Does Rooftop Solar Actually Help the Climate?

For a few weeks now, Heatmap’s staff writer, Emily Pontecorvo, has been trying to figure out if installing rooftop solar panels on your home actually reduces carbon pollution in a systematic way. In other words: If you own a home, and install solar panels on it, are you doing anything to change how much fossil fuel gets burned in your region or around the world? Or — somewhat counterintuitively — will your panels just increase the cost of electricity near you while shifting demand for those fossil fuels around? 

On this week’s episode, we try to answer these questions in a satisfying way. Heatmap Executive Editor Robinson Meyer and Princeton Professor Jesse Jenkins welcome Emily to the podcast to discuss the messy truth of distributed solar power. 

Mentioned: 

An NREL report on the cost of rooftop vs utility-scale solar in the USA.

The most recent Energy Department report on the solar industry.

Seel, Barbonse & Wiser (2014), "An analysis of residential PV system price differences between the United States and Germany"

Jesse’s upshift; Jesse’s downshift.

Emily’s upshift; Emily’s downshift.

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This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by…

Advanced Energy United educates, engages, and advocates for policies that allow our member companies to compete to power our economy with 100% clean energy, working with decision makers and energy market regulators to achieve this goal. Together, we are united in our mission to accelerate the transition to 100% clean energy in America. Learn more at advancedenergyunited.org/heatmap 

KORE Power provides the commercial, industrial, and utility markets with functional solutions that advance the clean energy transition worldwide. KORE Power's technology and manufacturing capabilities provide direct access to next generation battery cells, energy storage systems that scale to grid+, EV power & infrastructure, and intuitive asset management to unlock energy strategies across a myriad of applications. Explore more at korepower.com.

Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow.

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