Oʻahu and Maui County and Hawaiʻi Island customers, Hawaii · Loan
GEM$ On-Bill Financing Program: Landlord/Tenant
Run by Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority (HGIA)
Hawaiʻi's green bank finances solar for rental homes with no upfront cost to low- and moderate-income renters: up to 25 years at a fixed 5.5%, paid on the tenant's Hawaiian Electric bill. The charge stays with the meter, so renters stop paying when they move out.
Amounts
How much you get
Financing, not a grant: up to 25 years at a below-market fixed rate of 5.5% a year, with no upfront cost to the renter. Payments appear on the tenant's monthly electric bill and transfer to the next tenant; charges can be suspended for up to 24 months in total while the unit is vacant. The page doesn't state a maximum loan amount.
Eligibility
Do I qualify?
You need to meet all 5 of these.
The renter household's combined gross income must be less than 140% of HHFDC's area median income.
The renter pays their own electric bill as a Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric or Hawaii Electric Light customer, with at least 6 months of history with the utility.
Both the landlord and the renter must apply and sign the GEM$ documents.
What to doAsk your landlord to submit HGIA's Landlord Application alongside your Main Application.
The contractor must be a GEM$ Enrolled Contractor, and the improvement must be on HGIA's Approved Energy Improvement List.
What to doThe landlord picks a GEM$ Enrolled Contractor to design the system.
The estimated electric bill after installation must show savings: at least 5% with no disconnection notices, 10% with 1 to 4 notices, 15% with 5 or more.
What to doHave the contractor size the system so the estimated savings meet the threshold.
Equipment
What equipment counts
Applying
How to apply
You apply online. Get approved before you buy anything.
- Renter submits the GEM$ Main Application.
The person on the electric bill applies in HGIA's Banyan portal; other adults in the household and people on title apply through a link sent to the main applicant. Getting utility documents takes about 2 weeks.
- Landlord submits the Landlord Application.
Includes two years of federal tax returns and a personal financial statement.
- Get Step 1 approval.
- Landlord picks a GEM$ Enrolled Contractor.
The contractor designs a solar system for the tenant's usage and submits the project in the Banyan portal.
- Get Step 2 approval.
HGIA underwrites the project against the bill savings threshold. Work starts only after documents are signed and a notice to proceed is issued.
- Installation and on-bill payments.
HGIA pays the contractor once the system is installed and interconnected; the charge appears on the tenant's monthly electric bill.
Valid government-issued ID
Most recent federal tax return with all schedules and K-1s (tenant); two years of returns (landlord)
Most recent electric bill and Green Button usage data
Landlord contact information
Forms and instructionsContact Us (HGIA)
Questions about applying(808) 587-3868
Stacking
Use it with
Your address
Next steps
Check that it covers your address. This program has to approve you before you buy anything, so start with the program, not a contractor quote.
Is it available at your address?
Before anything else
The landlord picks a GEM$ Enrolled Contractor to design the system.
Your quote request is in If a contractor we work with serves your ZIP, they can contact you. We take one request per person; contact us to change it.
Get an email if this program changes
We'll write if its amount, status or deadline changes. Nothing else.
FAQ
Questions
How much does GEM$ On-Bill Financing Program: Landlord/Tenant pay?
Work done at no cost. Financing, not a grant: up to 25 years at a below-market fixed rate of 5.5% a year, with no upfront cost to the renter. Payments appear on the tenant's monthly electric bill and transfer to the next tenant; charges can be suspended for up to 24 months in total while the unit is vacant. The page doesn't state a maximum loan amount.
Do I need to be a Oʻahu, Maui County or Hawaiʻi Island customer?
Yes. It’s only for homes in Oʻahu and Maui County and Hawaiʻi Island customers, Hawaii. See Do I qualify for the details.
Is there an income limit?
The renter household's combined gross income must be less than 140% of HHFDC's area median income.
Do renters qualify?
Both the landlord and the renter must apply and sign the GEM$ documents. Ask your landlord to submit HGIA's Landlord Application alongside your Main Application.
Do I have to use a contractor?
Yes. The contractor must be a GEM$ Enrolled Contractor, and the improvement must be on HGIA's Approved Energy Improvement List.
Do I need approval before I buy?
Yes. Apply before you buy or install anything; purchases made first don’t qualify.
Is it still available?
Yes. It was open when we last checked, on October 27, 2026.
What happens to the payments when I move out?
You stop paying. The obligation stays with the electric meter and moves to the next person who opens the account.
What if the unit is empty?
The charge can be suspended for up to two years in total, if the landlord tells HGIA about the vacancy and the account didn't automatically switch to the landlord.
Plain words
Words used on this page
References
Sources
This page is built from these official pages, run by the program itself.
When one of these pages changes, we re-check this page against it.
Nearby
More in Hawaii
Oʻahu and Maui County and Hawaiʻi Island customers, Hawaii
GEM$ Clean Energy Loan Program: Homeowner-Owned Solar + Storage
Up to $10,000
On-bill financing from Hawaiʻi's green bank for low- and moderate-income homeowners installing solar PV with battery storage: up to 25 years at a fixed 5.5%, repaid on your Hawaiian Electric bill, plus a subsidy of $10,000 or $5,000 depending on income.
Checked Oct 27, 2026
Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island and Maui County customers, Hawaii
Hawaii Energy Solar Water Heater Tune-Up Instant Rebate
Up to $325
Up to $325 off a tune-up of a residential solar water heating system at least 5 years old, taken off the invoice by a participating Hawaii Energy contractor.
Checked Oct 27, 2026
Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island and Maui County customers, Hawaii
Hawaii Energy Solar Water Heating Instant Rebate
Up to $2,750
Hawaiian Electric customers on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island, Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi get up to $2,750 off a new solar water heating system or qualifying retrofit, taken off the invoice by a participating contractor.
Checked Oct 27, 2026