We are engaging with the owners of rooftop photovoltaic installations (PVs) to learn more about their usage and needs, in order to support broader adoption of this technology and to guide better, more sustainable energy provision. 

At present, those homeowners who have already installed PVs are predominantly tech-savvy, but less adept owners are not yet convinced of the benefits of the technology. They may feel that they don't have enough information on the overall costs, risks and return to justify the investment. Although the information is available from various parties, it is often too technical and opaque (or too sales-motivated) to convince these potential adopters. We aim to address this knowledge gap by sharing experiences from early adopters so that their peers in the community can have their questions answered from a source they may find easier to trust. At the same time, gathering input from building owners who have not yet committed to installing PVs will give us insight into the barriers to adoption. 

In this way, participants in our Walenstadt test community become citizen scientists, sharing data and comparing experiences with their peers – and with our researchers, who will be able to identify anomalies or outliers that signal the need for deeper analysis. Many PV owners in Walenstadt have previously participated in research projects and are already comfortable engaging in this way, ensuring productive collaboration from the start.  

The data gathered in this way will provide valuable insights to inform further research at institutions under the NCCR Automation umbrella, driving ongoing improvement of grid stability as distributed renewable energy sources become ever more prevalent. All outcomes and solutions derived will be published as open science for the widest possible benefit.