SolarLA.org asked many neighbors how satisfied they are with their solar installations – and they are wildly excited. Read and view stories of real people who are pioneering new energy alternatives. The future is taking off and these pioneers want you to come on board. Real experiences of real people are simply more convincing than corporate or institutional advertising. Consider the following story:
In a Bavarian village the first farmer who installed solar was regarded as a crazy person. A year later the second farmer and shortly afterwards the third covered their barns with solar. Many neighbors talked about them, but a few talked to them. The farmers explained, that solar was making them money, lasted decades and would need almost no service. Every month they got a payment from the electric company or saved on their electric bill. A year went by and the systems worked well. When they spoke to the owners, they learned that they had made thousands of dollars by silently catching the sun’s energy. Then 3 more solar systems showed up and very soon one could see the village roofs being covered with solar panels. In 2010 it took Bavarian farmers only two months to install as much solar as the entire United States did in 30 years.
Solar installation rates, like most social change, do not progress linearly. It takes a long time for the start, but then sales happen in a hockey-stick progression.
We often hear that we are living in the Digital Village – and that is true. Social Media enables close and quick connections to large amounts of friends, no matter where they live. By utilizing social media to let solar owners share their experiences with their friends in a trusted way, we can create a veritable steamroller of installations. What works in the Bavarian Village, works in the Digital Village.
The general population still has little knowledge about solar and correspondingly little trust. Far less than 1% have solar installed and less than 5% are interested when approached even with offers than include financing and immediate financial benefits. This shows how important it is to educate the public on issues like:
- the technology is proven
- solar panel deliver excellent savings over their lifespan
- solar delivers proven environmental benefits
- panels have excellent lifespans
- no huge improvements are on the horizon
- solar is a good fit for many homes
- there are good methods to select a product
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