Running cost comes down to wattage, hours and your rate. In Hawaii the rate is 52.00 cents per kWh, which is 182.0 percent above the national average. Here is what that means for a refrigerator.
A refrigerator drawing 150 W costs $0.08 per hour in Hawaii. Run 8 hours a day that is $0.62 daily, $18.72 a month and $228 a year, which is $147 more than the same appliance at the US average rate.
Cost by hours used per day in Hawaii
| Hours/day | Energy | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 h | 0.15 kWh | $0.08 | $2.34 |
| 2 h | 0.30 kWh | $0.16 | $4.68 |
| 4 h | 0.60 kWh | $0.31 | $9.36 |
| 6 h | 0.90 kWh | $0.47 | $14.04 |
| 8 h | 1.20 kWh | $0.62 | $18.72 |
| 12 h | 1.80 kWh | $0.94 | $28.08 |
| 24 h | 3.60 kWh | $1.87 | $56.16 |
Cost by wattage at 52.00 cents
| Rated power | Per hour | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 W | $0.05 | $0.42 | $12.48 |
| 120 W | $0.06 | $0.50 | $14.98 |
| 150 W | $0.08 | $0.62 | $18.72 |
| 200 W | $0.10 | $0.83 | $24.96 |
| 250 W | $0.13 | $1.04 | $31.20 |
Find the row matching the nameplate on your own unit. Within a single appliance category the spread is often wider than the difference between categories, so the label is worth reading.
What this means in Hawaii
This appliance runs on much the same schedule regardless of climate, so the figure above is a reasonable year-round estimate for Hawaii. What changes it is your own usage pattern rather than the weather.
Why Hawaii pays what it does
Hawaii is a regulated market, so your utility is the only supplier and the rate is set through the state commission rather than by competition. Pricing tends to be steadier than in deregulated states, and there is no switching decision available. The levers are all on your side of the meter.
At 52.00 cents, Hawaii ranks 51 of 51 from cheapest to most expensive. The West regional average is 19.65 cents. Roughly half of any residential bill is transmission and distribution rather than generation, which is why rates keep climbing even when fuel prices fall.
How this compares across the country
The same refrigerator on the same schedule, in the cheapest and dearest states:
| State | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 12.35¢ | $4.45 | $54.09 |
| Utah | 12.96¢ | $4.67 | $56.76 |
| Hawaii | 52.00¢ | $18.72 | $228 |
| California | 33.25¢ | $11.97 | $146 |
| Hawaii | 52.00¢ | $18.72 | $228 |
Lowering the number in Hawaii
- Vacuum the condenser coils yearly. Dust means heat cannot escape, so cycles run longer.
- Check the door seal with a dollar bill. If it slides out without resistance, the compressor is making up the difference all day.
- Set 37 to 40 degrees, freezer at 0. Colder than that is money spent on nothing.
- Move it out of a hot garage if you can. Ambient heat drives longer cycles.
- Retire a pre-2001 second fridge. Many utilities pay 50 to 100 dollars to haul it away.
Offsetting it with solar in Hawaii
This load uses about 1.20 kWh a day. Covering that would take roughly 1 standard 400 W panels at typical sun hours, an array of about 0.40 kW. Because it offsets electricity worth 52.00 cents rather than the national 18.44 cents, the same array is worth more here than the national payback figures suggest.
A fridge is the classic off-grid load because it runs day and night. Panels cover the daytime cycles and the battery has to carry every night without exception. Full sizing, including battery and inverter requirements, is on the solar sizing page for this appliance.
Questions people actually ask
[hed_faq]How much does it cost to run a refrigerator in Hawaii?About $0.08 per hour and $18.72 a month at 8 hours a day, using the Hawaii average rate of 52.00 cents per kWh.
How many watts does a refrigerator use?Around 150 W while running, with a range of roughly 80 to 250 W depending on model and setting.
Is that expensive for Hawaii?Hawaii electricity runs 182.0 percent above the national average, so this appliance costs $147 more per year here than it would at the US average rate.
Can I lower this without replacing the appliance?Usually yes. Run time is the variable you control, and the hours table above shows exactly what each hour costs. Since Hawaii is regulated, shopping for a supplier is not an option, so usage is the lever.[/hed_faq]