Tag Archives: Big Island Real Estate

The Evolving Landscape of Solar Energy on the Island of Hawaiʻi

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Abundant Potential for Solar Energy

Hawaiʻi’s sunny climate provides reliable solar production year-round, offering homeowners numerous benefits:

  • Lower electric bills due to reduced reliance on Hawaiian Electric.
  • Energy independence, especially when paired with battery storage.
  • Environmental protection, supporting the state’s goal of 100% renewable energy by 2045.

Key Issues Affecting Solar Adoption on Hawaiʻi Island

1. Utility Interconnection and Grid Capacity

Because Hawaiʻi Island operates on an isolated grid, certain circuits—especially in Puna, Kona, and parts of Hilo—are already saturated. This can result in:

  • Longer approval times
  • Restrictions on exporting excess power
  • The need for non-export or battery-based systems

2. Evolving Incentives and Regulations

Hawaiʻi no longer offers traditional net metering. Instead, programs such as:

  • Customer Self-Supply (CSS)
  • Customer Grid-Supply Plus (CGS+)
  • Battery Bonus Programs

shape how systems must be designed. Understanding these options helps homeowners maximize savings.

3. Upfront System Costs

A complete system with battery backup typically costs $20,000–$40,000+, depending on:

  • Home size
  • Sun exposure
  • Battery capacity
  • Equipment brand

Financing options help reduce the barrier, but costs remain a central issue.

4. Local Environmental and Geographic Factors

Hawaiʻi Island’s unique landscape adds practical considerations:

  • Salt air and humidity can affect hardware longevity
  • Lava Zones 1 & 2 may influence insurance and financing
  • Microclimates require customized solar design

The Rising Importance of Battery Storage

Battery storage has quickly become a core component of solar installations. Benefits include:

  • Backup power during outages
  • Ability to store energy for nighttime use
  • Reduced grid reliance
  • Improved system approvals in restricted circuits

Most new systems on the Big Island now include batteries such as Tesla Powerwall, Enphase, or Generac.

Large-Scale Solar Projects on the Big Island

Hawaiʻi Island continues expanding its renewable infrastructure, including:

  • Waikoloa Solar + Storage
  • Keaʻau Solar Farm
  • Community solar programs in Puna and Kaʻū

These projects contribute substantially to island-wide sustainability goals.

What This Means for Homeowners

For property owners on Hawaiʻi Island, solar energy offers:

  • Lower monthly electricity costs
  • More control during outages
  • Increased property value
  • Long-term stability despite rising utility rates

Solar is especially appealing for off-grid homes, agricultural properties, and remote parcels.

Conclusion: A Bright Future with Informed Choices

Solar energy is an essential part of Hawaiʻi Island’s future. Understanding system types, regulations, and local conditions allows homeowners to make wise, cost-effective decisions.

If you’d like a free solar or property market analysis, or guidance tailored to your lot or home, I’m happy to help.

Great Location for a Ready-made Nursery Business

Big Island Real Estate, Puna, , , ,

Great Location, convenient and easy to get to. The lot is just a very short distance from the end of South Kulani Rd. This lot is a perfect start for plant nursery. Ground is leveled and clear, growing area covered in plastic sheets to control weeds. Good soil in the growing area and a spot dug out for an irrigation pond.

Seller has created a huge stock of very valuable tree starters.  These trees and their seeds are highly prized and have an international market.  They can only grow in a few, very specific, locations in the world.  This lot in Hawaiian Acres is one of those locations. 

The lot is partially gated and fenced, with a second set of gates separating the commercial area from the living area. The survey of the lot included markers on each side of the lot to assist with locating the fence line. A house pad in front, leveled and ready to go. Electricity is available with no SSPP fee.  The potential is here for a home and business in one convenient, easily accessible location.

Don’t miss this opportunity!

