Rooftop solar is becoming more affordable

Rooftop solar adoption in the U.S. is expanding beyond wealthier households, with more middle- and low-income families benefiting from this renewable energy source.

Dan Gearino reports for Inside Climate News.

In short:

• The median household income for new rooftop solar users dropped to $115,000 in 2023, down from $141,000 in 2010.
• Government policies, decreasing installation costs and financing options like solar leasing have made solar more affordable.
• States like Maine saw rapid growth in small-scale solar, while access still varies widely depending on location.

Key quote:

“Solar has gotten cheaper, and so that has made it more accessible to a broader swath of the population.”

— Galen Barbose, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory researcher

Why this matters:

As rooftop solar becomes cheaper and more accessible, more households can benefit from lower electricity costs and reduced emissions. Ensuring that lower-income families gain equal access supports a fair distribution of public policy benefits and accelerates the transition to clean energy.