Solar growth has surged in the past few years, with more and more households choosing to install panels to produce their own energy away from the grid.
A startling new report has revealed this surge in domestic solar power is not only benefiting those who install it, but also non-solar customers by lowering the cost of energy.
The report by energy economist Dr. Richard McCann, as per M.Cubed, found that California's rooftop solar customers saved all ratepayers a staggering $2.3 billion in 2024. This eye-watering amount was saved due to solar production reducing the amount of electricity that utility companies needed to produce and deliver. This report rebuffed prior claims that an increase in people using solar energy was the reason for high electricity prices in the state, which are actually more likely because of decades of overspending by these companies, according to the Solar Rights Alliance.
🗣️ 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
This is not the first report to note that solar-powered households are benefiting their communities.
A study by researchers from the University of Texas at Austin also found that solar-powered households reduced demand on the grid and lowered the cost of energy bills for non-solar households. "It lowers the cost for everybody," lead author Nick Laws told Inside Climate News.
Installing solar power is one of the best ways to save money on utility bills while also reducing the amount of heat-trapping pollution your home produces. It is a great time to take advantage of tax incentives and rebates that are part of the Inflation Reduction Act to upgrade your home and lower those energy bills. EnergySage provides free tools that enable you to get quick solar installation estimates and compare quotes from different companies.
But hurry. President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly said he wants to do away with the subsidies provided by the IRA, as per The Guardian. While ultimately doing so would require an act of Congress, it does mean the future of these subsidies is unclear.
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