[HerbManic]

Sorry I see I am being down voted. Understandable, I do come off a little like a jerk there. I am not anti solar in the least, I just kind it really fascinating how some folks who are very well meaning, also tend to love that they can show off their goodies. I wish it wasn't the case but alas this is how some folks are.

[pjc50]

It's funny, I said essentially the same thing as a positive upthread: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48177024 - lesson is "don't sound like a jerk", I guess.

People love to show off houses. Kitchens, bathrooms, etc. And spending £10k on a bathroom doesn't even generate electricity!

I have also become an unironic supporter of virtue signalling, provided it's backed up by actually doing the thing yourself. Because otherwise the alternative is "vice signalling", like "rolling coal", which is much, much worse.

[bruce511]

You're not supposed to be down-voted simply because folk "agree or not".

Honestly, I don't agree with you though. Yes, there are ways for folk to signal virtue, and that happens, but I don't think solar power is one of those. Frankly the utility, and financial, returns are just too high.

Obviously ymmv with regard to returns, but I'm getting 16% on capital invested (a number that keeps climbing as electricity costs rise.) That's decent enough that virtue-signalling becomes a meaningless goal. I guess folk might _like_ that they're not burning fossils to get electricity (I do) but the financials dwarf that.

[eichin]

Just because there's actual virtue doesn't mean there isn't also virtue signalling going on... especially when it might be (in your particular circles) more taboo to talk about the actual numbers than the "doing it for the environment" part.

[bruce511]

I guess it depends on what you mean by virtue signaling, and indeed on how much you care about "visible" things. And to what extent the people around you care.

Where I stay solar is really common (probably > 1 in 10 has it.) Plus the Financials make it easy (if you have the roof and capital.) And here no-one really cares if you're green or not.

The fact that it is green is a bonus. (Which i think most people don't care about.)

I guess you can read virtue-signalling into anything you like, especially if it matters to you personally. I just don't think it comes into play here.

[thelastgallon]

Your observation may not be true. People do what they've done before, or what other people do. Putting solar on roof is going against both of those.

There are definitely a few people who want to show off their bling/goodies, but all 326 of them already bought cybertrucks to show off. Solar panels are not something to show off and brag about, its not macho. It would be looked at as feminine technology. If its not making a loud noise, looks big and inspiring (pick up truck), billeting smoke, it has no macho power to show off.