Massachusetts Homeowners Solar Savings

Renewable Energy World

The future of home solar seems to have arrived. Electric customers in Massachusetts are able to sell energy back to the electric companies generated from solar panels on their own roofs. In the article, the customer profiled has been saving several hundred dollars a month on his power bill. He thinks that he will cover his investment cost in 3-4 years. Everything after that will be profit. Sounds nice.

The homeowner is able to do this because Massachusetts has implemented a program that requires energy companies to provide ever increasing amounts of energy from green sources. The companies have to meet certain guidelines set by the state. By setting up tradable credits between the homeowner, power company and state government, Massachusetts has provided the incentive for people to look at alternative energy sources. Now i'm sure there is bureaucracy and rate tape. Lets be honest, it's Massachusetts. However, if the program works as described, then it sounds like a model we can build on.