New Survey Examines Homeowners’ Views on Rooftop Solar and Battery Storage
A new survey from the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC), a nonprofit organization focused on consumer perspectives on energy, found that approximately 68 percent of U.S. homeowners would consider participating in a solar-plus-storage program if the technology were installed at little to no cost, helped manage the grid, and offered financial incentives for electricity drawn from battery systems.
The report, titled “Shining a Light on Solar + Storage: Consumer Interest and Expectations,” surveyed 1,168 adults across the United States living in single-family, owner-occupied homes. It explored attitudes toward rooftop solar and battery storage systems, sources of information, installer preferences, and motivating factors behind consumer interest.
Among those surveyed, the most commonly cited reason for interest in rooftop solar was saving money on electricity over time (36 percent), followed by using renewable energy (27 percent), increasing home resiliency (25 percent), and raising home value (24 percent).
The findings also indicate that electricity providers play a significant role in consumers’ preferences for solar installation. Thirty-nine percent of respondents said they would prefer installation by a company recommended by their electricity provider, and 31 percent said they would prefer the provider to install the system directly. Nine percent preferred a third-party installer, while 21 percent were unsure.
“Many American homeowners are interested in becoming ‘prosumers’ for a combination of financial, environmental and reliability reasons,” said SECC President & CEO Nathan Shannon. “Electricity providers are widely seen as trusted partners in installing these technologies and are well-positioned to assist consumers in their ‘prosumer’ journeys, which can ultimately be a win-win for consumers and electricity providers alike.”
The full report is part of SECC’s Smart Energy Snapshot Series, which explores consumer behaviors, attitudes, and expectations regarding energy technologies and services.
