California Center for Sustainable Energy

The Clean Energy Group report showcases smart marketing strategies from clean energy programs and solar marketers from across the country that address how to overcome the barriers faced by solar technology markets and serves as a guide for states in pursuing their own market planning process.

Effective marketing guides how, when, and where product information is presented to consumers, with the ultimate goal of persuading consumers to purchase a particular brand or product. Therefore, state solar program managers must see themselves as a critical part of the solar sales process.

Consumers consistently report a preference for energy produced from renewable energy sources but invariably fail to purchase renewable energy in sizeable numbers. Research conducted by SmartPower and detailed in this report was designed to identify the barriers to solar purchases, address consumer concerns, and provide state solar programs with guidelines that should be integrated into their overall marketing approach. SmartPower’s findings concluded that there are four primary barriers to solar market growth, and ALL four must be addressed to expand the market. Those barriers include:

1. Cost. Consumers report high up-front and out-of-pocket costs and long payback periods deter them from installing solar energy technology.
2. Reliability. The absence of solar technologies in the public’s eye and confusion about its performance and capabilities create concerns about the reliability of solar technology; it is not perceived as up to the task of powering our energy needs.
3. Complexity. The time consuming and complex nature of purchasing and installing solar energy systems discourages potential customers.
4. Inertia. The lengthy decision-making process and financial complexity of the solar sale often result in consumer inertia.

In addition to addressing these barriers, solar programs also must create a connection with customers through marketing messages that are likely to enhance interest and lead to further inquiry. Messages that connect on a financial or value level are most likely to succeed. This guide cites many marketing initiatives that are contributing to the growth and interest in solar across the country. However, the guide is not meant to be a clearinghouse of all solar marketing programs, nor an endorsement of any one particular approach. Instead, it is offered to provide solar programs and stakeholders with examples of innovative strategies that can make a difference in solar marketing.

Solar Marketing Report by the Clean Energy Group