Category Archives: Colonial

These homeowners opted for very powerful, 350-watt solar panels to get as much electricity as possible from their solar energy system. Over the system’s first 25 years, even taking into account what they paid for the solar, their electricity rate plunges from the $0.21 they’ve been paying National Grid, to just $0.06 with solar.

Even with a monthly loan payment, these homeowners are making out big with solar. Their monthly electricity budget is now $158 less than it used to be. And when their loan is paid off? It’s all gravy, with all the electricity savings and green income going right into their pockets, to the tune of hundreds […]

You can’t have too many views of a good thing! Like this 38-panel solar energy system in West Bridgewater. In what would have been a crazy move a few years ago, the homeowner put solar on both the east- and west-facing roofs of this home. It’s not crazy today. In fact, it’s downright economical. The […]

This relatively small solar electric system will cover 97% of the homeowner’s electric bills, and pay for itself in about seven years. After that, it delivers free electricity and continues to pay him green income. Can you name another purchase that pays you back? Ever? That’s why tens of thousands of New England homeowners have […]

This system is looking smart with 48 all black panels situated on two roofs. Also smart? The homeowner’s decision to go solar. A 48-panel system might sound expensive, but it actually reduced the owner’s household expenses, even when you factor in his new monthly solar loan payment. How is this possible, you ask? Because, in addition to […]

This roof has a Total Solar Resource Fraction (TSRF) of 89%. In other words, it’s 89% of what a perfect roof would be for generating solar. That makes it a great roof, but “lesser roofs” are now working for solar too. As panel prices have dropped, lower TSRF’s have become more economical for homeowners. What […]

In general, the more solar your system produces, the faster it will pay for itself, leaving you with years more, possibly decades, of free electricity. This roof is 70% of ideal, which means it produces significantly less than an 85% or 90% roof. But panel prices have come down so much in recent years that […]

Solar on some roofs is very hard to photograph, because the roof is high up, nearly flat, or both. But trust us, this home has 38, 330-watt solar panels proudly displayed on the long southwest-facing roof. The roof is considered 70% of ideal for its ability to generate solar energy. A few years ago, a […]

Sometimes the solar numbers are almost too good to believe, but trust us, they are correct. If this homeowner’s system produces less than we estimated, we’ll pay him the difference. He can expect: Monthly electricity savings of more than $275. Monthly average green income of $222 (for 10 years). A 25-year financial return of more […]

Talk about independence. These Leicester, MA homeowners began making their own clean energy, asserting their independence from the electric company, the day before the 4th of July! Their monthly electricity budget is now $20 a month less than it was before solar. How did we calculate that? We took the amount of their monthly solar […]