5 signs solar is not right for you (yet)

Most solar companies will tell you solar is right for everyone. It is not.

Hawaii has some of the highest electricity rates in the country, so solar pays off for a lot of homes. Most Independent Energy Hawaii customers see a payback of about 6 to 8 years paying cash, or about 4 to 6 years with a prepaid lease. But a few situations can turn a smart investment into a frustrating one.

We would rather tell you “not yet” than sell you a system that does not pay off. Here are five signs it may be worth waiting.

1. Your roof is heavily shaded

Solar panels need sun. That sounds obvious, but shade is the most common reason a system underperforms.

Large trees, a taller neighbor’s house or a steep north-facing roof can cut production so much that your savings never catch up to the cost. It is not a small dip. On a heavily shaded roof, a system can produce a fraction of what it would in full sun.

Sometimes there is a fix. Trimming a tree or using a different section of your roof can make a big difference. Sometimes there is not, and we will tell you.

2. You rent your home

Renters usually cannot install solar. Even when a landlord allows it, the system stays with the house when you leave.

If you rent, the best move is to ask your landlord whether they would consider solar for the property. Lower bills can make a rental more attractive to tenants, and that is a conversation worth having.

3. You are moving in the next few years

Solar pays for itself over time. If you sell before that happens, you may not get your full investment back.

Solar can add value to a home, especially in Hawaii, where buyers know what electric bills look like. But that added value is not guaranteed to cover the full cost of the system. If you know you are moving soon, it may make more sense to wait until you are in a home you plan to keep.

4. Your roof needs replacing soon

This one catches a lot of homeowners off guard.

If you install solar on an aging roof, you will eventually need to take the panels off to replace it, then put them back. That costs about $200 to $300 per panel. On a typical system, that adds up quickly.

We recommend at least 15 years of roof life left before going solar. If your roof has less than that, replace it first, then add solar. You only want to do that work once.

5. Your electric bill is already very low

If your bill is already very low, there is not much left to save. A small system or simple energy-efficiency upgrades may be a better first step.

For fast savings, the sweet spot is a single-family home with a HECO bill of about $150 a month or more. At that level, most homeowners save substantially and pay the system off quickly.

When backup matters even with a low bill

There is one exception to the bill rule: reliable power.

If you want your lights, fridge and Wi-Fi to stay on during outages, solar with a battery can be valuable even with a low bill, depending on your backup goals and budget. Standard grid-tied solar shuts off when the grid goes down. A properly sized and charged battery can power selected essentials; actual runtime varies. That is why we recommend every solar customer add one.

Quick check: is solar right for you?

Key takeaways

• Solar is worth it for most Hawaii homeowners, with typical payback of 6 to 8 years in cash or 4 to 6 years with a prepaid lease.

• Heavy shade, renting, moving soon, an aging roof or a very low bill are good reasons to wait.

• Replace your roof first if it has less than 15 years left. Removing and reinstalling panels later costs $200 to $300 per panel.

• If reliable power matters to you, solar with a battery can be valuable even with a low bill, depending on your backup goals and budget.

Not sure which group you are in? Independent Energy Hawaii will give you a straight answer, even if that answer is “not yet.”