A Redditor recently took the r/Solar subreddit to vent after their HOA shaded their request to install solar panels on their roof.
"My HOA declined my modification request to add solar panels to my street facing roof. Any advice?" the person wrote in the post. They then explained that the HOA said that the solar panels would need to be installed on the back roof and not be visible from the street.
"I live in Georgia, the street facing part of my roof faces SW, the backyard facing part of my roof faces NW, my house is on a cul-de-sac," the user wrote before asking for advice on how to proceed.
Their frustrations are understandable. As the climate crisis intensifies, solar panels are becoming increasingly popular for private residences. Not only do they reduce a homeowner's energy bills and add value to the property, but they are also great for the environment.
Electric power creates the second-largest share of heat-trapping gases in the U.S., accounting for 25%, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. On top of that, almost 80% of our total electricity comes from burning dirty energy sources like gas, coal, and oil.
The less we rely on these sources, turning instead to clean energy sources like solar and wind, the better chance we stand of stopping our planet's rapid, detrimental overheating.
This is why issues like the one this Redditor is up against are especially frustrating. When HOAs don't allow solar panels or force homeowners to place them in less sunny areas where they won't be able to maximize their potential, they make it harder for individuals to make the imperative change from dirty energy sources to cleaner ones.
Commenters on the post were just as frustrated as the poster. "All this crap about solar hurting value, but it is not true," said one.
"That's just baloney," said another. "I mean how can we even compare aesthetic vs maximizing energy production for solar?"
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