Farm and Aquaculture Alternative Energy Loan

If you're a full-time farmer or aquaculturist in Hawaii, you can borrow up to $1,500,000 or 85% of your renewable energy project cost (whichever is less) for solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, or fuel production systems. Loans carry favorable rates—3% for agriculture and 5% for aquaculture—with terms up to 40 years, and funds cover equipment, infrastructure, land improvements, and operating costs. Contact Hawaii's Department of Agriculture Agricultural Loan Division at (808) 483-7100 to apply.

This program finances renewable energy projects for Hawaii's agricultural and aquaculture operations, creating demand for PV, wind, hydroelectric, and biomass installations on farms and aquaculture sites. Projects qualify for up to $1,500,000 in financing at favorable rates (3–5% depending on sector) over 40 years, making larger and more ambitious systems economically viable for your agricultural customers. The Department of Agriculture evaluates borrower creditworthiness and repayment ability, so contractors should help clients demonstrate sound financial management and a credible business plan.

Act 209 (2008) established a revolving-loan program administered by Hawaii's Department of Agriculture Agricultural Loan Division, funding renewable energy and food-safety projects for qualified full-time farmers, ranchers, and aquaculturists. Loans cap at $1,500,000 or 85% of project cost, carry simple interest on the unpaid balance (3% for agriculture, 5% for aquaculture, or 1% above the state's cost of borrowing if funds are borrowed externally), and extend up to 40 years. The program targets rural agricultural producers seeking to reduce fossil-fuel dependence through distributed renewable generation, with funding sourced primarily from existing revolving loan funds rather than external appropriations.