kauaiinsight-blog

[kauaiinsight-blog]

Top 3 Kauai Solar Companies + Research

WHY AM I DOING THIS?

Im writing this blog post because of the lack of first hand information on the web regarding Solar Contractors on Kauai. Being a home owner for over 30 years on Kauai I've had many friends ask me what Solar Contractor I’ve used in the past for installing and servicing my Solar Hot Water System. Recently I decided to look into installing a PV (Electricity Generating System) to bring my electrical bill down and noticed that there were quite a few Solar Installers out there, so I did some research and narrowed down my top 3 picks (AT THE BOTTOM) !

THINGS I’VE LEARNED & THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TOO

1. THERE ARE ONLY 2 TYPES OF SOLAR SYSTEMS

There are only two types of Solar Systems, the type that heats your water (usually black colored panels), and the type that makes electricity (the shiny blue panels) also called PV. You may have seen a lot of different advertisements for solar systems like “Solar Air Conditioning”, “Solar Cooling” or “Solar Electric Water Heating”. These are just a bunch of fancy advertising schemes where contractors take different products and rearrange them, put them together and give it a name so that it appears that they’re doing something innovative. Again there are only 2 systems, PV, and Solar Water Heating.

That being said.....if you are a home owner and are looking to pay less to the electric company and are considering a PV system, the first thing you should ask yourself is “Do I need a Hot Water System?”. FACT: On average, 40% of a typical families electric cost is spent heating water. Thats why you should consider a hot water system. Lucky for me I already have one and most people on Kauai do to (because they work really well in the Hawaiian sun). You want to have a hot water system because if your considering installing a PV electric system, that PV system would be smaller and cheaper if you wipe 40% of the electric cost off the table with a hot water system. So step 1 is Hot water, step 2 is electricity.

2. PV ELECTRIC SYSTEM “NEED TO KNOWS”

Micro-Inverter or No Micro-Inverter....?

OK this is a really big NEED TO KNOW....In every Electric System there are the Panels (on your roof) and the Inverter. The panels make the electricity from the sun, and the inverter converts that energy from DC power to AC power (don't ask me how). In the past there was only one type of inverter, a “Centralized Inverter”, this is basically one inverter for your system (usually mounted in your garage or somewhere safe and out of the weather. In recent years some companies are installing what are called “Micro-Inverters”. Micro-inverters are smaller inverters mounted underneath each panel (each panel gets there own micro inverter). The problem with micro inverters are that they have to be mounting on your roof under the panels. this means that a complex electrical devices is up on your roof in the Kauai rain and shine day in a day out, not to mention that by having micro inverters that there are twice as many wire connections up on the roof creating even more points of failure.

DO NOT INSTALL MICRO INVERTERS

To illustrate my point....A really big company called “Island Wide Solar’ just went out of business in 2016. Apparently they installed thousands and thousands of micro inverters that never worked right from the beginning and many customers sued Island Wide to the point of bankruptcy. Now that there long gone the remaining solar companies I talked to said they get calls everyday from IslandWide customers saying that their micro inverter systems are not working or never worked.

STICK WITH A CENTRAL INVERTER

They are simple in design, it can be mounted in a dry place, and there are fewer connections up on your roof exposed to the weather. 

3. Batteries (like the Tesla Power Wall)

Batteries have come a long way in the last few years, but there not here yet. They are becoming more and more compatible with existing system so my advice to you is to wait on a battery. Install your PV electric system now and in 2-5 years install a battery. By then they will be 5 times as good and will plug right into your existing system. 

TOP 3 SOLAR INSTALLERS

DISCLAMER:

The reason for my top pick is because Solar Engineering is the company I eventually chose to install my system based on the research I did. There Pros seemed to be in line with what I was looking for and they exceeded my expectations. That doesn't necessarily mean that they are the right choice for you. You should make your decision based on the pros and cons of each.

1. Solar Engineering & Contracting

www.solarkauai.com

Solar Engineering & Contracting is family owed and operated, installing solar systems on Kauai for over 35 years. That being said they are also the oldest solar company operating today on the Garden Isle. Thru-out there history SEC has installed some of the largest solar systems in the state of Hawaii. Now they currently only operate on the island of Kauai. The company is owned and managed by Paul Lucas, his three sons all work for the company as the system installers. When I called SEC one of the sons answered the phone. He share information with me for over an hour about the solar industry. He was very knowledgeable on current and future solar technology and passionate about the future of energy. 

Highlights:

Family Owned and Operated (4 generations of working in Energy Tech!)

Installs and Services PV (Electric) Systems, Solar Hot Water Systems, batteries, car chargers, and Roofs.

Over 10,000 Systems Installed

A strong indication they will be around for years to come for servicing needs. (Only does business on Kauai)

They only install centralized Inverters (thats a good thing - Read above about micro-inverters)

2. Renewable Energy Technologies LLC

www.nathanwoodgc.com

Renewable Energy Technologies is a “Division of Nathan Wood General Contractor”. What that means is Nathan has been a General Contractor for years and started to branch off installing solar. Nathan has years of experience building homes so naturally that knowledge carries over to Solar. If you have been to the county fair in the last few years you probably saw his booth there. According to his ads in the Garden Island News paper Nathan has been voted best of kauai for 3 years altho Im not sure if thats for being a contractor or a solar installer.

Highlights:

Strong marketing

Installs and Services PV (Electric) Systems, Solar Hot Water Systems, and Roofs.

Also a General Contractor

Many years of experience on Kauai

3. Haleakala Solar

www.haleakalasolar.com

Haleakala Solar, owned by Jim Whitcob obviously originated out of Maui. Jim has been in the solar game since 1977 so his company is backed by years of real world experience. According to there site they have installed 14,000 systems thru-out Hawaii and has many accreditations.

Highlights:

Installed Central Inverters and Micro Inverters but may try to sell you on Micro Inverters

Does biz on Kauai, Maui, Big Island, and Oahu. Obviously they originated from Maui.

Large Crew 

Installs many different types of systems. 14,000 installs.

They have an office located at Kukui Grove Mall for questions.