Hawaii Energy — residential rebates
Cash rebates for efficient equipment, with water heating the headline category. Hawaii Island, Lanai, Maui, Molokai and Oahu only — not Kauai. First-come, first-served and subject to funding.
Program detailsHawaii home energy costs & incentives
The most expensive electricity in the United States — which makes efficiency worth more here than anywhere, and makes the water heater, not the furnace, the thing to fix.
Prices pulled August 16, 2026
What energy costs here
40.59¢
per kWh, residential electricity
135% above the national average of 17.3¢. 1st most expensive of 51.
Up 21% since 2021 (4.9% a year), against 27% nationally.
$5.05
per therm, residential natural gas
$52.38 per thousand cubic feet, 2025 annual. National average $1.48/therm.
Up 11% since 2021 (2.8% a year).
Heat pump vs. gas furnace — Heat pump favored
Hawaii's electricity-to-gas price ratio works out at 2.4-to-1. At these prices a heat pump should cost less to run than a gas furnace across the heating season, before counting the air conditioning it also replaces.
Below roughly 3.5-to-1 a heat pump usually wins on running cost; above roughly 5-to-1 a furnace may be cheaper through winter. How that comparison works · run it with these rates
State averages from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (electricity, gas), pulled 2026-08-16. Real bills vary substantially by utility within a state, and by rate plan within a utility — check a recent bill for your own numbers before relying on any of this. The heat pump verdict above follows from these averages, so it moves if your rates differ.
What's different in Hawaii
Ignore the heat pump versus gas furnace verdict below. It is computed the same way for every state, and it is close to meaningless in a climate where almost nobody runs a furnace. In Hawaii the questions that matter are water heating and cooling.
Hawaii Energy names electric water heating as the typical home's largest energy consumer. At the highest electricity price in the country, that is where the money is — a heat pump water heater or solar water heating pays back faster in Hawaii than almost any upgrade available on the mainland.
A trap worth knowing before you plan anything: Hawaii Energy rebates are available to residential electric ratepayers on Hawaii Island, Lanai, Maui, Molokai and Oahu only. Kauai is served by the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative and is explicitly not eligible — Kauai residents should contact KIUC directly rather than assuming statewide programs apply.
Rebates are first-come, first-served and subject to available funds, and Hawaii Energy states they can change or be discontinued without advance notice. Confirm the current offer before you commit to equipment.
Check with the administrator before you sign anything. Program budgets run out, terms change without notice, and most require approval before work starts — a rebate you apply for afterwards is usually a rebate you don't get. Treat this page as a starting point for your own call, not as confirmation that you qualify. We last checked these programs on August 16, 2026.
Hawaii programs
The federal position — the same everywhere
- Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D)Ended
Ended. No credit for expenditures made after 31 December 2025.
- Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (Section 25C)Ended
Ended. No credit for property placed in service after 31 December 2025.
Full detail, sources and changelog on the national incentive tracker.
Where to check for your address
- Hawaii Energy
- DSIRE — search state, local and utility programs by ZIP
- ENERGY STAR Rebate Finder
- U.S. DOE — Home Energy Rebates, by state
Your own utility is worth checking separately — utility rebates are often the largest remaining incentive and rarely appear in any central listing.
Not tax advice
Everything here is general information gathered from public sources. It is not tax, financial or engineering advice, and it cannot account for your utility, your income, your equipment or your return. Energy prices are state averages that move; program terms and budgets change without notice. Confirm anything you plan to budget around directly with the program administrator, your utility and a licensed professional before you commit money.
If you find something on this page that is out of date, tell us at minchangyi@me.com and we will correct it.
Run the numbers for your house
These open with Hawaii's average rates already filled in. Correct them from a recent bill before you rely on the result — state averages hide a lot of variation between utilities.
Guides behind these numbers
- Heat Pump vs. Gas Furnace: The Real 2026 Cost ComparisonUpfront cost, operating cost, and total cost of ownership for heat pumps vs. gas furnaces in 2026 — with the trade-offs most guides skip.HVAC · 6 min read
- The Gas-to-Heat-Pump Rebate Is Gone. The Electric-to-Heat-Pump One Isn't.DOE Program Notice 26-2 removed fuel switching from the HEAR rebates. Here's exactly what changed, who is still eligible, and what to do if your project is already underway.HVAC · 6 min read
- How to Tell If Your HVAC System Is Properly Sized (Manual J Explained)An oversized or undersized HVAC system wastes money and comfort. Here's what proper sizing means and how to know if yours is right.HVAC · 4 min read
- Insulation vs. HVAC Upgrades: Which Should You Prioritize First?Before spending on a new HVAC system, it's often smarter to fix your home's envelope first. Here's how to decide the right order.HVAC · 3 min read
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