Solarize Your Home!
Solar on residential buildings has come a long way. Prices have come down significantly in recent years, and there are even options for qualified home owners to install solar systems with little or no upfront costs. If you have a sunny roof, investing in solar panels for your home might save you up to $30,000 over the next 20 years. Installing solar electric panels can be a great way to reduce your energy bills, plus producing your own electricity protects you from unpredictable increases in utility rates. Financing solar has never been easier and the current federal Tax Credit, which expires in 2016, allows you to reclaim 30% of the cost of your new solar system. There are even Community Solar options for renters and home owners who do not have a sunny roof. A great source of information about current incentives for solar installations is the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.
Will solar work on my home?
The two biggest factors are the amount of sunlight your roof gets throughout the day and the amount of open roof space. Many solar installers can make a quick assessment of your solar potential by looking at satellite photos of your property. If your roof looks good, an expert will come to your home to evaluate if a solar power system will fit with your architecture and meet your energy needs.
Most solar systems are used to generate electricity, but some are used to heat water, either for space heating or for domestic hot water uses. In general, it makes sense to make your home energy systems and appliances as efficient as possible, before investing in solar. And of course your roof must be in good condition before putting any solar panels on it. You don’t want to be re-roofing during the 20-year lifespan of the panels.
If you decide you want to install a system, request bids from multiple solar installers. Once you choose a solar contractor, that company will conduct a site audit, design your system, and request a building permit. Once the building permit is received, the contractor will install the solar system.
If your building is within the City of Boston, the system then must be inspected by city personnel, and subsequently by your utility company.
The length of time from accepting an installer’s bid to turning on the system depends on the complexity of your roof and the number of panels that will be installed. Each step in the process takes several weeks, and the entire process typically takes a few months. The estimated installation time will be included in the design proposal presented to you by the contractor.
What is Renew Boston Solarize?
The City of Boston has an ambitious goal for 25 megawatts of solar installations in Boston by 2015. In 2012 Boston’s Solarize Program resulted in a total number of 116 contracted projects with a total of more than half a megawatt of new solar generation. In 2013, the program doubled that capacity again. As of 2015, the city could boast of a total of 12.9 megawatts of installed solar power in Boston, equivalent to powering 1,875 homes.