A new poll confirms that the solar revolution may be unstoppable. The
respondents of the poll were all parents, 81% of whom said they want to
live in a solar-powered home. The majority (67%) also wants solar to be
the world’s primary energy source when their children grow up. More than 10 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity have been installed in
California, enough to electrify 2.4 million homes during peak hours.
A significant portion of the solar energy in California is coming
from rooftop installations — homes and businesses — and more than 25,000
of those roofs are in San Diego County.
Three main factors are emerging. Ease of acquisition, accessibility in finance, and the fact that people want it. The survey, conducted by Wakefield Research for solar provider
Sungevity, interviewed 1000 US parents between March 18 and 25, using an
email invitation and online survey. Perhaps reflecting the energy
demands facing families with children, parents indicated it would be
harder to go on an energy diet than a food diet.
The price of solar panels has fallen dramatically since 2009. 75% of
those asked said the leading reason they would consider solar is to save
money. Solar adoption is on the rise also because companies are making it easy to install the panels.
Rich Swisshelm didn’t intend to settle in Sabre Springs. He came to
San Diego County on temporary assignment and stayed because of the
sunshine. Three years ago, Rich went solar with Sungevity. Software technology made the process easy. Rich entered his email and
address online, and Sungevity’s iQuote technology showed Rich how much
energy he would generate with solar, and what the panels would look like
on his roof. This ease is important for parents, for whom juggling
schedules of different activities is the norm. Nearly all parents surveyed (88%) believe that teaching their kids
about alternative energy is just as fundamental as teaching them good
manners.
Rich Swisshelm likes the idea of obtaining energy “without burning
any fossil fuels whatsoever,” but it was the energy savings that sold
him on a rooftop solar system. He leases the panels on his roof, and the
amount he pays is less than his energy bill. “My system is creating more energy than projected,” says Rich.
Studies show that a homeowner is 3 times more likely to put solar on
their roof if one of their neighbors has already done so. With more and
more San Diego residents using solar to power their homes, the city can
expect the number of new systems to increase at near-exponential rates.
Rich’s neighbor, two houses away, already had panels installed.
“They’re saving money also,” says Rich. “It’s really a no-brainer, every
home owner in San Diego should do it.” 95% of parents believe it’s their responsibility to teach their
children about alternative energy sources, in order to create a better
environment for future generations. They want to look back in 20 to 30
years and feel like they made a difference. Photo Credits: Solar installation courtesy Sungevity; Rich Swisshelm
http://cleantechnica.com/2015/04/16/poll-confirms-solar-revolution-may-unstoppable/
No comments:
Post a Comment