Solar in Hawaii

Is solar worth it in Honolulu, HI?

A typical 7 kW rooftop system in Honolulu produces about 8,050 kWh/year and pays back in roughly 6.9 years against the area’s ~38.0¢/kWh commercial rate. Computed from Honolulu’s solar geometry — refine for your exact roof below.

Specific yield
1,150
kWh/kWp/yr
7 kW system output
8,050 kWh
per year
Est. payback
6.9 yr
@ ~38.0¢/kWh
Year-1 savings
$3k
vs $21k system

Monthly production — 7 kW system in Honolulu

02505007501.0kJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeckWh

How much solar does Honolulu get?

Honolulu’s tropical climate gives a solar specific yield of about 1,150 kWh per kW of installed panels each year (south-facing, tilted near the latitude of 21°). At an estimated commercial electricity rate of ~38.0¢/kWh, a 7 kW array offsets roughly $3k of bills in year one, for a simple payback near 6.9 years before incentives. Add storage and you can ride through outages and shift usage off peak — model the full system for your address next.

Get the exact payback for your roof

Run real NREL PVWatts production against your actual serving utility — then size storage in the modeler.