As communities respond to the challenges of rising global temperatures, they can also capitalize on the opportunities it presents.
Among clean energies, solar power has become one of the fastest-growing technologies. Small-scale rooftop solar energy is growing rapidly in the U.S., having produced 10 times as much power in 2022 as a decade earlier. Today, realtors are revealing the unexpected benefit of rooftop solar energy: tools that reduce demand.
Originally highlighted in a study conducted by the University of Texas at Austin, the discovery that distributed energy resources reduce the demand on the electrical grid has shown much promise in being cost-efficient for energy needs. These include such energy technologies as rooftop solar, community solar, and battery storage.
Community solar, in particular, has grown in popularity, as you can subscribe to solar panels located on a solar farm. This allows you to earn credits back on your electricity bills for the solar energy produced by your share of the panels, effectively reducing your monthly energy bills by as much as 10%. A great aspect of this is the accessibility, as community solar opens the door for more people to participate in the clean energy transition.
Utility companies have historically been behind on the transition, as DERs impact revenue. However, policies that incentivize clean energies — such as those proposed by the Inflation Reduction Act, which offers a 30% tax credit for households with rooftop solar — have given the push for distributed utilities to slowly adapt.
According to the American Public Power Association, DERs may benefit utilities by lowering the dependency on new utility generation assets and ancillary services, which reduces transmission costs as well.
Additionally, embracing renewable energy for the home lowers the amount of harmful air pollution and increases resilience to extreme events such as power outages.
A report from Zillow found that properties with a rooftop solar panel system sold for 4.1% more compared to homes without a solar power system, according to a CNET release. For a median-valued home, this would be up to $9,300 in value.
A Los Angeles County Compass realtor told CNET that solar energy is a "huge selling point" when speaking with potential home buyers.
🗣️ If you were to install home solar panels, which of these factors would be your primary motivation?
🔘 Energy independence ⚡
🔘 Lower power bills 💰
🔘 Helping the planet 🌎
🔘 No chance I ever go solar 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
As 3 in 5 Americans see the value solar panels bring to property values, energy marketplace hub EnergySage provides free tools to get solar estimates for interested homeowners.
💡Solar quotes you can trust
Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area.
Use EnergySage's free tool today to cut through the noise, compare prices, and see how much you can save.
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