Hawaii homeowners and business owners now have a single website for tracking down rebates, tax incentives and financing for energy and water upgrades. The Hawaii State Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission launched the Hawaii Climate Rebate Finder on Oct. 19 (via the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources), and it lives at climate.hawaii.gov/save/.
The commission says the tool gathers cash-back programs and financial help offered by state agencies, counties, utilities and other organizations. According to the release, it covers home appliances, lighting and HVAC for businesses, water efficiency for farms and commercial properties, and clean transportation, with separate resources for commercial operations, small businesses and nonprofits.
Before now, someone shopping for a new water heater or air conditioner had to check several agency and utility websites to see what money was on the table. Bill Unruh, who leads climate outreach for the commission, said in the release that he found a $250 rebate when he used the finder to shop for a refrigerator. "Without a centralized tool, it's easy to miss out on cash back you're actually eligible to receive," Unruh said.
Commission coordinator Leah Laramee framed it as a cost issue for residents. "We know that often the sustainable choices are the most affordable choices and the rebate finder helps to make that connection," she said. The state is also pushing people to check the finder before any big equipment purchase, since funding, eligibility rules and deadlines differ from one program to the next.
The release doesn't name individual programs, so we checked the main ones Hawaii residents can tap. The biggest one for most of the state is Hawaii Energy, the energy efficiency program for electric customers on Oahu, Hawaii Island, Maui, Molokai and Lanai. Kauai is handled separately by the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, which runs its own rebates.
Hawaii Energy's current rebate year runs through June 30, 2027, first come, first served while money lasts. Its July announcement lists instant residential rebates of up to $2,750 for a solar water heater, up to $700 for a heat pump water heater, $1,250 for a central AC retrofit and up to $550 per mini-split unit, plus tune-up rebates. The $250 refrigerator trade-up rebate Unruh mentioned is on that list too. On the commercial side there are per-ton rebates for package, split and VRF air conditioning, along with new incentives for things like standalone fans and smart circulator pumps.
Solar water heating got a bump earlier this year. Hawaii Energy raised those rebates in January to make up for federal residential solar tax credits that ended Dec. 31, 2025, and it requires homeowners to use one of its participating contractors to get the money.
There's also federal money still waiting in the wings. The Hawaii State Energy Office's eHale Energy Saver program, funded through the Inflation Reduction Act, would cover heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, induction cooking, electrical panel and wiring upgrades, and insulation and air sealing. The office says it is still awaiting U.S. Department of Energy approval and expects it to open in early 2027. Its point-of-sale rebates will only go through registered contractors, and work done before launch won't qualify.
Why it matters for Contractors
For HVAC, solar water heating and electrical contractors, the finder is a handy thing to pull up at the kitchen table. Showing a homeowner what stacks on a job, whether that's a utility rebate today or a possible state rebate later, can make it easier to close a bid on higher-efficiency equipment. Just confirm amounts on the program's own page before you quote them, since funding runs out and terms change.
Many of these dollars only flow through approved installers. If you aren't already on Hawaii Energy's participating contractor lists or in its Clean Energy Allies directory, it's worth getting set up. Keep an eye on eHale contractor registration too, because that program won't pay out for jobs by unregistered contractors once it launches.