Renting an apartment can make solar feel out of reach, but what if we told you solar for renters was possible - with or without a renewable-friendly landlord? (Really!) Let's talk about the ways that apartment renters can go solar.
Option #1: Convince your landlord
Sure, it may seem like an impossible task, but apartment renters can go (and have gone!) solar by convincing their landlords to adopt solar!
As we explained in our How to go solar, 5 ways post, both residential and commercial solar options require the owners to consent; so unfortunately, renters will have to get the owner of their building on board with solar before anything changes.
A few tips on convincing landlords to go solar:
- Don’t go it alone. One tenant asking for solar is easy to brush off - a whole group of committed, excited tenants is a force to be reckoned with! Build community, get to know your neighbors, and build collective excitement around solar.
- Make the informational process easy. We know that solar can feel confusing, overwhelming, and totally out-of-reach. Share our blog with your landlord as a way to begin knowledge-building and then let us help them through the process of getting a solar quote.
- Emphasize savings & advertising benefits. Throughout the process, make sure to share how going solar can end up saving money in the long run as well as be an attractive addition to future rental listings! Renters love solar - let your landlord know they need to get on the trend!
Option #2: Invest in community solar
Pushing your landlord towards solar may take some time; in the meantime, why not take action on your own!
One of the easiest ways that apartment renters can go solar is by investing in community solar. Essentially, someone else has built the solar farm and you’re buying that clean energy from them without needing to host the system where you live!
Community solar is an easy, effective answer to how apartment renters can go solar, particularly if you’re on a tight budget! Community solar has no upfront investment and - like we mentioned - you don’t actually have to own the roof over your head to take part.
Option #3: Test out portable solar systems
If you have a little money to spend, you may want to try out a portable solar system. These smaller, portable panels can help apartment renters go solar, albeit on a smaller scale.
Portable solar systems typically work by having a flat pack set of small solar panels that can be propped up in a window or sunny patio and attached to a battery which can then power smaller items like phones or laptops. Setups like this start around $250 and are a good way to dip your toe into solar as an apartment renter.
Larger systems can even power small fridges or cookers in the event of a power outage, although these setups can be quite costly.
No matter how apartment renters choose to go solar, it’s an incredible step toward investing in renewable energy.
And we know solar is confusing AF - that’s why we’re here to help!
Register here and we’ll help you through the ins-and-outs of how to go solar as an apartment renter 🌞
