Solar Atlas · Hawaii
Is solar worth it in Honolulu, HI?
A 7 kWdc rooftop array in Honolulu makes about 11,351 kWh a year (NLR PVWatts, modeled) and pays back in 7.4 years at Hawaiian Electric Co Inc’s 43.8¢/kWh residential rate (Aug 2025–Jul 2026), with no federal credit. Exports follow Hawaiian Electric Smart Renewable Energy Export (Oʻahu).
21.31°N · 10.7–13.3 h daylight · site signature
- Production
- 1,622 kWh per kWdc per year · capacity factor 18.5% AC
- Residential rate
- 43.8¢/kWh · Hawaiian Electric Co Inc
- Exported solar
- Hawaiian Electric Smart Renewable Energy Export (Oʻahu) · 13.50¢/kWh
- Climate
- hot semi-arid (Köppen BSh) · 25.6 °C mean, 417 mm/yr
Source: NLR PVWatts v8.5.0 (NSRDB PSM V3 GOES tmy-2020 3.2.0) — 1 kW, tilt 20°, azimuth 180°, roof mount, 14% losses · fetched 2026-09-24 · modeled, not metered
Source: EIA-861M utility average · Aug 2025–Jul 2026 · EIA Hawaii average Jan–Jul 2026 46.3¢ · utility’s EIA-861 2024 average 42.9¢
Source: New Hawaiian Electric (Oʻahu) rooftop solar customers — NEM, NEM+, CGS and CSS are closed to new customers · checked 2026-09-24
Source: NOAA NCEI Climate Normals 1991–2020, HONOLULU INTL AP, HI US (7.4 km away) · fetched 2026-09-24
No federal credit: the homeowner credit (§25D) ended for systems installed after 2025-12-31. A lease or PPA price may reflect the lessor’s §48E credit. 26 U.S.C. §25D(h) and (e)(8)(A) · policy as of 2026-09-24
Make it your answer
Start from your bill. Everything else is prefilled from this page and can be changed.
Your exact roof, or a business
The payback calculator runs hourly PVWatts at your address. The Modeler opens a grid-tied home at Honolulu. A business goes to the Quote Studio with the 38.2¢/kWh commercial rate.