Hawaii Solar Scams: State's 2026 Warning Explained
On August 26, 2026, Hawaii's Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, the Hawaiʻi Green Infrastructure Authority, and the DCCA Office of Consumer Protection issued a joint warning: deceptive door-to-door solar salespeople are working Hawaii neighborhoods right now, and they're lying to homeowners.
The two lies the state is warning about
According to the DCCA release, sales reps are:
- Falsely claiming your contractor went out of business — then offering to "take over" your system or sell you a replacement. If someone tells you this, verify it independently before believing a word.
- Falsely claiming a state program provides free solar PV and battery storage — there is no such program. The state does not give away solar systems, period.
What the state actually says
Three facts worth memorizing:
- No free solar. The state does not provide free solar PV systems to homeowners.
- No cold outreach. State employees never cold-call, door-knock, or sell solar systems. Anyone at your door claiming to be from the state is lying. Real state employees carry official photo ID — ask to see it.
- Watch for fake affiliations. Reps have falsely claimed ties to HGIA, GEM$ (Green Energy Money $aver), other state agencies, and even the electric utility.
Door-to-door solar isn't banned — it's regulated
This nuance matters, because scammers exploit the confusion. Hawaii has not banned door-to-door solar sales. They are legal but regulated by state and federal consumer protection law. What that means for you:
- HRS §480-2 prohibits unfair or deceptive acts in commerce, including door-to-door sales. Lying to close a deal is illegal, full stop.
- You get three business days to cancel any door-to-door sale, without penalty or obligation. If you signed under pressure, you have a legal undo button — use it.
Your verification checklist (evergreen)
Whether or not someone knocked on your door this week, run this checklist before signing any solar contract in Hawaii:
- Check the license. Look up the contractor on DCCA's Business Check portal — licensee status, complaints, and business registration. No license, no signature.
- Verify production claims independently. If a salesperson promises your roof will produce a specific number of kWh per year, don't take their word for it. Run your address through our free calculator, which models production from NASA weather data for your exact location. If their number doesn't match independent modeling, that's a red flag.
- Know your 3-day right. Three business days to cancel, no penalty. Put the cancellation deadline on your calendar the day you sign.
- Never trust "free." Legitimate Hawaii solar incentives (like HECO's battery programs) reduce your cost — none of them make the system free, and none arrive via a stranger at your door.
- Report it. Encountered a liar? File with the Office of Consumer Protection at consumercomplaint.hawaii.gov or call 1-844-808-3222 (Ext. 5). Note the salesperson's name, company, and — if you can — record the interaction. For fake HGIA claims specifically, call HGIA at 808-587-3868.
The bottom line
Hawaii's solar market is real and the economics can be excellent — but the door-to-door channel is where the bad actors hunt. The state's message is simple: verify everything, trust nothing at the door, and use your three days. And before you sign for any system, model what it will actually produce with independent data, not the salesperson's spreadsheet.
Verify before you sign. Model your roof's real solar potential against five years of NASA weather data — independent of any salesperson's spreadsheet.
⚡ Verify your roof freeSources
- DCCA: State Warns Public About Misleading Door-to-Door Solar Sales (August 26, 2026)