It may sound weird, but a new bill in Hawaii was signed into law by Republican Governor, Linda Lingle. It refers to new homes and says that no building permits will be issued unless the new homes don’t include solar water heaters. However, there will be exceptions to the rule, for example if the area doesn’t allow too much sunshine.

Rooftop Solar Water Heater Panels
Image by Rich Lem

Presented five years ago by State Sen. Gary Hooser, vice chairman of the Energy and Environment Committee, when the oil barrel was costing a mere $40, Hawaii is the first state to take such decision.

Judging on the state’s dependency on imported fossil fuels which is higher than any other state, it seems like a very good choice.

“It’s abundantly clear that we need to take some serious action to protect Hawaii because we’re so dependent on oil,” Hooser said. “I’m very pleased the governor is recognizing the importance of this bill and the huge public benefits that come out of it.”

Though the energy-saving systems are a great solution to a greener environment and because of the high oil prices, I’d be very interested to know if there will be any incentives for those that install their rooftop solar panels or is it just “law enforcement”? I’m tempted to say Good Job Hawaii! Do you?

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