Survey Shows Preference for Solar: Saving Money

Our survey of more than 100 New York residents was mentioned at a recent roundtable hosted by the Town of New Castle at the Chappaqua Library. The roundtable discussion included information about the Town of New Castle Sustainability Advisory Board and featured the importance of integrating a green lifestyle, both as individuals and as a community. The discussion featured the many benefits people who go green see, including a drop in utility bills.

The survey was conducted by Sunrise Solar Solutions LLC, with responses received from residents of Westchester, Rockland and Orange Counties and upstate New York. The most compelling result of the survey involved the reasons people have for switching to solar power. The top reason cited is to reduce their energy costs, with 43 percent of the respondents; while 25 percent said environmental responsibility is most important. When asked what kind of pricing would encourage them to go solar, 66 percent said tax credits, and 48 percent said a period of free system maintenance. More than three-quarters of respondents said they would like 25 percent or more of their home electricity to come from solar energy.

The Sunrise Solar Solutions survey also found:

  • More than three-quarters, or 77 percent of respondents, said they had considered installing a solar energy system on their homes.
  • 42 percent of respondents would either prefer a local solar installation company (42 percent), or one that was recommended by a friend (35 percent). Only 26 percent said they would consider a national installer.
  • 48 percent of homeowners said the costs of installing and maintaining a solar energy system would be the biggest factor in their decisions, and 44 percent said getting a return on their investment was their top consideration.
  • In terms of aesthetics, 45 percent said the appearance of solar panels would not be a factor in their decision, while 42 percent said it was a possible factor.

“We enjoy educating people who don’t yet understand how affordable and easy it is to go solar.   With our No-Money-Down financing plan, combined with federal and state tax credits, we can guarantee that our customers save money from Day 1,” says Doug Hertz, president of Sunrise Solar.

He added that the first benefit that many people who go green see, is a drop in utility bills.

Going green also reduces spending — a result of switching to reusable items, as well as using more energy efficient appliances. Every lifestyle change can make a significant difference for a healthier and more economical lifestyle.

SHARE IT:

Leave a Reply

You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>