Energy Costs & Savings
In Going Solar, Americans Cite Cost Savings Over Environmental Benefits
Kiplinger News
August 12, 2010
Eco-consciousness has reached the mainstream, rendering conspicuous consumption increasingly gauche - but Americans' newfound green attitudes may be motivated by the prospect of saving money, rather than the planet.
According to a survey of 639 Californian residential solar adoptees conducted for the California Solar Initiative, more than half - 52 percent - had installed solar equipment to save money on energy. Just 26 percent, by contrast, said they had gone solar to do right by the environment.
Interestingly, nonresidential survey respondents were less likely to cite financial reasons when asked why they adopted solar technology. Thirty-nine percent of nonresidential - i.e., business, nonprofit and government - survey participants said cost savings were their primary motivator, while environmental concern was No. 1 among just 26 percent of respondents.
The private sector appears cognizant of American homeowners' desire to save on energy: Solar leasing companies have sprung up in recent years to offer solar equipment to homeowners with little or no upfront cost. One, SunRun, announced August 11 that it would begin serving the Pennsylvania market in the near future.
SunRun promises that its customers' electricity bills will be slashed by as much as 15 percent per month - a tantalizing proposition for homeowners looking to save money.
