chippyo

Is $41,000 to install a 16.29 kW solar energy system with battery storage a fair price?

Project Details

I received this quote for a new solar installation in Hawaii and am trying to determine if the prices are normal compared to the mainland, as a quick search suggests average pre-tax costs in the US are around $2-$3/watt. My electricity prices are very high at 42.8 cents/kWh, and my average bill is $600-$800/month, or about 2000 kWh/month averaged over the year. The company designed this system based on a $900/month bill, aiming to reduce it to the utility's bare minimum billable amount of $30. I'm told the worst-case scenario for payoff is 6 years, but over the system's life, the savings could be substantial. I also received a quote for a smaller system (30 panels, 4 batteries) with a net cost of $39k, but I considered overbuilding to account for degradation over time. I'm curious how these prices compare to others on the mainland. We are guaranteed installation by the end of the year, or our deposits are returned, but permitting can take many months here. I understand it's a standard export for credit system, but the export rate is only about $0.14/kWh, so overbuilding for export value might not be worth it. Any unused energy exported would just be a bonus. There are also programs where the utility pays to draw from batteries for 2 hours during peak times, but I'm unsure if that's beneficial since I'd be locked in without control over when they pull power. I need to discuss with the planner if 4 batteries are truly necessary. Ideally, the batteries would power my home from 5 PM to 9 AM (peak rate hours), and the panels would generate enough to power the home and fully charge the batteries daily, allowing me to largely avoid the grid during peak rates.

Quote Details

This quote is for a 16.29 kW solar energy system designed to significantly reduce electricity bills. The system is projected to bring the monthly bill down to the utility's minimum billable amount of $30, based on an average $900/month bill. - System Size: 16.29 kW - Solar Panels: 37 Hyundai 440W panels - Batteries: 4 Enphase 10C batteries - Inverters: Enphase microinverters - Warranty: 30-year warranty with Solar Insure - Pre-tax Cost: $83,000 - Post-tax Credit Cost: $41,000

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More Details

Category

Solar

Price

$41,000

Quote Date

August 3, 2025

Location

Hawaii

Battery Storage?

No

# of Panels

37

System Size (kW)

16.29

Warranty (yrs)

30

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