HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The state is warning residents about deceptive and misleading claims from door-to-door solar sales representatives.
The warning was issued during National Consumer Protection Week by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority (HGIA), and the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Office of Consumer Protection.
Over the past few weeks, HGIA began receiving reports of door-to-door salespeople in Pearl City and Kaimuki making false claims.
“They’re going around trying to sell their systems, making people sign contracts for installations and basically saying that the state will pay for the entire system, which is totally not true,” said Dean Hazama, DCCA deputy director. “Don’t make any decisions. Don’t sign any contracts until you get further information from a government agency.”
The salespeople are canvassing neighborhoods, promising residents lower energy bills if they allow a mainland-based company to install the system. They’re then locked into a 20- to 25-year contract, with monthly payments that may not be the best deal.
“They’re not purchasing the solar and storage. They’re just agreeing to buy the energy that’s produced from the solar,” said Gwen Lau, HGIA executive director. “They will pressure the homeowners to go and sign the documents right there and then.
Lau encouraged homeowners to research before signing anything.
“What our homeowners should do is due diligence and get quotes and really be thoughtful about what they’re doing,” said Lau.
The state does not provide free solar PV systems, nor do any of its employees sell solar systems or conduct outreach through cold calling, door-to-door sales, door-knocking, or similar practices, said officials.
Official state of Hawaii employees can present official photo ID cards upon request as proof of their employment.
HGIA does offer financing options and a rebate of up to 35 percent for installing solar panels and batteries.
No government agency will pay for the entire project or solicit your business. The federal government also ended its rebate program last year.
Local solar industry advocates say these predatory practices undermine public trust.
“What is true is if you do a monthly lease, it can be no money upfront,” said David Gorman, president of RevoluSun. “You’re gonna save money doing it, so it’s not a bad thing. It’s just not accurate to say that it’s free or that the government’s buying your solar panels or the government wants to give you a free battery because the power keeps going out.”
Rocky Mould, executive director of the Hawaii Solar Energy Association, said his organization takes reports of deceptive practices seriously.
“At the Hawaii Solar Energy Association, we have a code of ethics, and we will, if we hear reports of deceptive or unfair trade practices, we will investigate and remedy the situation,” said Mould.
Mould said the association is also pushing for legislative action.
“We are actually pushing two bills at the legislature this year to update consumer protection to be sure that door-to-door sales organizations like this follow the same rules as our local industry,” said Mould.
House Bill 1644 and Senate Bill 2032 aim to strengthen consumer protection laws in Hawaii and prohibit independent contractors from representing companies and door-knocking in that way.
Door-to-door sales of goods and services are regulated by and subject to state and federal consumer protection laws.
Hawaii Revised Statutes §480‑2 prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices in commerce, including those occurring in door‑to‑door sales.
Salespeople may not use deceptive or misleading tactics to persuade customers to make a purchase. Consumers also have three business days after the sale to cancel the transaction without penalty or obligation.
Consumers who encounter salespeople falsely claiming to be affiliated with HGIA or GEM$ (Green Energy Money $aver), any other state agency, or the electric utility are encouraged to file a complaint with the Office of Consumer Protection at consumercomplaint.hawaii.gov or by calling 1-844-808-3222, Ext. 5.
Information that may be helpful to report includes the salesperson’s name, company, and any audio or video recordings of interactions with the salespeople.
Residents who encounter a salesperson claiming to represent the state, any of its agencies, or the electric utility, or who experience aggressive sales tactics in a pitch about HGIA’s programs, may also contact HGIA at 808-587-3868 or dbedt.greenbank@hawaii.gov.
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