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There are many areas on the Big Island of Hawaii that are not served by the HELCO "grid". Homes in these areas are said to be "off the grid". There are two ways to be off the grid, the poor person's way of candles, kerosene lanterns and Honda generators; and the rich person's way of solar voltaic, solar hot water, back yard windmills and storage batteries.
The last time I checked (about twenty years ago) it cost around $30,000 to be off the grid the rich way. That amounts to a twenty five year pay back in a tropical, A/C not required climate. As technology advances and prices decline (or the cost of electricity goes up), if that price could be brought to a five or ten year payoff, HELCO might have a little more difficulty selling power.
Being off the grid becomes less viable as climate becomes more extreme, but being partly off the grid, and relying on the grid instead of batteries for peak surges and nighttime loads still makes economical sense.
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