Research led by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) calculates the value solar photovoltaic (PV) systems can add to single-family homes, and includes recommendations for improving PV home valuation. It is part of the DOE's SunShot initiative to make solar energy cost-competitive with traditional energy sources, and reduce the cost of solar electricity to $0.06 per kilowatt-hour before the end of the decade.
Using an industry-standard paired-sales valuation technique, seven appraisers from six states estimated that homebuyers would pay up to $15,000 for houses with average-sized solar arrays compared to similar homes without PV arrays. Sun Number, a DOE SunShot-funded startup, and Redfin provide further research, ranking the premiums for solar and non-solar listings in some Midwest cities.
Sun Number uses a patented automated process to analyze the solar potential of rooftops based on pitch, orientation, and size of the roof; the amount of solar radiation per square meter; and local factors. The average Sun Number for roofs in each city is listed in the slideshow on a scale from 1 to 100, with 100 being the highest potential for energy generation.
This article was re-purposed from the original article on Redfin's site.
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Leah Scully
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Leah Scully is a graduate of The College of New Jersey. She has a BS degree in Biomedical Engineering with a mechanical specialization. Leah is responsible for Machine Design’s news items that cover industry trends, research, and applied science and engineering, along with product galleries. Visit her on Facebook, or view her profile on LinkedIn.