Nooho‘ana Solar Technologies
The company name—Noho‘ana—means “way of life.”
“That is really what we are promoting, a new way of thinking about how you use and generate power for your business and home, your way of life,” says Julia Paschoal-Cano, president of the solar technology firm. Five years ago, she and her husband, John Cano, president of Cano Electric, Inc., saw a rising need for a company whose sole focus was that of renewable energy power systems and energy conservation technology. They created Noho’ana Solar in 2008.
“When we first started, most consumers didn’t understand what solar photovoltaic was. Half of our calls would be for solar water heaters. We have spent a lot of time and money educating potential clients about what solar PV is and how it can benefit the home or business,” she said. “We show people how to make the most of a system, by pairing it with other energy conservation technologies. We have also spent a lot of time cleaning up messes left by unlicensed inexperienced solar installers claiming to be experts.”
Noho‘ana Solar is located in Kea‘au, but their clientele includes homeowners and small business owners all over Hawai‘i Island, Maui, and Moloka‘i as well. They handle a number of different brands of equipment.
“We don’t try to make one brand fit every home. Every customer is different with different energy needs. Certain inverters or solar modules work better under different circumstances. We pride ourselves in thinking outside the box when customers have special circumstances. We are also one of the few companies that will do a mix of solar systems: grid-tie, off-grid, grid-tie with battery backup and hybrid systems (solar and wind),” Julia says.
Julia had worked in sales and personnel for most of her professional career when, in 2003, she joined her husband in his electrical business. There she worked in the field with him, wiring houses for new construction and renovations. They started installing solar PV systems in 2006. “We liked the technology so much that we both took courses in designing and installing solar PV,” she says.
Born and raised on the Island of Maui, Julia moved to Hawai‘i Island in 1991, living in Pāhoa, Hilo and now Kea‘au. “Back then power outages were a monthly occurrence in my neighborhood. I began to understand why so many people in Puna live off the grid,” she says.
Noho‘ana Solar’s main office is located at 16-180 Mikahala Place in Kea‘au.
808.982.7480 Kea‘au; 808.322.7252 Kailua-Kona; 808.244.7676 Maui
