Power bills have been rising nationwide, and in Baltimore, electricity rates have increased almost 30 percent over the last decade, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While clean energy systems and more efficient appliances could help low-income households mitigate some of those increases, many face barriers trying to gain access to those products.
Low-income households have been slower to adopt clean energy because they often lack sufficient savings or have low credit scores, which can impede their ability to finance projects. Some have also found it difficult to navigate federal and state programs that would make installations more affordable, and many are renters who cannot make upgrades themselves.
Energy costs have traditionally been a bigger burden for low-income households, which typically spend a far larger percentage of their gross income on utility bills than higher-earning households, according to the Energy Department. Many also live in older, less efficient homes, which can lead to more expensive utility bills. In 2020, 34 million U.S. households, or 27 percent of all households, reported difficulty paying their energy bills or kept their homes at an unsafe temperature because of energy cost concerns, according to the Energy Information Administration.
Hopefully community solar takes off. But honestly, articles like this are kind of “no duh”. People with less money tend to not buy the more expensive things, or things that require upfront investment, like renewable energy and lots and lots of other things. And yes electricity and energy prices are rising for everyone. And yes that will always pinch people with less money.
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Power bills have been rising nationwide, and in Baltimore, electricity rates have increased almost 30 percent over the last decade, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While clean energy systems and more efficient appliances could help low-income households mitigate some of those increases, many face barriers trying to gain access to those products.
Low-income households have been slower to adopt clean energy because they often lack sufficient savings or have low credit scores, which can impede their ability to finance projects. Some have also found it difficult to navigate federal and state programs that would make installations more affordable, and many are renters who cannot make upgrades themselves.
Energy costs have traditionally been a bigger burden for low-income households, which typically spend a far larger percentage of their gross income on utility bills than higher-earning households, according to the Energy Department. Many also live in older, less efficient homes, which can lead to more expensive utility bills. In 2020, 34 million U.S. households, or 27 percent of all households, reported difficulty paying their energy bills or kept their homes at an unsafe temperature because of energy cost concerns, according to the Energy Information Administration.
Hopefully community solar takes off. But honestly, articles like this are kind of “no duh”. People with less money tend to not buy the more expensive things, or things that require upfront investment, like renewable energy and lots and lots of other things. And yes electricity and energy prices are rising for everyone. And yes that will always pinch people with less money.