Plantation Home in Honomu

Listings, ,
28-1127 Pua Street, Honomu HI

A reminder of the plantation days in the Landing Camp subdivision. This house was built in 1938 and still retains much of its original charm. It has four small bedrooms and a total of 915 square feet of living space. It is located on the beautiful Hamakua Coast, a very popular and expensive part of the island. Priced at $350,000, it is the only residential listing in that area priced under $500,000.

This is the link to photos and more information:

https://www.alohaliving.com/search/details/?idxid=HawaiiInformationService&searchstyle=mlsnum&mlsnum1=665556&mlsnum2=&mlsnum3=&mlsnum4=&mlsnum5=&mlsnum6=&mlsnum7=&mlsnum8=&mlsnum9=&mlsnum10=&sorttype=price&sortdir=desc&resultview=list&linkmlsnum=665556

Affordable Housing – Boxable

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Affordable housing is an issue that has been around for a while, here and on the mainland.  However, it’s getting worse.  With the huge increase in prices here on the Big Island, many buyers are being priced out of the market.  They can’t afford to buy that starter home.  With the increase in cost of materials, they can’t afford to build it, either.

That is why, when I heard that Elon Musk was investing in a company called Boxabl that manufactures tiny homes, it caught my attention.

Boxable was started by Paolo Tiramani. He was born in Italy, educated in London, where he earned degrees in mechanical engineering, and industrial design.  By 1986, he held 144 patents. In 1986 he formed the company, 500 Group, with the idea of turning some of these patents into cash.  One of those patents was the rolling tool storage box, which he licensed to Stanley Black & Decker.

In 2017, he formed the company, Boxabl, with the purpose of building tiny homes on an industrial scale.  Instead of building homes individually, on site, they are built in a factory.  That is not a new idea.  Modular homes, trailer houses, have been built in factories for quite a while.  The difference with Boxabl is the scale of manufacturing, the emphasis on quality of construction, and on making it energy efficient.

Right now, their only model is the Casita, a studio unit.

Casita

This is just the beginning, though.  They are already designing other units, a master bedroom box, a two bedroom box, stackable boxes.  Units can be joined together, or stacked to create an infinite variety of building.  It is a new way of thinking about building structures.  Here is a link to some of those ideas,  https://www.boxabl.com/more

These future plans are interesting, but they are not available yet.  What is available is the Casita.

The Casita is a 375 sq ft studio unit, quality materials and construction, energy efficient.

It is priced at $50,000.  For the single person, or couple, this would be a great starter home.  You won’t be able to find this quality anywhere else at this price.  That’s the point.  They have made getting that first home more affordable.  This may also be benefit for government agencies, and non-profits thinking about providing housing for the homeless.  That is another pressing issue, here and elsewhere.  This may be a solution.

A Hideaway In Paradise

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178 (600x399)I just released a new listing.  This one is not for your average homeowner.   It’s way at the back of Hawaiian Acres, remote and private.  It’s not that hard to get to, though, if you know how.  It is very close to Fern Acres.  You can take Plumeria, which is paved,  all the way to the end.  Then you  turn left onto a road that connects to  Hawaiian Acres.  The property is just short distance from Plumeria.  It is a two bedroom, one bath home, built to be off the grid.  Electricity was provided by a generator, and water from a catchment tank.  It has a detached garage, that is actually larger than the house, and on a concrete slab. The house and garage are set way back on the lot, not visible from the road, in a section of the lot enclosed by a chain link fence.  If I were buying this home, I would probably try to make the garage space habitable, and live there while I renovated the house.  The house is going to take a lot of work to be livable again, but it is priced accordingly.  The garage is actually in much better condition, and its very big.  It also has a very large carport, so you don’t need to park cars in the garage.  This house isn’t for the average person. Besides being kind of remote, it is going to take effort and determination to rehabilitate this home.

But, if you are that person, who has that determination, and are looking for a cheap ticket to Paradise, this may be the place for you.

You can see more details at http://www.clarkhawaii.com/property/44405718/16-1105-WAO-KELE-RD-Mountain-View-HI-96771