AI Tools Reduce Subscriber Turnover in Community Solar Projects
By Andi Anderson
In northern Illinois, the merging of solar power and artificial intelligence is promising a more stable future for community solar projects.
An AI tool developed by Solstice, a solar company, is combating high subscriber turnover rates—a major challenge in the solar industry known as “churn.”
This tool analyzes data to predict and intervene with customers at risk of unsubscribing, significantly reducing churn rates from 48% to 8.3% in targeted groups.
Churn can occur for various reasons, including billing issues and delays in project activation.
The AI tool, trained on 15,000 accounts, allows for proactive customer engagement, ensuring subscribers are well-informed and satisfied, thus maintaining steady revenue streams for solar developers.
Another AI-based innovation by Solstice, known as EnergyScore, assesses potential subscribers' financial reliability more accurately than traditional credit scores.
This model includes data from over 800,000 individuals and 5,000 variables, showing that people with lower incomes, who might have been previously excluded, are indeed viable subscribers.
These AI tools are also equipped to handle the complexities of managing large groups of subscribers and ensure high collection and subscription rates crucial for financing solar projects.
With these advancements, community solar is becoming more accessible to low-income households, thanks to federal and state incentives.
Companies like Nexamp are also leveraging AI in customer service, creating personalized bill explanations and enhancing overall customer experience.
As community solar gains popularity, these technological innovations are proving essential in ensuring the sustainability and expansion of solar energy projects, benefiting both developers and subscribers.
Photo Credit - istock-alenamozhjer
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