Consumer Solar Survey
A 2015 comprehensive residential solar study of electric cooperative members in South Carolina showed a notable number with an interest in solar power, but few respondents were willing to pay more for it:
- 66 percent of co-op members believe solar is an important source of electricity generation for the U.S. in the future.
- 70 percent of co-op members express interest in participating in a community solar program.
- 70 percent of co-op members prefer that their cooperative own and operate a community solar farm versus the installation of solar panels on their property. In fact only 24 percent of members expressed strong interest in home solar panels, even if the cooperative installed them and billed for the cost over time.
- 13 percent of co-op members would pay more for solar energy.
The survey further indicated that most consumers preferred including the cost of Community Solar in the overall price of power. Understandable, but many power providers have expressed concerns about non-participants subsidizing participants in such programs.