The answer to Hawaii’s solar industry issues

Pacific Islands Solar, a division of Pacific Islands Construction, is a company that tries to find the best answers so customers receive not only the best advice but also the best solutions. It is by using the best equipment and installation practices that the best overall value is received. The company offers many services, including system inspections, module cleaning and helping with warranty issues.

As the industry changed, questions regarding batteries and off-grid solutions have been asked. Consumers are concerned about pending changes in net metering and the sale of the local utility to a Mainland company, which does not have a great track record for promoting consumer-owned solar. Decisions regarding leasing versus purchasing confuse an already uniformed market, and there is little help from the industry regarding what is the best way to get solar energy.

These days, it can be said that the “Holy Grail” in solar energy is cheap, powerful battery technology. Inexpensive, safe and long-lasting batteries would allow homeowners to go off the grid and not have their energy situation dictated by others. Many companies and investors are pouring resources into finding the best price-point material that readily is available and can be made into a battery. If they are inexpensive, have a long shelf life, and have a great depth of discharge, the market is waiting for its arrival. As best as anyone can tell, within three to four years, people will start to see, not only great price points for batteries, but also longer-lasting batteries. The company’s advice: buy cheap batteries today knowing you will be replacing them sometime soon with better batteries with a greater return on dollars spent.

As far as leasing versus purchase, it should be obvious that purchasing makes the most sense. Leasing gives all of the control to the leasing company when future changes take place, as new products become available. If you need batteries or more modules to power your car or air conditioner, you are locked into the lease provider. If you want to sell your house but the potential buyer does not want the obligation to pay for the lease, you may be forced to buyout the lease or lose the buyer. Solar financing is available and the average payback period is around four years, so why pay for something the next 20 years, when you can invest in a solar system and have a payback on the investment in a short time?

The issue with the utility change in ownership probably is not an important issue to worry about. Years back, the telephone industry was holding back competition for long-distance service and equipment connection but was changed by competition to meet the consumer appetite for better service at a lower cost. The demand for change in the energy business will create a more competitive market, forcing all players to participate in meeting consumer demands.

Pacific Islands Solar feels that it has an obligation to provide its customers with the best advice in solving their energy needs. The industry is not to be viewed as a commodity business, where all products are alike and the only thing that is important is price. The lowest price can be the result of the lowest quality, and the need to worry can’t be dispelled when companies say not to worry because the warranty will protect you. The warranties do not protect the consumer but they do protect the manufacturer and are great marketing tools.

Recent tests performed by the respected industry group GTM Research tested many of the top-selling modules with six critical areas for module performance, which were more extensive than normal module testing. Kyocera — a Japanese company with more than 38 years in making solar modules — was the only company to have a module that rated in the top group in all six tests.

It is important to provide the best in order to obtain a long-service life. Pacific Islands Solar has been installing these modules from day one, because it felt that in the end, its customers deserved the best. The test regimen shows that Kyocera modules are robust modules with consistent quality in all the key areas for solar module performance.

Find out why speaking with Pacific Islands Solar makes sense prior to making a solar decision. The company can be contacted by calling 841-7756 or 372-3255. Check out its website at pacificislandsconstruction.net.

PACIFIC ISLANDS SOLAR
contact // 841-7756 • 373-3255
web // pacificislandsconstruction.net