February 22, 2018
Did you know investor owned electric utilities (IOUs) including Eversource, National Grid, Unitil, and Liberty Utilities don’t make money on the generation of electricity? I know that sounds strange, but it’s generally true. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, utilities in New England produced or generated electricity, and delivered it to homes and businesses.… Read the entire post »
January 18, 2018
Good news: Most people these days have a pretty good idea of whether or not their roof works for solar. Bad news: They often don’t know that what makes a good solar roof has changed a lot in the past few years. For years, roofs that were fairly shady, or faced east or west, couldn’t… Read the entire post »
January 15, 2018
Solar has become so popular and mainstream that I can barely remember the days when only “tree huggers” wanted the product. Then there was the phase when people thought only rich people could afford solar, but the introduction of solar loans fixed that misperception. Who’s going solar today? I’m not exaggerating when I say nearly everyone… Read the entire post »
December 12, 2017
Customers regularly ask me, How soon will my solar panels become obsolete? or Should I plan on replacing my panels when the technology gets better? Panel technology is improving, but very slowly. So don’t worry. Today’s solar panels are not going the way of the rotary phone or console TV anytime soon. You do not… Read the entire post »
November 20, 2017
Installing a solar energy system on your property is a big decision but that doesn’t mean it has to be a hard one. Solar is that safe. But there are potential pitfalls, so a little research is a good idea. At New England Clean Energy, we love to educate, so we’ve put together an ebook to answer… Read the entire post »
October 10, 2017
If your solar energy system was turned on between March and September, and most are, because that’s more than half the year, then you may be horrified when your October production drops. Don’t be. It’s typical to see strong production for seven solid months preceding October and then boom – your solar monitoring site tells… Read the entire post »
September 14, 2017
Do you live in a town that’s Solarizing? State-sponsored Solarize community solar programs abound in Massachusetts, where current and upcoming programs include Lincoln-Sudbury-Wayland, Newburyport and Winthrop; and Rhode Island, where Cranston and Charlestown are the latest towns to Solarize. (Yes, Solarize is a verb now, too.) We’re big fans of Solarize programs here at New… Read the entire post »
July 26, 2017
Solar is simple compared to many technologies, but having a system installed does require learning about a few pieces of equipment. Let me de-mystify the components of a typical solar electric system. If you liked this article, you might also enjoy: Back to Basics: Energy Explained Back to Basics: Energy Efficiency Explained Back to… Read the entire post »
July 12, 2017
Selling a home is intimidating enough, but selling a home with solar? You might think having solar on your home would make the home sale process even more complicated. In fact, solar typically makes it easier, and faster, to sell your home. Home buyers show increasing interest in homes with green features. A study by the U.S.… Read the entire post »
June 13, 2017
I’m not going to lie, investing in solar is a big deal and it makes some people nervous. What if it doesn’t pay for itself? What if my system doesn’t produce the energy I expected? Rest assured solar from New England Clean Energy is risk-free. Our 20-year Workmanship Warranty and Performance Warranty, along with equipment… Read the entire post »
I started writing The Energy Miser in 2011 because I like to analyze energy issues and pontificate about my findings. Got a topic you want me to cover? Let me know.
