Though things will get back to a new normal eventually, many homeowners throughout Massachusetts are still adjusting to working, cooking, teaching, and doing just about everything else from home. While there may be a silver lining in being able to spend more time in your home, bringing your work (and the kids’ education) into the home can certainly increase your energy usage, and as summer approaches one thing is for sure — you are going to need to use even more energy to keep your home cool as you work from home through the warmer months!
Fortunately, there is a more sustainable and renewable way to power your home in a reliable way, without increasing your energy costs month after month.
Suppose all you’ve had to do is bring your laptop home, and maybe a printer. That may not increase your energy usage too much, right? But what about the extra meals you are now cooking in the kitchen? Or the extra load of laundry you are now able to throw in, since it's right down the hall. Or the TV that is suddenly on for multiple hours during the day to entertain (or even educate) the kids or yourself? This can all add up.
Installing solar panels on your home can help offset that increase in energy usage with renewable, free electricity that is converted right above your head. You may be thinking, “What about the energy we use at night? Are we still on the hook for unpredictable energy rates when we stay up late having a virtual cocktail hour with our friends all over the country?” This is where solar plus storage, or solar batteries, come in. During peak charing times or even using your electricity when your solar panels aren’t producing enough electricity to power your home, like at night, you can draw on your saved power from your solar battery and avoid paying for electricity from the grid!
Solar panels may only convert the sun’s rays to electricity when the sun is shining, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still harness that renewable electricity for use overnight. A solar storage system, like Tesla Powerwall or sonnenBatterie, saves any excess electricity that is commonly generated during peak sunlight hours, and makes it available to you during times of low (or zero) solar output.
These reliable and smart solar battery storage systems can even be designed to operate independent of the electrical grid, so that you can gain almost total energy independence and keep your lights on during a power outage using your solar energy! Remember that storm in early April? Over 130,000 Bay State homes were left without power and not too long ago, Massachusetts had the 10th most power outages in one year! During these uncertain times, we all take solace in wanting to have some certainty around our power and backup power supply.
If you have done any initial research on how to afford your solar installation, you may have come across the Federal Investment Tax Credit (or ITC). This tax credit reduces your tax liability by 26% of your total installation costs, greatly reducing the overall cost of solar installation. But do these savings extend to battery storage? Yes, they do, and there are still additional savings through the solar battery rebates of the Mass Save Connected Solutions Program. Plus, if you can get in on the SMART incentives, your solar PV system and solar battery could generate real monthly incentive payments from your utility to further reduce the payback period of your investment in renewable energy and be cash positive.
Offsetting your new work from home routine with a solar plus storage system will provide many benefits that will last longer than the year we all spent in the “great indoors”. Benefits include:
Protection from a power outage
In most cases, a 100% reduction in monthly energy costs
A reduced carbon footprint
Monthly SMART cash payments for solar generation
Even amidst the school shutdowns, the working from home, the wearing of masks, and the sanitizing of hands, Boston Solar is committed to being the number one Massachusetts based solar and solar battery installer. We can set up a virtual appointment to get you started on understanding the costs of installing solar panels and battery storage, so you can work from home knowing you are using clean, green renewable energy. Learn more about our COVID-19 operating procedures here.
Concerned your energy usage and electricity bills are going to rise while you spend the summer working from home? Offset it with solar! Schedule a virtual appointment with Boston Solar by calling 617-858-1645 or get in touch here.
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