ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this Oct. 16, 2015 file photo a solar panel is installed on the roof of the Old Governor’s Mansion State Historic Park in Sacramento, Calif.
Select an option below to continue reading this premium story.
Already a Honolulu Star-Advertiser subscriber? Log in now to continue reading.
Solar permits issued on Oahu fell in July for the second month in a row but are still ahead of the year-earlier period.
There were 219 permits issued by the Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting for solar electrical systems last month, down 20 percent from 274 in July 2017, according to Marco Mangelsdorf, who tracks rooftop solar permits and is president of Hilo-based ProVision Solar.
Through seven months there with 1,571 permits issued, up 9 percent from 1,438 in the year-ago period.
The total value of PV projects so far this year is $150.2 million compared with $56.8 million during the same period last year. Three utility-scale projects worth $86 million were the biggest contributor to this year’s big jump.
The top three PV permit pullers on the island since January have been California-based Sunrun, followed by RevoluSun and Hawaii Energy Connection.
Of all the PV permits issued through the first seven months, 57 percent included energy storage with LG Chem in the lead, followed by Tesla.