Hawaii climate goals at risk after renewable tax credit cuts, advocates warn | carboncredit.io

Hawaii's ambitious climate targets are facing headwinds after the state legislature passed Act 24, which caps and phases out the Renewable Energy Technologies Income Tax Credit by 2031. Governor Josh Green issued an executive order reinstating the credit for 2026 projects already under contract, but advocates say the underlying law still threatens future solar installations and the state's goal of 50,000 additional rooftop solar systems on Oahu by 2030. The tax credit has been the primary driver for residential and commercial solar adoption in Hawaii, disbursing over $684 million to nearly 80,000 claimants since 2015. Without it, meeting the accelerated target of 100% renewable power on neighbor islands by 2035 and net-zero emissions by 2045 becomes much harder. The Sierra Club of Hawaii warns that unless the legislature acts, the uncertainty will continue to hang over the local solar industry and the state's clean energy future.