Solar Without Panels?

For many Americans, rooftop solar panels just aren’t an option — whether they live in apartment buildings, or their homes are too shaded, or they don’t qualify to lease or finance them. Even homeowners who can have panels may be intimidated by the process of finding the right supplier or the decades-long contract commitment that comes with the equipment.

There are, however, other ways to harness the power of renewable energy at home: programs that allow residents to tap into solar and wind farms instead of relying entirely on traditional utilities, which have long supported fossil fuels.