Regulations and lobbying by utilities hinders solar power in Hawaii

Savings from oil and coal importation

From Clean Technica

From LA Times, difficulties for Hawaii going solar

                                                                                 

Solar power in Hawaii has reached grid parity due to falling solar panel prices.  With 83% of its power supplied by imported fuel (Hawaii has no local energy sources) you expect that solar would have an easy sailing in the island paradise.

There are 20,000 solar units installed with combined capacity of 140 mW

Regulations (most probably influenced by utility lobbyist) has limited interconnections with the grid to only 15% of the total;  that may be increased to 25% of the total but is  a long shot.  Those who want to go green are giving up because of these barriers.  The upgrade costs will affect l/4 of the homes;  70% of  of the building permits are on solar and perhaps the city hall are deluged by such applications.  The solar power has cost the state some $173 million in tax credits.  Utilities require expensive interconnection study.  (say $3,000 cost and months of waiting

Incentives, as tax credits from the state are hard to come by.  The policy/public sector and the utilities are reluctant to change from black to green tech?