March 29, 2017
If you live in Massachusetts and your electricity is provided by your town’s “municipal utility,” then now would be a good time to go solar. Why? In a matter or months, sign-ups for the SREC solar incentive program end and the new SMART program goes into effect. However, the SMART program will only be available… Read the entire post »
March 27, 2017
The payments new solar owners get through the Rhode Island Renewable Energy Growth (REG) program change on April 1. (Need background on the “REG” program? Click here to read my article explaining the REG and the REF Grant.) Note that prices do not change if you are already enrolled in the program; you continue to… Read the entire post »
March 15, 2017
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are already in the SREC I or SREC II program, nothing changes. You will continue to earn SRECs for the remainder of your 10-year period. People signing up for SRECs and going solar in the next few months also get 10 years of SRECs. People signing up for solar in 2018… Read the entire post »
January 31, 2017
Today I turn the microphone (pen? mouse?) over to Solarize Medfield Solar Coach Marie Zack Nolan, for this statement about the success of the community solar program, which ended in late December, and for which New England Clean Energy was the installer: “I am thrilled to report that the Solarize Medfield community initiative reached Tier… Read the entire post »
September 6, 2016
For an update on the status of these programs, see my October 18, 2017 post. Homeowners installing a solar electric system in Rhode Island have two pretty amazing choices when it comes to picking a state program to defray the cost. Fondly known as “REF” and “REG”, they can be a tad confusing. Here’s an… Read the entire post »
June 7, 2016
Taxes may be a dry topic, but if you want to save money with solar, this is a very important post. Please read on. (See the glossary of tax terms at the bottom of this post if you’d like some key terms defined.) Do I pay taxes? People investigating solar regularly say to us, “I… Read the entire post »
May 19, 2016
Note: Solar programs change regularly. Our proposal will reflect the latest New Hampshire programs. Solar in New Hampshire is back and better than ever. Gov. Hassan has signed a law doubling the state’s Net Metering cap, and the state rebate of up to $2,500 is back. Combined with the 30% federal tax credit, this means… Read the entire post »
February 10, 2016
When large corporations and their industry trade associations and investors start fighting to discredit and derail a new technology, you know that technology has reached the big time. So it is with solar. The solar program most under fire is Net Metering. The U.S. government may have recently extended the solar Investment Tax Credit for… Read the entire post »
November 23, 2015
My friend and solar industry colleague Emily Rochon at MassSolar penned a piece for CommonWealth Magazine last Friday, which I want to share. If you’ve been following the solar net metering debate at all, chances are the numbers, assertions, rhetoric and claims from both sides of the debate have your head spinning and your eyes glazing over. Emily’s… Read the entire post »
August 14, 2014
Originally posted on MassSolarInfo.com. Reprinted with permission. (Thanks, Gary!) Sometimes you have all the facts in front of you and can analyze the pros and cons of a particular venture. And sometimes you just have to go with your gut. Oftentimes it’s the latter that yields the greatest rewards. Such was my experiment switching to… 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.
