Home solar in Hawaii: prices, net metering, what is left in 2026
What Hawaii homeowners pay for solar in 2026, how the state's export rules work, and which incentives survived - verified against state sources, town by town.
Installed home solar in Hawaii compares against the U.S. marketplace average of about $2.58 a watt - roughly $30,960 for 12 kW.
The 30% federal solar credit ended December 31, 2025 - Hawaii installations completed in 2026 get $0 from it.
A home battery in Hawaii runs about $12,000-$16,000 installed, before any state storage incentive.
Whether solar still pays in Hawaii after the federal credit's end comes down to arithmetic, not ideology: installed cost (about $2.58 a watt at the marketplace average), what your utility pays for exports, and how much of your generation you use yourself. High self-consumption - daytime usage, EV charging, batteries - is now the biggest lever.
Hawaii rules that decide your payback
| Rule | Hawaii status |
|---|---|
| Export compensation (net metering) | Full retail net energy metering is closed to new customers in Hawaii, and the interim successor tariffs — Customer Grid Supply, Customer Grid Supply Plus, Interim Smart Export and Customer Self-Supply — also closed to new enrollment in early 2024, so new rooftop solar customers now enroll in the Smart DER Tariff, choosing either an Export Rider paying time-varying export rates or a Non-Export Rider for self-consumption only. |
| State incentive | Renewable Energy Technologies Income Tax Credit (RETITC), HRS §235-12.5 — 35% of actual installed cost, capped at $5,000 per system for solar photovoltaic on single-family residential property (a separate $2,250 cap applies to solar water heating) |
| Sales tax on the system | Not exempt - taxed like any purchase |
Hawaii has by far the highest electricity prices in the nation — 52.00 cents/kWh residential in May 2026 against an 18.44 cent US average (EIA) — which makes rooftop solar unusually valuable, but grid saturation means full retail net metering has been closed for years and new systems are steered toward self-consumption and batteries rather than exporting, so a solar-plus-storage design is usually the one that actually pays.
This guide is research, not advice: an independent summary of published prices and state rules. It is not an installer, lender or tax advisor - verify incentive eligibility with a licensed tax professional before relying on it.
What installed solar costs in 2026
| System size | Installed price (marketplace avg) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 kW | $15,480 | Small roof / low usage |
| 8 kW | $20,640 | Typical starter system |
| 10 kW | $25,800 | Family home with AC |
| 12 kW | $30,960 | Large home / EV charging |
| Home battery (optional) | $12,000-$16,000 | Backup power + self-consumption |
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The 30% federal tax credit is gone for 2026 installations
The federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (30%) was repealed by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed July 4, 2025. Per the IRS, the credit is not available for any property placed in service after December 31, 2025 - and the IRS counts the installation completion date, not the contract date.
Common questions
What is net metering and why does it decide everything?
It is the rule for how your utility credits electricity you export. Full retail net metering credits exports at the same rate you pay - the grid works like a free battery. Net billing or avoided-cost rules pay far less per exported kWh, which lengthens payback and strengthens the case for a home battery.
Is my roof even suitable for solar?
Three things decide it: orientation (south-facing is best in the U.S., east-west workable), shade (trees or taller buildings across midday hours can sink the math), and roof age (if the shingles have under 10 years left, reroof first - removing and reinstalling panels later costs thousands). Any honest installer assesses all three before quoting a number.
Is solar still worth it without the federal credit?
It depends mostly on your state's export rules and your daytime usage. Paybacks lengthened by roughly a third when the credit ended, but rising electricity rates and record-cheap hardware keep the math workable in states with decent export compensation - and marginal where exports pay avoided cost only.
Is there still a federal solar tax credit in 2026?
No. The 30% Residential Clean Energy Credit was repealed effective for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, per the IRS. Only systems finished by the end of 2025 qualified. State-level incentives are separate and some survive - check the state page in this guide.
Should I lease, get a PPA, or buy?
Buying keeps all savings and any incentives with you. Leases and PPAs put a company's equipment on your roof for 20-25 years, complicate a home sale, and in 2026 any tax benefits they advertise belong to the company under commercial rules - not to you. Read escalator clauses carefully.
Does solar raise my property taxes?
It depends on the state - many exempt solar's added home value from property tax, others do not, and some exemptions have expiration dates. This guide's state page lists the verified rule and source for your state.
Compare solar quotes for Hawaii
These platforms collect bids from licensed installers so you can compare against the same spec. Prices come from installers, not from this site.
Disclosure: this is an independent guide. If you request quotes through a link here, the platform may pay this site a referral fee. That fee never changes your quotes.