Hawaii's New Solar Permits Bill 66

[Nomad]

Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth recently gave the nod to Bill 66. This new law speeds up the permit process and trims down the costs of solar power installation at home, all in favor of cleaner, greener energy on Hawaii Island. Bill 66 makes it easier for people looking forward to setting up solar power in their homes.

Bill 66 didn't just pop up overnight; it took months of hard work and collaboration with concerned experts. The goal of the Bill is to sync up with other counties, as well as make the permit process easier so that adoption of solar power becomes widespread.

You can read about the Bill here

 

[Jake]

Solar power is the future of energy, and I'm surprised it took so long to see realized. But we're getting closer to a world where solar power is #1. Right now we have a long way to go, but we'll get there. And it had me at cheaper prices. The reason so many aren't so keen to move to solar, is the cost of installation. So I think if prices are brought down a bit as well, it would help push solar panels on more people.

Hawaii is just the start, I can see more states and even countries moving on to solar energy.

 

[Winny]

I would welcome a Bill 66 in my area. Here in Michigan I don't think we yet have a solar panel initiative. It's been brought up before, but I don't think we've moved fast enough to build interest. But I truly think solar energy is the right direction to go. More states need to follow what Hawaii and other states are doing with their solar energy and renewal energy plans.

I just wish they'd make it easier to move to solar panels here. I hear it's quite the process to go from traditional energy to solar energy.

 

[Eric]

I would welcome a Bill 66 in my area. Here in Michigan I don't think we yet have a solar panel initiative. It's been brought up before, but I don't think we've moved fast enough to build interest. But I truly think solar energy is the right direction to go. More states need to follow what Hawaii and other states are doing with their solar energy and renewal energy plans.

I just wish they'd make it easier to move to solar panels here. I hear it's quite the process to go from traditional energy to solar energy.

Michigan phased out net metering at the retail rate - i.e., the ability to sell solar power back to the grid at the same prices you pay for it - back in 2019. This had a large impact on the economics of rooftop solar and there were a lot fewer new solar installations after that. Fortunately, Michigan's legislature recently introduced a bill that would reverse this change and bring back the previous solar incentives.

My family lives in southeast Michigan and has explored going solar but never went through with it because of this issue of the economics not making sense under the current policy. For a homeowner considering going solar, the economic viability depends on both the upfront cost as well as how generous the state's net metering program is. Under Michigan's current (2019-present) policy, homeowners get very little credit on their utility bill when their solar production exceeds their consumption. Add to this the fact that Michigan isn't very sunny for large parts of the year - i.e., relatively low solar production - and you can get a sense of how poor Michigan's incentives for going solar currently are.

If the pending legislation passes, we can definitely expect to see an increase in solar installations and permitting in Michigan. There are probably quite a few Michigan homeowners (like my parents) who have been waiting on the sidelines with a strong interest in solar but who have been deterred by the state's prohibitive policies.

 

[Debashis]

I believe that Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth's approval of Bill 66 is a positive step towards promoting cleaner and greener energy on Hawaii Island. The new law, which aims to expedite the permit process and reduce costs for solar power installation at home, will make it easier for residents to adopt solar energy. This demonstrates a commitment to sustainability and aligns with the goal of syncing up with other counties to encourage widespread adoption of solar power. Overall, Bill 66 seems like a well-thought-out and necessary initiative to advance renewable energy in the region.