Kauai County
Kauai County, Hawaii: solar permitting grade B (score 37/100, Moderate Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | B · Moderate Risk · Score 37/100 |
| Population | 73,798 |
| Solar ordinance | No specific solar ordinance recorded |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Improving (ordinance direction easing) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
Kauai County presents moderate permitting risk; conditions are generally workable for utility-scale solar with standard due-diligence preparation. 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 (≈215 mi) · Cochise County (≈3124 mi) · El Paso County (≈3330 mi)
Nearby counties
- Honolulu County · ≈104 miD55—
- Kalawao County · ≈184 miC44—
- Maui County · ≈215 miC44—
- Hawaii County · ≈319 miB36—
- Santa Cruz County, AZ · ≈3060 miC44—
- Cochise County, AZ · ≈3124 miD62—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
Kauai County ranks #2 of 5 ranked Hawaii counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Hawaii: Hawaii County (B · 36), Maui County (C · 44), Kalawao 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.