Switch To Clean Energy

Renewable electricity is your home’s best friend.

Upgrade your home to a clean energy plan or install solar. Take this step and decide a plan that works for you. Try it for a month to see how you do.

Try It

How many people are in your household?

Switch To Clean Energy

If you’re looking to take a step in your household with lots of impact, this is it. Electricity generated from fossil fuels accounts for 25 percent of the world's total emissions. So when you choose a clean energy plan for your home or use solar power, you’ll help cut carbon emissions.

Upgrading to renewable energy in our homes is an important step to phase out fossil fuels. The good news is that more people are making the switch, and solar power at home is on the rise around the world. Making this switch sends a clear signal to energy providers and politicians that we want a cleaner energy system.

Tips

Check if your current utility provider offers a clean energy plan that you can switch to. If not, you could switch to another provider. It’s usually quite easy to do, and you don’t need to own your home to make the switch. Use a comparison site to help you choose from the different options available in your area - simply search “compare renewable energy suppliers” online.

If you own your home, consider installing solar panels. You’ll need a rooftop or plot of land nearby that gets enough sunshine. You might be surprised by just how much of your daily electricity needs you can meet with solar. To get an idea of your home’s solar potential, use the PVWatts Calculator or the Photovoltaic Geographical Information System. To find an accredited installer in your area, try a local directory like EnergySage (US), Solar Guide (UK) or ENF (EU), or search “compare solar installers” online. And remember to contact your local authorities about any government grants or payment schemes available.

If you’re not able to install your own solar panels, you could join a local solar project. To find community solar, search “community solar near me”.

Benefits

Switching to a clean energy plan can be as simple as a phone call or a few clicks. But this simple act has big benefits. And as more of us choose clean energy, we’ll encourage the construction of more renewable energy projects like wind and solar farms. And when that happens, fossil fuels will be used less, reducing pollution and making the air we breathe and the water we drink cleaner and healthier.

The price of solar panels has dropped substantially over the years, so if you install solar, the energy savings you’ll enjoy could pay back the cost of installing them sooner than you think. You’ll also be protected from any increase in energy prices. If you’re not able to install solar panels, you may be able to save a little money each month with community solar.

Plus, research shows that when you install solar panels, your friends and neighbors are more likely to do the same. You could start the shift to solar in your area!

REFERENCES

Electricity from sources such as wind, solar, geothermal and hydro and nuclear produces zero emissions at the point of generation.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Emissions from electricity generation and heat production account for 25% of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Globally, the levelized cost of energy for residential solar photovoltaics (PV) fell between 2010 and 2019, with markets showing a 42% to 79% cost decline.

Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2019, IRENA

More people are choosing solar. Residential solar matched commercial solar for the share of solar PV net capacity installations in 2020

IEA

Research shows that when you install solar panels, your friends and neighbors are more likely to do the same.

Norms, Norm Sets, and Reference Groups: Implications for Household Interest in Energy Technologies, Horne & Familia (2021)

So, What Exactly Is Community Solar? Neighbors who are unable to build their own solar systems can join together, build a larger and more cost-efficient solar array nearby, and use the energy it provides to power their homes.

Greentech Media

The typical solar fraction for residential solar heating systems is between 50% and 70% in the EU and US.

NREL and Vienna University of Technology
Impact metric calculations

To determine the carbon emission reduction estimates related to switching to a clean energy supplier or installing solar, the following calculations were performed:

(# of people in the household) x (monthly residential electricity consumption per capita) x (100% electricity effectively sourced from renewables) x (country-specific grid electricity carbon intensity) = kg CO2e reduction / month

For detailed calculations, references and assumptions, please see our Methodology.