Statement by Ulupono Initiative on Hawaiian Electric’s rooftop solar and storage milestone

Oct 02, 2025

On Sept. 26, Hawaiian Electric announced that customer-sited rooftop solar and battery storage in Hawai‘i has surpassed one gigawatt (GW) of installed capacity. This represents a significant step forward in Hawai‘i’s transition to clean energy and reflects the contributions of local households and businesses across the islands.
 
In response, Ulupono Initiative released the following statement by Michael Colón, Ulupono’s director, energy sector:

“Ulupono Initiative congratulates Hawaiian Electric and the people of Hawai‘i on reaching this remarkable clean energy milestone. Surpassing one gigawatt of rooftop solar and storage is not only a technical achievement, but also a testament to the vision and commitment of Hawai‘i’s communities in shaping our shared future.
 
“To put this into context, one gigawatt of rooftop solar and storage, if treated as a single generating unit, would be approximately 14 times larger than the next largest renewable energy project, easily making it the largest renewable power plant in the entire state.
 
“Since our founding in 2009, Ulupono Initiative has worked to improve quality of life in Hawai‘i through investments and partnerships that advance Hawai‘i’s sustainability and resilience, including in the renewable energy sector. Today’s milestone is proof that bold collaboration and community action can achieve results. This achievement is especially significant given the current federal energy policy landscape. We applaud Hawaiian Electric for integrating a significant amount of customer-sited renewable energy, and encourage them to continue accelerating clean energy integration in a safe and equitable manner so all communities can benefit from clean and affordable energy.”

Read Hawaiian Electric's news release.