Social Energy Atlas

The Social Energy Atlas is a project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office. The primary goal of this project is to deepen our understanding of the key social and economic aspects of solar adoption, as well as any potential benefit in low and moderate-income (LMI) households. 

In order to understand why everyday Americans do or do not adopt solar technologies for their homes, I lead a team of researchers who are looking to capture and learn from the stories and perspectives of people who live across the state of Georgia. Specifically, I am working with the Georgia Cooperative Extension to interview at least 15 individuals across each of 115 counties within the state of Georgia. Our goal is to better understand the perceptions people have regarding the complex factors that go into such decisions—especially in LMI communities.

Moreover, we are also working to build an online tool called the SolarStoryteller (launching January 2019) that will allow energy industry professionals, policymakers, researchers, and interested citizens the opportunity to use these stories and contribute their own. In Fall 2019, we will also be hosting a workshop for policymakers, energy industry stakeholders, and the general public to share the results of this data collection and to see what potential impacts exist for enhancing policy and business decisions alike regarding solar technology adoption in Georgia.