Wednesday, October 28, 2026 74° Today’s Paper
By Chip Cox
Today • Updated 6:44 p.m.
Chip Cox is a retired civil engineer and a member of Carbon Cashback Hawaii.
MEGHAN MARIN / NEW YORK TIMES
Joshua Spodek packs up a portable solar panel in New York’s Washington Square Park on Oct. 22, 2024.
Already a Honolulu Star-Advertiser subscriber? Log in now to continue reading.
From as low as $12.95 /mo.
Hurricane season is a reminder that Hawaii’s electrical grid is vulnerable to high winds. Several hurricanes have come close to the islands this year. Many communities have experienced blackouts, and parts of Kauai have faced prolonged outages.
What would you do if the electricity went out in your neighborhood — not for a few hours, but for days or even weeks? Could you keep your refrigerator running, turn on the lights, run your computer, charge your phone and power other essential devices?
For the roughly 20% of Hawaii residents who have rooftop solar, the answer may be relatively simple. Properly designed solar-and-battery systems can continue supplying electricity when the utility grid goes down. But what about the other 80%?
Now they, too, have an option: a portable power station paired with solar panels.
A portable power station is essentially a rechargeable battery with an inverter that converts the battery’s direct-current electricity into the alternating current used by ordinary household appliances. Solar panels charge the battery during the day, and the stored electricity can then power essential devices day or night.
The system can provide some of the benefits of rooftop solar without installing a rooftop system. It isn’t useful only during emergencies, either. Hawaii has the highest residential electricity rates in the nation, more than twice the national average. A portable power station charged by solar panels can power selected appliances, reducing the amount of electricity purchased from the utility.
Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It’s FREE!
Consumers should compare the features of different systems. Pass-through charging allows a power station to receive electricity from solar panels while simultaneously supplying electricity to appliances. An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) can automatically switch to battery power when the grid fails, keeping connected equipment operating with little or no interruption.
A system with a 3,000-watt-hour battery and 300 watts of solar panels can cost roughly $2,500, although prices and configurations vary.
Acquiring a portable power station in Hawaii can be more difficult than on the mainland. Many use lithium batteries, which are subject to transportation restrictions. Some retailers — including Home Depot, RevoluSun, Battery Bill’s, Costco and Lowe’s — have carried portable power stations, although availability and selection vary.
Safety is essential. Consumers should look for appropriately certified portable power stations, such as products certified to UL 2743, and carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Solar panels also need to be secured against high winds. Ground-mounted panels can become dangerous projectiles if they are not properly anchored. Panels attached to lanai railings require strong railings and mounting hardware designed to withstand severe weather.
Hawaii needs a stronger, more resilient electric grid. But building that grid will take time, and the next hurricane won’t wait for it to be finished. Families can take steps now to become less vulnerable to prolonged power outages.
A portable power station paired with solar panels won’t replace the electric grid or power an entire home indefinitely. But it can give households without rooftop solar something they currently lack: the ability to generate and store at least some of their own electricity. That can mean keeping food cold, lights on, phones charged and essential equipment operating when the grid fails. When the grid is working, the same system can reduce electricity bills.
Hawaii’s energy future shouldn’t depend entirely on a vulnerable grid — or on waiting for that grid to become more resilient. Every household that is able to generate and store some of its own electricity is better prepared for the next hurricane and the next prolonged outage.
Energy independence begins at home.
Chip Cox is a retired civil engineer and a member of Carbon Cashback Hawaii.
500 Ala Moana Blvd. #2-200
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 529-4747
Our Company
Subscribers
More

source