Low- and moderate-income households in Hawaiʻi now have access to $50 million in state funding to install solar photovoltaic power and battery storage on their properties.

Through Act 164, signed June 30 by Gov. Josh Green, the Hawaiʻi Green Infrastructure Authority (HGIA) appropriated $50 million for the 2023-2024 fiscal year to finance solar PV and storage systems for LMI homeowners and renters in single-family dwellings and multi-family rental projects.

“Both rooftop solar and energy storage are essential to Hawaiʻi’s goal of 100 percent renewable energy generation,” said HGIA director Gwen Yamamoto-Lau in a statement. “However, many families are unable to qualify for financing at affordable rates and terms, leaving their rooftops a vital but missing tool in the [state’s] green energy transition.” 

The $50 million in funding coincides with a recent order from the Public Utilities Commission approving HGIA’s request to remove all credit barriers and further expand access to its inclusive financing program. 

All LMI households that may previously have been locked out of solar opportunities, due to credit or disconnection notice history, are now eligible for HGIA’s below-market, long-term, fixed-rate financing. 

HGIA can now also finance batteries that work in conjunction with solar systems, enabling LMI households to capture solar energy for later use. 

Visit gems.hawaii.gov to learn more.