Solar Thermal obstacles to sales
Jan/102
We surveyed 100 solar energy manufacturers, engineers, installers, and marketing professionals, asking them to name their greatest obstacles to sales of residential and commercial solar thermal installations.
Of those who gave an opinion, the largest group, 52% of the total, cited a lack of education on the part of the buyer as the single biggest impediment to sales. For 22% of survey respondents, cost to the consumer—expressed variously as the difficulty in obtaining upfront financing, the high cost of systems and installations, and a lack of compelling ROI—was the highest hurdle to overcome. Among other common reasons listed, 16% answered that what hurt sales most was a lack of credibility as a result of the bad performance of systems in the Eighties, and 10% pointed to a shortage of those who are expert in what are often difficult installations.