Hawaiian Electric ready to handle increase in rooftop solar applications as customers rush to claim expiring tax credit

Hawaiian Electric is focused on approving applications for residential rooftop solar and battery storage systems as quickly as possible as customers rush to finish installations before the early expiration of the Residential Clean Energy Tax Credit.

Hawaiian Electric has begun seeing an increase in applications for customer-sited solar and battery systems now that the federal government has moved up the deadline for claiming the 30% tax credit to Dec. 31, 2025. Previously homeowners had until the end of 2032 to claim the full tax credit for qualifying clean energy technologies.

Hawaiian Electric received 1,151 applications to install residential rooftop solar and battery storage systems in July, up sharply from 683 in June. Applications in July were the highest for any month since March 2024. Hawaiian Electric expects applications to continue at robust levels for the remainder of 2025 and can shift additional staff to process applications if needed.

“We are committed to processing applications as quickly as possible to help customers who want to install and energize their systems by the end of the year,” said Kaiulani Shinsato, Hawaiian Electric Customer Energy Resources co-director. “Customer-sited solar and battery storage is a priority for Hawaiian Electric because these systems are key to reaching Hawai‘i’s decarbonization and clean energy goals.”

Hawaiian Electric recently achieved a major clean energy milestone as the amount of rooftop solar and battery storage surpassed 1 gigawatt of installed capacity across the five islands the company serves. As a result of the high solar penetration, an estimated 44% of single family homes served by Hawaiian Electric have rooftop solar.

“Hawai‘i’s leadership in rooftop solar and storage shows how local action can deliver affordable clean energy and resilience,” said Rocky Mould, executive director of the Hawai‘i Solar Energy Association. “We appreciate Hawaiian Electric’s quick response in listening to the solar industry and accommodating this surge in demand. As federal support fades, reducing interconnection and permitting costs can ensure these resources keep paying off for customers, the grid, and our islands as a whole.”

Hawaiian Electric customers seeking to install a grid-connected solar or battery storage system can apply through the company’s Smart Renewable Energy program. More information is available at hawaiianelectric.com/smartprograms.