Honolulu County
Honolulu County, Hawaii: solar permitting grade D (score 55/100, High Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | D · High Risk · Score 55/100 |
| Population | 1,000,890 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Stable (no material ordinance movement) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Honolulu County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable. Hawaii's state RPS policy provides a supportive macro backdrop for renewables, even where individual county ordinances are restrictive. Market saturation is elevated in this area — expect competition for prime land parcels and interconnection capacity.
Local intel
No energy-related meetings, PSC dockets, or named opposition tracked for this county yet. See indexed calendar →
Nearby counties where SitePath is tracking energy activity: Maui County (≈111 mi) · Pecos County (≈3467 mi) · Val Verde County (≈3565 mi)
Nearby counties
- Kalawao County · ≈81 miC44—
- Kauai County · ≈104 miB37—
- Maui County · ≈111 miC44—
- Hawaii County · ≈217 miB36—
- Hudspeth County, TX · ≈3308 miA23—
- Culberson County, TX · ≈3359 miA30—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Honolulu County ranks #5 of 5 ranked Hawaii counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Hawaii: Hawaii County (B · 36), Kauai County (B · 37), Maui County (C · 44). See all Hawaii county grades →
Want the full record?
Setback distances, board vote histories, source documents, and ordinance amendments are available in the full county profile. The map is free; a walkthrough shows you the underlying record.
About this score
Every U.S. county is scored 0–100 on solar permitting risk (lower is friendlier to development). The grade is a weighted composite of compliance stringency, market saturation, regulatory trajectory, and data uncertainty. Every figure traces back to a primary government document. Read the full methodology →
Related reading
SitePath Intelligence is a research platform. Data verified as of 2026-05-02. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.