RevoluSun Blog
Where Does Your Money Go? The Economics of Solar Leasing
Kelley Burke
2 August 2025
The Great Wealth Transfer
Every month, when you pay your solar lease, you’re making a choice about where that money goes. With mainland solar companies, you’re participating in a massive wealth transfer from Hawaii to Wall Street investors and mainland executives.
The Corporate Reality Check
Let’s look at the numbers behind the nation’s largest solar lease company:
Corporate CEO Compensation (2023): $9.45 million annually Market Cap: $2.4 billion
Where Your Lease Payments Go:
- Executive compensation and bonuses
- Mainland shareholder dividends
- Wall Street investment returns
- Corporate overhead in California
What This Means for Hawaii
When you sign with a mainland solar company, your monthly payments leave Hawaii forever. That money that could have supported local jobs, local businesses, and our local economy instead flows to mainland bank accounts.
The Federal Tax Credit Factor: Here’s something most people don’t realize – when you lease from a mainland corporation, they claim the 30% federal tax credit (while it’s still available). That tax credit, worth thousands of dollars per system, goes directly to their mainland corporate profits, not back to Hawaii.
The Local Alternative
When you lease with RevoluSun:
- Your payments stay in Hawaii
- Local jobs are created and maintained
- Tax benefits support local business growth
- Decisions are made by people who live here
- Customer service is provided by your neighbors
Real Community Impact
Every RevoluSun lease supports:
- Local installers and technicians
- Hawaii-based customer service representatives
- Local supply chains and vendors
- Community investment and sponsorship
- Economic growth that benefits everyone
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Mainland Corporate Model:
- Profits extracted to shareholders
- Executive compensation in millions
- Customer service through call centers
- Decisions made 2,500 miles away
Local RevoluSun Model:
- Profits reinvested in Hawaii
- Local ownership and accountability
- Face-to-face customer service
- Decisions made by people who live here
