Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

6. Solar Panels

6.1. Relatively few respondents overall said they have converted their household electricity to come from rooftop solar panels.

Relatively few respondents across all surveyed countries and territories (9%, see section 1.1) said they had converted their household electricity to come from rooftop solar panels. However, reported adoption of solar panels varied widely by country and territory, and ranged from 34% in the Netherlands to 2% in Canada and Chile. Other countries with higher reported rates of adoption of heat pumps were Australia (28%), Belgium (24%), and Cyprus (18%).

6.2. Many respondents who converted their electricity to come from rooftop solar panels said they faced no difficulties doing so.

Among respondents who said they converted their household electricity to come from rooftop solar panels, majorities in 21 out of 37 surveyed countries and territories said they did not have any difficulties doing so. Respondents in Europe were most likely to say they had not had difficulties, with large majorities saying so in Croatia (78%), Spain (71%), and the Netherlands (70%). Respondents who converted their electricity to solar were least likely to say they did not face difficulties in Hong Kong (16%), Canada (15%), and Trinidad & Tobago (0%), meaning that they were most likely to say they faced some difficulties.

However, other respondents who adopted this behavior did report facing some difficulties, including respondents in Hong Kong (46%), and Slovakia, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates (all 43%), which had the largest percentages of respondents who said it was expensive.Respondents were allowed to select more than one answer to this question, unless they selected “I didn’t have any difficulties.” Trinidad & Tobago (76%), the United Arab Emirates (21%), and Singapore (14%) had the largest percentages of respondents who said they did not know how to convert their electricity to come from rooftop solar panels. Canada (26%), Czechia (23%), and Cyprus (22%) had the largest percentages who said it took a lot of time. Chile (23%), France (21%), and Canada (20%) had the largest percentages who said they weren’t interested. New Zealand (19%), Slovakia (16%), and Greece (13%) had the largest percentages who said no one they knew had solar panels. Canada (18%), Hong Kong (14%), and the United Arab Emirates and Lithuania (both 11%) had the largest percentages who said they thought it would take too much effort. Finally, the United Arab Emirates (14%), Spain (11%), and Israel (10%) had the largest percentages who said the solar panels or contractors to install them were not available.

6.3. Among those who had not converted to rooftop solar panels, the most common barriers were expense, not owning their home, or their home not being suitable.

Among those who said they had not converted their electricity to come from rooftop solar panels, the most common reasons it would be difficult to do so (i.e., “barriers”) were that it is too expensive, they do not own their home, or that their home is not suitable.Respondents were allowed to select more than one answer to this question.

Respondents in Hungary (57%), Croatia (56%), and Ireland (55%) were most likely to say that it is too expensive, and majorities gave this response in seven of the 37 countries and territories surveyed. Respondents in Switzerland (60%), Germany (51%), and Austria (48%) were most likely to say they do not own their home. Respondents in Hong Kong (44%), Singapore (36%), and Czechia (33%) were most likely to say their home is not suitable.

Among other barriers to solar panel adoption, Trinidad & Tobago (26%), Japan (23%), and Canada (17%) had the largest percentages of respondents who said they had never thought about getting rooftop solar panels. France (24%), Poland (22%), and the United States (21%) had the largest percentages who said they were not interested. Chile (18%), and South Korea and Oman (both 16%) had the largest percentages who said they do not know how to convert their electricity to come from rooftop solar panels. Trinidad & Tobago (17%) and Greece (11%) had the largest percentages who said no one they know has solar panels. Japan (10%), and Austria, Germany, and Singapore (all 9%) had the largest percentages who said it is too much effort to convert to rooftop solar panels. Singapore (10%), Trinidad & Tobago (8%), and Saudi Arabia (7%) had the highest percentages who said solar panels, or contractors to install them, are not available. Respondents in Trinidad & Tobago (8%), followed by Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, Singapore, and the United States (all 7%), had the highest percentages who said they do not have the time. Finally, Singapore and Oman (both 7%) had the highest percentages who said they had never heard of rooftop solar panels.