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Great Idea: install clean energy systems and pay for them over time through real property taxes

HRB2531 Establishes a Hawaii Clean Energy Investment Bond Program for renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvements on residential and commercial properties, and authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds to finance the program.  Click here for details:  Clean Energy Bond Legislation

HECO Proposes to Stop Grid-Tie Solar PV Installations

On Monday 2/22/2010 Honolulu Advertiser reported that HECO wants to stop both residential and business customers from installing solar PV panels to reduce electricity bills.  State and national clean energy organizations, including Blue Planet Foundation, Sierra Club, Hawai‘i Chapter, and Earthjustice, joined Hawai‘i’s renewable energy industry in protesting the proposal by the Hawaiian Electric Company utilities (HECO) to bar homes and businesses from installing grid-tie renewable energy systems on the islands of Hawai‘i, Maui, Lana‘i, and Moloka‘i.  If approved, state and federal tax rebates for grid-tie systems would be halted and no new permits would be issued for grid-tie solar installations.