On the Eventual Energy Efficient Future of 'Solar Suburbs'

Marc Gunther examines the rapidly approaching future of solar suburbs—i.e., "a truly green suburb, one in which energy-efficient homes are powered by rooftop solar panels and electric cars glide quietly down the streets."

Gunther cites three examples of communities furthering this goal, including energy efficient homes built in Palm Springs, the Solar Benefits Colorado program, and the work of Green Mountain Power in Vermont, a local utility selling energy efficiency products and, thus, less energy.

According to Gunther, these examples are steps toward the future of solar suburbs, which "[bear] little resemblance to the suburbs of today — with their big, inefficient homes, two or three gasoline-powered cars in the driveway, shopping malls, and vast parking lots." But, Gunther adds, "if all goes well, advances in technology, combined with smart policy, could lower the costs of solar power, electric cars, and batteries and drive a clean energy revolution in the suburbs."

The article goes into more detail about the technological and policy advancements that will be necessary to achieve a complete energy efficiency overhaul of the suburbs.