Friday, October 16, 2026 78° Today’s Paper
By Tom Graham, Tanya Yamanaka Aynessazian and Henry Curtis
Today • Updated 8:52 p.m.
Tanya Yamanaka Aynessazian
Henry Curtis
Tom Graham
PATRICK JUNKER / NEW YORK TIMES
A balcony solar panel soaks up the sun at a home in Dusseldorf, Germany, on July 10, 2024.
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Hawaiian Electric’s customers are paying more for electricity because of higher fuel costs, and now Hawaiian Electric is asking the state Public Utilities Commission for a further increase. Although Hawaii’s climate allows us to use less electricity than elsewhere in the country, that good fortune is more than offset by having to pay the highest electricity rates in the nation — more than twice the national average.
In the face of those high electricity rates, some households have mitigated costs by installing solar panels on their roofs. But most of the half-million Hawaii residents who live in condominiums and apartments are unable to install solar panels and generate their own electricity.
That could change. Other states are showing the way by approving balcony solar legislation, giving residents without access to a suitable roof a simple way to harness the sun.
Balcony solar could also provide energy security. When the grid goes down after a hurricane or other event, a balcony solar device paired with a battery and equipment that isolates the home from the grid could continue providing electricity. The system could keep a refrigerator, lights, internet and other essential equipment running.
California and New York recently passed balcony solar bills by overwhelming margins. California’s bill was just signed into law, so it joins New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont in approving balcony solar.
The concept is straightforward. Lightweight solar panels are mounted on a lanai railing or other sunny location. The device plugs into a wall outlet, allowing the electricity produced by the panels to flow into the home’s electrical system, reducing the amount that needs to be purchased from the utility.
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Legislation is necessary because even a small balcony solar device can send electricity to the grid. Under current state law, a customer who generates and sends electricity onto the grid generally must enter into an interconnection agreement with the utility. That makes sense for large rooftop systems but is impractical and unnecessary for small plug-in devices.
Hawaii should establish a clear legal framework for balcony solar, eliminating unnecessary interconnection requirements while establishing rigorous safety standards.
Balcony solar devices are relatively inexpensive. In Utah, which passed the nation’s first balcony solar law, a 1,200-watt system can be purchased for about $3,300. Smaller systems are also available. Given Hawaii’s high electricity rates, a plug-in device could pay for itself within a few years.
Several balcony solar bills were considered during Hawaii’s 2026 legislative session. Senate Bill 2902 passed the Senate but failed to pass the House over uncertainties about safety. We and other advocates are working with legislators to address those concerns and develop a bill that will allow the sun to shine on balcony solar in Hawaii.
Safety should be paramount. One straightforward safeguard would be to require compliance with UL 3700, a national safety standard developed specifically for balcony solar devices. Other practical safeguards include requiring that a device immediately deenergize during a power outage, which would protect utility workers, and limiting a dwelling’s total balcony-solar capacity to 1,200 watts to minimize the risk of overloading the home’s circuitry.
Hawaii has invested heavily in rooftop solar, but hundreds of thousands of residents have been unable to participate because they don’t own a suitable roof. The sun doesn’t care whether someone lives in a single-family home, condominium, or apartment. Our energy policies shouldn’t either.
In 2027, the Hawaii Legislature should pass a carefully designed, safety-first balcony solar bill. It would give Hawaii residents a practical way to generate clean energy, lower their electricity bills, and strengthen their energy security.
Tom Graham is with Carbon Cashback Hawaii, which advocates for policies that reduce carbon emissions; Hawaii island resident Tanya Yamanaka Aynessazian is principal of the Chamber of Sustainable Commerce; Henry Curtis is executive director of Life of the Land.
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