A recent report by Environment America reveals that rooftop solar panels have grown a lot in the last 10 years, increasing by 1000%. The report suggests that there is still a lot of room for more growth in the future.
The report called “Rooftop Solar on the Rise” is happy about the ten times increase in rooftop solar over the last ten years. It also talks about the big opportunity for even more growth in the future.
Also, Environment America studied how much rooftop solar power can be used in the United States. The study found that it could provide electricity for 45% of the country’s needs, based on the levels in 2022. In 2022, rooftop solar made up about 1.5% of all the electricity used.
Moreover, There is a chance to use big, flat buildings for more solar power, especially in commercial and industrial areas. According to Environment America, warehouses alone could generate 185 terawatt-hours of electricity every year. This will be sufficient to power more than 19 million homes in the United States. The report also mentions that over 100,000 large retail buildings could generate enough power for the same needs as 8 million more homes.
Why choose rooftop solar?
According to the report, rooftop solar is good for the environment and people in many ways. It helps by reducing the need for polluting power plants and costly power lines. It also brings down costs and makes the electricity system stronger in the face of extreme weather and other challenges.
Furthermore, Rooftop solar also helps the environment by using less land for energy production. This is sometimes called “energy sprawl.” When we install one gigawatt of rooftop solar, we save more than 5,200 acres of land.
Johanna Neumann, senior director, of Environment America Research & Policy Center Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy quoted “Why pay for power from a distant plant spewing pollution when we can just soak up the sun on our rooftops?”
Concluding, For homeowners, having rooftop solar means saving money on bills for a long time. According to EA, even though the first payment is a lot, most buyers can get back what they spent in about eight to nine years. Over the lifespan of the solar system, which is more than 25 years, they can save between $20,000 to $96,000 on their bills.