules. Its effective date was far off: July 1, 3000, much like other Hawaii bills still being negotiated. See the bill
HB 2435 (2026): would have stopped agreements from blocking installation of a plug-in solar device at a home; on 10 February 2026 the House energy committee recommended deferring it. Bill details

Hawaii’s Current Rule

Hooking up: to put customer solar on Hawaiian Electric's grid, you apply in the Customer Interconnection Tool, a tool used for the Smart Renewable Energy programs, and each participant needs an advanced meter.

Net energy metering stopped accepting new applicants in October 2015. Smart Renewable Energy (Smart DER) Export or Non-Export programs are the options for new systems; Non-Export accepts any size, though it allows no export.

Savings from a Kit in Hawaii

According to PVWatts, 1,582 kWh a year comes from each 1 kW of solar panels in Honolulu. Homes in Hawaii spend 46.4 cents on every kWh in 2026 so far. For an 800 W kit, here's how placement breaks down:

Where the panels go	kWh a year	Saved a year
Tilted south on a stand	1,266	$587
Upright on a railing	797	$370
Facing east or west	1,013	$470

Honolulu, month by month

Jan106
Feb94
Mar110
Apr104
May103
Jun104
Jul109
Aug114
Sep116
Oct110
Nov97
Dec99

kWh made by an 800 W kit, tilted south.

Kit Prices for Hawaii

Kit	kWh a year	Saved a year	Pays back in	Price
US Solar Supplier 1180 W EZ1 Kit	1,867	$867	1.0 years	$899
Bright Saver 360 W Balcony Kit	570	$264	1.6 years	$414
EcoFlow STREAM 800 W Kit	1,266	$587	1.9 years	$1,099

Every kit is tilted south and used at home. Compare all kits

Hawaii: What's Worth Knowing

Power prices in the US are highest in Hawaii, at an average of 38.00 cents/kWh in 2024, so a plug-in kit here can pay back fastest.
There is no retail choice: in 2024 full-service utilities sold all power, and the three Hawaiian Electric companies and the Kauai co-op sell nearly all of it.

Do You Rent or Have a Balcony?

Your landlord or HOA decides the mount, and your electric utility decides the hookup. Read about balcony solar and solar for apartments for details.

Key Utilities

Hawaiian Electric Company (Oahu)
Hawaii Electric Light Company
Maui Electric Company
Kauai Island Utility Cooperative

Next Steps for You in Hawaii

Choose a size: in Honolulu, kits of 400 W make about 633 kWh a year, and kits of 1,200 W about 1,899 kWh. Calculate yours.
Keep track of SB 2902 during the session ahead. Upon passage, the approval step may no longer be required.

Sources

Browse all states at a glance, or check a nearby state: California, Alaska, Oregon.