January 20, 2017
I bet if you could pre-buy your car’s gasoline or your home’s heating oil at a 40% discount for the next 25 years, using a low-cost loan if needed, you would jump. So why haven’t you jumped at the chance to make your own solar electricity at a 40% discount for the next 25 years?… Read the entire post »
January 18, 2017
Let’s face it — the mood around the country is unsettled to say the least. But there is much to be optimistic about, like the fact that the U.S. government extended the 30% federal tax credit on solar energy systems through 2019. And no matter what’s going on around you, you can always count on… Read the entire post »
November 17, 2016
Winter is coming. It’s inevitable. Also inevitable this time of year are the questions we get from people considering solar: What happens to solar when it snows? Is it even worth going solar in a snowy climate? Allow me to present “everything you need to know about solar and snow but were afraid to ask,”… Read the entire post »
August 18, 2016
Why care about energy? When I ask this question in the classes I teach, students give me three answers. “We need it.” “It’s expensive.” “It’s getting more expensive.” Do we need it? Try making breakfast or getting to work without energy. Is it expensive? According to energy.gov the average New Englander spends around $3,000 on energy… Read the entire post »
March 31, 2016
The time between your solar energy system being installed and when you can turn the system on is the hardest waiting period for any new solar owner. Your system is there, ready and willing to produce clean energy for you, but you can’t power it up until the utility says okay. So what is it… Read the entire post »
October 22, 2014
Jim Elkind, chief executive officer of Hudson, Mass.,-based solar installation company New England Clean Energy, made the following statement today in conjunction with an Environment Massachusetts press conference in support of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan: Thanks to Ben Hellerstein, Johanna Neuman and the able staff of Environment Massachusetts for inviting us… Read the entire post »
July 21, 2014
Is it better to buy or lease a solar electric system for your home? I think the solar industry has room for both models, just like the car industry does. Still, the debate rages on, fueled by new information about the pros and cons of leasing, and of purchasing, which are just coming to light… Read the entire post »
December 13, 2012
On December 13, 2012, I published my original “Tree Math” article here on The Energy Miser. Nearly three years later, it continues to be our most visited blog post. But much of the source data for my original analysis has since disappeared from the “Inter-Tubes”. So, I wrote “Tree Math 2” with updated and, I… 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.
