Maui homeowners can still cut their electric bills with solar and battery systems even though the federal solar tax credit is gone, which is good news for people paying high Hawaiian Electric rates and worried about storm outages.

• Recent storms and hurricane season have left many Maui residents wanting solar panels with battery backup to keep the lights on overnight.
• The federal tax credit for homeowners buying solar is gone, so companies now push a lease-style deal where a third party owns and maintains the panels and batteries.
• Under that model, homeowners pay half of what they now pay the utility for the same electricity, with savings up to 35% built into the upfront cost instead of coming back at tax time.
• Maintenance is included over a 25-year term, so the homeowner is not on the hook for repairs.
• Installs take two to three months from signing to power production.

Outlook: With federal incentives gone, expect more Hawaii solar deals to shift toward third-party ownership rather than outright purchases.