Solar: The Gateway Drug to Energy Efficiency

by Adele, posted on August 12th, 2010.

The Prius Effect

A lot has been written about the so-called “Prius Effect“– the fact that the Prius helps save gas not just because of its hybrid technology, but also because people drive much more efficiently when they see their performance on the display screen in the car. The same idea inspired energy monitors inside the home, so you can easily track your energy use and try to beat your own records (or upload your data and compete with friends online). Solar panels, as it turns out, seem to inspire energy efficiency as well. On a recent NPR show, Sungevity founder Danny Kennedy summed it up well: solar power, he said, is “the gateway drug to energy efficiency.”

Making a true difference

When the British government did a study [PDF] of energy meters in the home, they found that the “Prius effect” could help save up to 15% on energy bills. As far as we know, no one has officially studied how energy efficiency changes after homeowners install solar panels, but we’ve seen it happen countless times with our members. Esther Poulsen, a 1BOG member in New Jersey, says that large utility bills motivated her not only to purchase solar panels, but to make major changes in energy efficiency. “It’s been almost a game for us to see what we can do to make everything operationally efficient,” she said. They’ve exchanged appliances for more efficient models, changed out electrical outlets, and plan to have the house airsealed. Monitors on electrical outlets help cut down on vampire energy loss. All these changes helped cut the Poulsens’ energy use by 20%, so that the power from their new solar panels can go much further.

Beating the system

Chuck Schwartz, director of Long Island Green, an organization that helps homeowners use energy more efficiently, says that he’s seen people with new solar panels get started thinking about energy use overall. “People get off on seeing their meter spinning backwards. I’ve seen people walk around with their utility bill in their pocket,” he said. “People get enamored with beating the system.” Homeowners who’ve just made an investment in solar panels will want to get as much out of their panels as possible, so it’s common to start thinking more about turning things off, getting more efficient lighting, and more efficient appliances. The best part: making those efficiency changes isn’t just good for the environment, it’ll save you money. If you live in a state with SRECs or other incentives that pay you for the extra energy you generate, you’ll be able to cash in even more. It’s easy to see why solar’s been called a gateway drug– it really is addictive. It can lead beyond efficiency to start people thinking about other environmental improvements they can make. “After people get solar, they think, ‘what else can I do?’” Schwartz said. That could be anything from choosing eco-friendly cleaning products to driving less. How has solar power changed your outlook? Let us know in the comments.

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