The results are in from our recent New England Clean Energy 2017 Customer Insights Survey and they’re exciting. Highlights:
- Solar is creating more informed and energy-conscious consumers
- Solar is now part of mainstream American culture, or at least it is in pockets around the country including New England
- More people view solar as a solid investment compared to four years ago, based on a similar survey we conducted in 2013
- Passion for the product is strong.
Changing Consumers
More than 80% talk about solar with friends and family at least monthly, like Dan Bourque of Templeton, Mass., who wrote in: “I stress to anybody who looks at our system that I have nothing to hide financially. Best darn decision I ever made other than getting married. People are always skeptical but my data doesn’t lie.”
These findings suggest that solar is now officially mainstream in much of New England. It’s not just the ‘tree-huggers’ going solar. Solar is now a dinner-table and water-cooler topic.
After having solar installed, 68% monitor their solar performance online on a regular basis. Solar owners watch other numbers as well: 54% monitor their solar financials regularly and another 39% monitor their electric bills specifically.
To me, this says solar is allowing homeowners to take charge of their power generation and the associated financials, and people take those benefits seriously. The result is more energy-conscious consumers, which is a very good thing as energy resources dwindle.
But, with the good of becoming a mainstream product comes the bad, meaning less than savory industry players. Overall, the industry has a solid track record but it’s concerning that more than one in five respondents knows someone who had a bad solar experience with another installer. Write-in descriptions of those experiences focused on high-pressure sales tactics and shoddy workmanship. Nearly 30% of the comments specifically called out leasing companies.
The Product
When asked to pick the top three reasons for going solar, the most common answers were lower electric bills (66%), helping the planet by reducing pollution from fossil fuels (62%), the long-term Return on Investment (ROI) (45%), and the 30% federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) (45%). Hundreds of write-in comments supported those reasons. In 2013, the results were similar except that “energy independence” was the third most popular reason instead of ROI.
Seventy-eight percent said purchasing solar is a better investment than buying a car or making a major renovation to your property, up from 70% in 2013.
“Nearly 100% of the installed value is added to your home, but is not taxed [in Mass. and R.I.]. Name me another home improvement that not only does that, but actually pays for itself in just a few years. Nothing can touch solar right now. Not even investing,” said customer Christopher Siano of Bolton, Mass.
The increase in those who view solar as a wise investment combined with the ROI being the third most popular reason for going solar now, suggests people understand solar economics better today than they did three years ago, or perhaps they care more about them.
Despite the product’s popularity, more than a quarter were concerned about system aesthetics before installing solar. Of those, 82% were positive about the look of the system after installation based on write-in comments that included “satisfied, like them, love them, feel proud, think they’re fantastic.”
Policy & Incentives
The majority of respondents got the full ITC and 78% of those claimed the full credit in one year. However, 19% spread the ITC across two tax returns, and 4% across three or more.
When asked what message they would most like to deliver to government leaders, 74% took the opportunity to write in comments in favor of solar and continued or increased government support.
Michelle Laflamme of Shirley, Mass. wrote: “Solar creates a whole new market in the energy sector. A whole new market means increased opportunities for employment, science, research, and local and international trade, which benefits our economy. Lowering our dependence on fossil fuels negates a lot of political issues and contributes towards efforts to help keep our environment happy and healthy, all while solving an impending energy crisis!”
In the survey, which was conducted in February, more than 300 residential customers answered questions about their attitudes and behaviors related to solar ownership and solar policy. More than 40% of those contacted completed surveys. If you know survey methodology at all, you’ll know that’s a fantastic response rate, so thank you to our customers who participated! Respondents had their solar installed between 2007 and 2017; were from Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island; and covered a cross-section of age ranges and household sizes.
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