Organizations are eager to promote renewables and efficiency
EnergySage's 2017 Clean Energy Education Survey asked organizations to share information on actions they have taken (or are interested in taking) to educate their audience about solar and other energy-related products
Organizations throughout the US are encouraging consumers to explore solar energy technologies, according to a recent survey conducted by EnergySage. Eighty-six percent of survey respondents noted that their employers have actively promoted solar energy in the last 12 months. This survey reflects the actions of a range of organizations, including non-profits, municipalities, utilities, colleges and universities, and government organizations.
What kind of organizations actively promote solar?
Non-profits and municipalities led the pack with the greatest percentage actively promoting solar energy, while utilities, colleges and universities, and corporations were not as active in solar promotion. This may have been driven by a relevance to the mission of these organizations, given the environmental benefits of solar. Many municipalities have committed to advancing renewables, and environmental nonprofits have worked to rally members under an umbrella of environmental stewardship and protection.
For those organizations that did offer resources to their audience of consumers, nearly 84% used their website as a primary means of sharing information. About 52% of respondents brought in outside speakers to talk about solar energy, while just over 50% proactively promoted solar energy through emails and/or direct mail. Many organizations offered some form of information about solar, but fewer than 24% provided consumers with actionable information, such as a list of local solar installers. Because many consumers do not even know where to start when it comes to engaging solar contractors, this missing information may be a significant opportunity to drive consumer action on solar.
What hurdles did your organization face?
Given the financial and environmental benefits from solar, we were curious as to why some organizations decided not to promote solar adoption. While 33% of respondents reported that promoting solar energy was not part of their organization’s mission, 46% noted that they simply didn’t have the resources or expertise in-house to effectively promote it. Not having access to the right resources for promoting solar is clearly a key hurdle for these organizations.
When asked about the resources that might be helpful in promoting solar energy adoption, many organizations desired the same key solutions:
Access to unbiased solar experts
A solar calculator for estimating solar costs and savings
Articles on key solar topics
An online marketplace for comparing quotes
Reviews of solar installers and equipment
Many organizations do not have the resources to easily pull together an effective program for their audience. In most cases, solar energy is not core to their daily work and expertise, so the thought of engaging in efforts to educate people about solar may feel like an overwhelming endeavor. Fortunately, EnergySage offers a range of solutions that address all of the areas described above. You can learn more about these solutions here.
What other techologies are you interested in?
In addition to residential solar energy, several organizations have interest in promoting a range of other energy solutions:
Interest in community solar led with 72% of the respondents showing interest. Energy storage and energy efficiency followed closely behind, with electric vehicles, efficient heating/cooling, and water heating technologies also garnering some replies. EnergySage recently added a Community Solar Marketplace and lots of great educational material about Energy Efficiency options for consumers interested in these alternative technologies.
Strong interest in encouraging clean energy adoption
With over 87% of respondents eager to promote clean energy solutions to their members, residents and customers in the year to come, EnergySage is happy to offer a range of solutions that addresses most of the needs of these organizations. Many organizations report a lack of in-house expertise or resources, and the EnergySage Solar Marketplace includes all of the desired tools noted above, at no cost.
Organizations of all types can leverage these free resources as part of an effort to provide people with access to impartial educational materials, or as part of a formal outreach program to encourage and facilitate solar adoption. The EnergySage Marketplace includes the most comprehensive selection of unbiased educational resources available on the web today, and consumers can leverage these tools to help give them the confidence to make smarter energy decisions.
About EnergySage
EnergySage runs the largest vendor-neutral online solar marketplace. Developed in 2012 with funding from the US Department of Energy, EnergySage is dedicated to information, transparency and choice. Our suite of online tools and resources help consumers research and shop for solar.
Our rooftop solar marketplace presents property owners with multiple solar quotes from pre-screened installers in a unique apples-to-apples format, and provides live support from expert Solar Advisors. The Community Solar Marketplace provides community solar FAQs and connects customers with projects in their area.
In addition to making these tools publicly available, EnergySage also provides solar solutions for utilities, non-profits, universities and towns looking to aid their audience in getting started with solar.
Want to learn more about solar programs on EnergySage?
Contact the author:
John Gingrich
SVP, Strategic Partnerships
john@energysage.com
617.453.8924
EnergySage is the partner of choice for leading organizations. View our partner overview PDF for more detail about how EnergySage partnerships work.
