The Hawaii Solar Energy Association (HSEA) actively engages in the legislative process to advance policies that accelerate rooftop solar, energy storage, grid resilience, consumer protection, and a just energy transition for Hawaiʻi.
Solar Consumer Protection
HB1644 and SB2032 ensures that ethical sales practices and consumer protections that already apply to licensed local solar contractors also apply to third-party and affiliated solar sales organizations. It creates clear regulatory parity, strengthens disclosures so customers better understand contract structures, and helps protect consumer trust as Hawaii rapidly scales rooftop solar.
These bills are especially important given our ambitious deployment goals under Governor Green’s Executive Order No. 25-01 and Act 266 (SB589) passed by the Legislature last year, which call for 50,000 rooftop solar installations over five years. Strong consumer confidence is essential to achieving these goals and ensuring that ethical companies are not undercut by bad actors, however few.
Link to Member Email Action Alert HB1644
Link to Member Email Action Alert SB2032
Link to HSEA’s Testimony for HB1644
Link to HSEA’s Testimony for SB2032
Solar Permitting Self-Certification and FEMA Fix
HB1984 and SB2352 establishes a solar permitting self-certification pathway, allowing duly licensed design professionals to certify code-compliant rooftop solar and energy storage projects so they can proceed to build immediately. This reduces delays, uncertainty, and unnecessary soft costs for customers and local businesses.
This year’s bills are an updated versions of last session’s self-certification measure and includes important refinements related to FEMA-designated flood zones, developed in consultation with DLNR staff, Hawaii’s designated administrator of FEMA floodplain rules. These updates preserve full safety and floodplain compliance while addressing real-world permitting bottlenecks.
Link to Member Email Action Alert HB1984
Link to 2nd Member Email Action Alert HB1984 HD1
Link to Member Email Action Alert SB2352
Link to HSEA’s Testimony for HB1984
Link to HSEA’s Testimony for HB1984 HD1
Link to HSEA’s Testimony for SB2352
Grid Ready Homes
HB2242 and SB2033 establishes a streamlined grid-ready home interconnection process to accelerate deployment of rooftop solar, energy storage, electric vehicle charging, and other electrification technologies. They create clear timelines for utility action, transparent cost-sharing for service upgrades, and modernized interconnection standards that reduce delays, uncertainty, and unnecessary costs for customers and contractors.
These bills are especially important given our need to accelerate deployment of DERs in response to the Legislature’s SB589 (Act 266) passed last year and Governor Green’s Executive Order No. 25-01. As we work to rapidly scale rooftop solar, storage, and electrification, the potential for interconnection delays and unpredictable upgrade costs have become a major barrier. HB2242 and SB2033 provide a practical, low-cost solution that aligns customer investments with utility planning while maintaining grid reliability and controlling costs for all ratepayers.
Link to Member Email Action Alert HB2242
Link to Member Email Action Alert SB2033
Link to HSEA’s Testimony for HB2242
Link to HSEA’s Testimony for SB2033
Solar ITC Bill
The Legislature is considering SB3183, a bill that would make significant changes to Hawaii’s Renewable Energy Technologies Income Tax Credit (RETITC) aka the Solar Income Tax Credit.
SB3183 includes important improvements, but also contains provisions that could slow solar and energy storage deployment, harm local businesses and jobs, and undermine Hawaii’s clean energy and resilience goals at a time of major federal market disruption.
Key provisions
–Removes the $5,000 cap on the residential solar tax credit
-Restricts eligibility for single-family residential systems based on income
–Expands refundability for lower-income households
HSEA’s position
- SUPPORT removal of the $5,000 cap. This is a positive step as federal incentives are rolled back.
- CONCERNED about the income restriction for residential systems. This approach risks:
- reducing demand during an already fragile market period,
- harming local solar contractors and workers,
- and slowing progress toward the State’s DER acceleration, affordability, and resilience goals.
If the goal is to improve equity and affordability, HSEA believes more effective tools exist that expand access without shrinking the market, including increased financing access, permitting and interconnection reform, grid services tariffs, and direct bill assistance programs.
Link to Member Email Action Alert for SB3183
Link to Member Email Action Alert for HB2241
Link to HSEA’s Testimony for SB3183
Link to HSEA’s Testimony for SB3183 SD1
Link to HSEA’s Testimony for HB2241
Oppose Solar ITC Sunset Bill
The Legislature is considering HB1843, a bill that would sunset most Hawaii income tax credits, including the Renewable Energy Technologies Income Tax Credit (RETITC).
Why this matters
HB1843 would abruptly sunset the RETITC during a period of major federal, market, and local disruption in Hawaii’s solar and energy storage industry. This approach would slow deployment, harm local businesses and jobs, and undermine Hawaii’s clean energy, affordability, and resilience goals at the exact moment acceleration is needed.
Key provisions
Sunsets existing income tax credits, including the RETITC, after December 31, 2030
Requires any newly established or renewed tax credits after 2026 to sunset automatically after seven years
Creates significant uncertainty for project planning, financing, and workforce stability
HSEA position: OPPOSE HB1843.
Link to Member Email Call to Action for HB1843
Link to HSEA’s Testimony for HB1843
Questions or comments? Reach out to us and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
HSEA is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association that engages in direct lobbying of elected and government officials
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