MIT study: utility-scale solar farms lower power bills, rooftop solar raises them

A study from MIT's CEEPR found that large utility-scale solar farms did not raise consumer electricity bills and slightly lowered them on average, since solar has effectively zero fuel costs. Rooftop solar, by contrast, was linked to slightly higher prices due to payments to panel owners and grid modernization for two-way power flow.

• Utility-scale solar farms lower bills: no fuel transport, near-zero input costs
• States with the most utility-scale solar saw the biggest drop in electricity costs
• Higher rooftop solar adoption was linked to slightly higher electricity prices
• Causes include payments to panel owners and grid upgrades for two-way power