A new study by Ohio State University researchers finds that cost savings and other practical benefits are key motivations for people to choose rooftop or community solar.
A new study from Ohio State University shows that the strongest driving force behind the installation of solar energy in homes in the United States is economic benefits rather than environmental appeals. At the same time, the main reason that prevents community solar projects from realizing their full potential in the United States is lack of awareness, rather than cost issues. The study, published in the journal Energy Research and Social Sciences, aims to assess the public’s perception of rooftop solar and community solar, and then develop strategies to promote the popularization of home solar energy across the United States.
“We wanted to understand whether there were differences in potential consumer attitudes toward different types of solar projects,” lead author Naseem Dillman-Hasso told pv magazine, “especially given that community solar is a relatively new distribution model.”
Although community solar projects are often easier to participate in, survey participants preferred rooftop solar systems. The authors note that most survey participants have taken very little action to adopt community solar, and most have never even heard of it.
“Our findings suggest that households may have low awareness of community solar and/or limited knowledge of the benefits it can provide,” the authors added.
Community solar adoption faces a unique and critical challenge: a lack of immediate physical visibility. Seeing rooftop panels around a community helps make solar more accessible and raises awareness of its benefits. But without a comparable visual presence, community solar can have a hard time catching up because it can be perceived as indicating that few people are interested in such projects, or that the technology is perceived as high risk.
When comparing rooftop solar to community solar, survey participants rated rooftop solar’s utility features higher. However, for both types of residential solar, economic factors such as saving money and avoiding price hikes outweighed environmental or social benefits in driving interest.
The researchers also found that homeownership and a strong sense of environmental awareness predicted a higher willingness to adopt rooftop solar, while having a stronger sense of social responsibility and liberal political views were associated with a willingness to adopt community solar.
“Survey participants perceived community solar to have higher environmental benefits than rooftop solar, which may reflect that they are considering factors such as economies of scale,” Dillman-Hasso said, although he noted that low levels of awareness of community solar projects made it difficult to identify a strong theory.
Men were more likely to adopt rooftop solar than women, while older groups of either gender were less interested overall. Unlike some previous studies, income did not predict a person’s willingness to participate in a residential solar project.
In addition, Dillman-Hasso said, “ensuring that community solar is not more expensive than traditional utility options, which is particularly important for renters and low-income households,” could increase adoption, even if it is not the only solution. There is also a need for outreach campaigns that highlight the real benefits of solar.
“It’s important to make sure the information is comprehensive and easy to understand,” Dillman-Hasso added.
This is especially true for the promotion of community solar, as benefits like energy savings, flexibility, and easy registration aren’t as obvious as the gleaming panels on your neighbor’s roof.
