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It struck me last time I was in US (I'm from UK) how few properties have solar panels on the roof. I wonder why that is? Cheaper energy? Roughly 1 in 30 homes h

It struck me last time I was in US (I'm from UK) how few properties have solar panels on the roof. I wonder why that is? Cheaper energy? Roughly 1 in 30 homes have solar installed in the UK (https://www.theecoexperts.co.uk/solar-panels/popularity-of-solar-power https://www.theecoexperts.co.uk/solar-panels/popularity-of-s...) though I can't lay my hands on stats for US.

sethhochberg 4y ago
There are a handful of potential reasons depending on where in the US you're looking at, as usual there is wide variation by state and by urban/rural divide: - some states have little in the way of tax or other financial incentive to help offset initial installation cost - some neighborhoods have various visual restrictions, self-imposed or otherwise, that may not accommodate solar panels - some power companies have campaigned to limit net metering, which limits the cost savings homeowners can see from solar to protect the utility - some local or state government officials view renewables as a "political" issue in the sense of "yuppies getting bent out of shape about global warming" and make efforts to limit renewable usage for political points - owners of most rental buildings don't pay for electric, the tenants do, but the tenants cant make capital improvements and the owner has little incentive to
01100011 4y ago
Probably cheaper energy, and also perhaps a different subsidy/regulatory environment. I know in California, the utilities are fighting to make solar users pay more than they currently do, saying the solar customers don't pay their fair share of distribution and transmission costs. Also, as a former leased-solar customer, there are some downsides. Having solar in my area adds a few thousand dollars to a roof replacement. Furthermore, solar panels are sort of an acquired taste, aesthetically speaking. When I had solar, it was nearly a wash in terms of how much I saved vs how much I paid monthly to SunRun, the company I leased them from. It did allow me to run my air conditioner nearly all the time because I was incentivized to use the power I generated, but it also meant I had a loud box outside my bedroom window and the clicking of the relays woke me up many mornings.
saalweachter 4y ago
In the US it's approximately the same -- 3.2%.
pugworthy 4y ago
It can really vary from community to community. My little town (60k people, large university and Fortune 100 company campas) seems to have a lot of house installations, but then income and education levels are higher here, as well as a strong "green" mentality.
jseliger 4y ago
The zoning and other regulations around solar are onerous in the U.S.: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/08/opinion/environment/defense-production-act-solar-power-australia.html https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/08/opinion/environment/defen...
HeyLaughingBoy 4y ago
More and more outbuildings in rural areas have solar panels. Installing solar is cheaper than getting permits/electrician to run mains power to your buildings. I've seen new barns with the roofs completely covered in solar panels.

sethhochberg 4y ago

There are a handful of potential reasons depending on where in the US you're looking at, as usual there is wide variation by state and by urban/rural divide: - some states have little in the way of tax or other financial incentive to help offset initial installation cost - some neighborhoods have various visual restrictions, self-imposed or otherwise, that may not accommodate solar panels - some power companies have campaigned to limit net metering, which limits the cost savings homeowners can see from solar to protect the utility - some local or state government officials view renewables as a "political" issue in the sense of "yuppies getting bent out of shape about global warming" and make efforts to limit renewable usage for political points - owners of most rental buildings don't pay for electric, the tenants do, but the tenants cant make capital improvements and the owner has little incentive to

01100011 4y ago

Probably cheaper energy, and also perhaps a different subsidy/regulatory environment. I know in California, the utilities are fighting to make solar users pay more than they currently do, saying the solar customers don't pay their fair share of distribution and transmission costs. Also, as a former leased-solar customer, there are some downsides. Having solar in my area adds a few thousand dollars to a roof replacement. Furthermore, solar panels are sort of an acquired taste, aesthetically speaking. When I had solar, it was nearly a wash in terms of how much I saved vs how much I paid monthly to SunRun, the company I leased them from. It did allow me to run my air conditioner nearly all the time because I was incentivized to use the power I generated, but it also meant I had a loud box outside my bedroom window and the clicking of the relays woke me up many mornings.

saalweachter 4y ago

In the US it's approximately the same -- 3.2%.

pugworthy 4y ago

It can really vary from community to community. My little town (60k people, large university and Fortune 100 company campas) seems to have a lot of house installations, but then income and education levels are higher here, as well as a strong "green" mentality.

jseliger 4y ago

The zoning and other regulations around solar are onerous in the U.S.: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/08/opinion/environment/defense-production-act-solar-power-australia.html https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/08/opinion/environment/defen...

HeyLaughingBoy 4y ago

More and more outbuildings in rural areas have solar panels. Installing solar is cheaper than getting permits/electrician to run mains power to your buildings. I've seen new barns with the roofs completely covered in solar panels.