Should Hawaii Subsidize Solar?

According to this New York Times article on the rise of the solar power industry in California, the City of Berkeley will pay for the upfront installation costs for residential solar power panel installs and recoup the costs over 20 years with higher prop taxes. Count me in! Except we don't have a plan like that here in Hawaii? Should we? Makes a lot of sense. Here's how it would work. The state takes out a bond issue to cover the cost of solar installs. It contracts with Sun Edison to do residential installs and uses the bond proceeds (interests are actually quite low now, folks) to put panels on thousands of Hawaii rooftops. In the end, consumers benefit because they are able to reduce power bills using clean technology and not have to take a massive upfront hit. The state benefits by gaining energy independence, alleviating pressure on the power grid, and -- equally important -- building a critical mass of solar power companies that would make the industry more sustainable and scalable here. Such a plan would essentially mirror ways that large retailers and building owners are financing solar panel installs. How about it?