March 1, 2017
This post has two parts: The feel-good main story, and a tough but true statement on how Massachusetts solar policy is stifling commercial solar development, which I’ve restricted to the inset box. On to the fun stuff. You’ve heard the saying “practice what you preach.” At Nature’s Classroom, they practice what they teach. If you’re… Read the entire post »
February 7, 2017
So long, Mass Solar Loan. It was fun while it lasted. This state-sponsored program, which makes solar accessible to more Massachusetts homeowners, including those with low credit scores and low income levels, has been hugely successful. So successful, in fact, that more than 70% of the available funds* had been used as of January 19,… Read the entire post »
February 2, 2017
Solar is under fire from many utilities and many special interest groups linked — visibly or not-so-visibly — to utilities. The most effective bit of propaganda in their arsenal is the mistruth (can we say “lie”?) that electricity ratepayers without solar subsidize those ratepayers with solar. They often paint those without solar as poor and… 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 2, 2016
I was skeptical about the Mass Solar Loan when it was first announced by the Clean Energy Center and the Department of Energy Resources. The loan program, intended to replace the Commonwealth Solar II rebate, had been delayed and delayed again for nearly two years. In the meantime, many strong solar loans emerged to fill… Read the entire post »
May 25, 2016
What do you get when you mix months of uncertainty and doubt with a day of positive news? Lots more uncertainty and doubt, with some confusion thrown in. That’s the state of solar in Massachusetts. After months – no, more than a year – of legislative haggling over whether or not to increase the Net… 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 »
December 23, 2015
“Hallelujah” could be heard throughout the nation’s solar industry last Friday when the U.S. Congress signed a budget bill that also extended the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) paying homeowners and businesses 30% of the price of their solar energy systems. The ITC has been a huge driver behind solar adoption, so this is a… 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 »
May 19, 2015
The following excerpt is from an article I wrote that was published in Solar Industry‘s May 2015 issue with the title, “It’s Getting Harder for Installers to Duck Solar Soft Costs”. The excerpt is re-printed here with permission, and followed by other news on the topic of solar soft costs. Reducing soft costs has become… 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.
