BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Energy insecurity has long been an issue for millions of Americans, and a household that experiences the problem once, such as struggling to pay a utility bill or facing disconnection, is more likely to face the situation again in the future. However, a recent study from researchers at the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs suggests that the adoption of rooftop solar panels could be an answer to the issue.
In “The Effect of Residential Solar on Energy Insecurity among Low-to-Moderate Income Households,” published in the journal Nature Energy, Lynton K. Caldwell Professor David Konisky, Ph.D. student Madeline Yozwiak—along with collaborators from the Lawrence Berkely National Laboratory, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Massachusetts Boston—explored whether residential rooftop solar can serve as a preventative solution to energy insecurity among low-to-moderate income households.
“The research finds that rooftop solar reduces energy security in myriad ways,” Yozwiak said. “Low-income households are more likely to be able to pay their electricity bill; less likely to receive a disconnection notice; and less likely to forgo expenses on other necessities to pay an energy bill. Our research shows that rooftop solar not only can be justified based on its environmental benefits but also as a way to reduce energy insecurity.”
The study used a national, matched sample of solar and non-solar households based on detailed and address-specific data, and found that solar energy leads to large, robust, and salient reductions in five indicators of energy insecurity. Moreover, the benefits of solar ‘spill over’ to improve a household’s ability to pay other energy bills.
Konisky is also the director of the Energy Justice Lab, which has been documenting the prevalence of residential energy insecurity across the United States for several years.
“In addition to technological solutions like solar power, we are evaluating other interventions such as improvements in energy assistance programs and utility payment programs,” Konisky said.