Why you should go solar now.

These past weeks have been a blur of uncertainty, but as life slowly comes back into focus, it’s a good time to take stock and plan for the future.

This post will explain why now is a great time to consider solar and backup batteries for your home. I will go over the benefits of solar, the technology available to you, and how a local lender is making it easier than ever to go solar during this pandemic.

Solar is good for the environment, good for your bank account, good for the community, and good for your piece of mind. It’s a set it and forget it technology that has no moving parts, requires very little maintenance, and will create clean energy for decades. Solar can be paired with backup batteries, electric vehicle chargers, mini-splits, and many other technologies. It is truly a future proof technology that will help you usher in a new, green lifestyle.

The environment:

The first reason to go solar now is the environment. Over the past month, we’ve watched as global levels of greenhouse gas emissions have plummeted as a result of a widespread industrial slowdown. We are seeing just what kind of effect humans have on the environment. Fortunately, we don’t have to go back to the way things were and you can be a part of the global shift away from fossil fuel based energy.

Unlike coal, oil, and gas, solar is renewable and sustainable and when households join together with industry in going green, the entire planet will benefit.

Your bank account:

Sure, solar will save you money on your electric bill, but more than that, it will pay for itself in 5-8 years, increase the value of your home without increasing your property tax, earn you federal and state incentives and buffer against electric rate increases.

Massachusetts is home to the fifth highest utility rate in the nation! But, solar combined with a battery can give you greater control over your home energy use and be there should there ever be an outage.

The community:

Solar is good for the community on a number of levels, and if we have learned anything over the past few weeks, we’ve learned that we are each capable of showing up for the community. One way that solar is good for the community is the financial impact owning solar has on the local economy.

The average solar array will save a homeowner approximately $1,900 every year on electricity (that’s more than the stimulus checks some folks are getting!). That money stays in your pocket instead of the bank account of some out of state investor owned utility company. That money can be used in so many ways that support small businesses (we all know that small businesses could use the help right now) like your favorite local coffee shop, movie theater, or book store. When you spend money locally, it enriches the community that you call home.

Piece of mind:

I am willing to bet that the utility company is still charging you for electricity. And if history teaches us anything, we CAN be certain of one thing—those rates are going to go up.

Solar will let you take control of your electric bill by giving you the power to buffer against inevitable rate increases. Add a solar battery to your pv and you can count on renewable energy even during a blackout.

One recent battery customer had his first experience with an outage and was thrilled when the power came back on the moment the battery kicked in.

He was so thrilled, he wrote an email telling us all about it saying,

“The lights went out a short time ago. There was a tense period of waiting and then…some went on in the kitchen. Then the sump ran. Then the furnace turned on. This is awesome! The backup system worked perfectly. I have a little bit of homework to do to figure out the best way to hook up internet but other than that, the first live test was a success. Let everyone know!”

As we move into the future, we are learning that more and more of life will be electric. From heating and cooling systems to cars and trucks, the days of fossil fuel based technologies are numbered. Solar gives you the chance to get ahead of the curve and is the first step in a totally electric, totally renewable future.

Affordability:

Solar is a heavily supported technology in Massachusetts and comes with some pretty fantastic incentives. When you buy solar, you get a $1,000 state tax credit, a 26% federal tax credit, SMART solar cash incentives, and savings on your electric bill for years to come.

Solar loans through a local lender:

In the spirit of shopping local, we’ve been thrilled to work with and refer our clients to UMassFive College Federal Credit Union. UMassFive has been offering solar loans for five years and has financed solar installations all over the state. They were recently honored with the title “Sustainable Business of the Year” in the Western MA mid-sized business category by the Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts and they continue to shine with two impressive solar loan products; the Mass Solar Loan, and the MySolar Loan.

I spoke with a UMassFive representative about solar lending during this pandemic, and the news was REALLY good.

“We are the number one lender of the Mass Solar loan program, having financed over 1,700 projects totaling over $57 million. For those who do not qualify for the Mass Solar loan, we developed our MySolar loan as an alternate solar financing solution. Over 380 projects have been financed through our MySolar option, totaling over $12 million in successful installations. With over five years of experience in solar financing, we have developed a streamlined lending process that is simple for both installers and consumers.”

We’ve all watched the market fluctuate and heard about lenders pulling back and restricting loans that were easier to qualify for just two months ago. But UMassFive has not only continued to offer solar loans, they have even lowered their rates!

Craig Boivin, Vice President of Marketing at UMassFive said, “In this current economic environment, many lenders are tightening credit and reducing those who qualify for their lending products. Not at UMassFive. We continue to offer the same opportunities to our borrowers as we always have. And with recently reducing our Solar Loan rates, now is a great time to see if going solar is the right move for many homeowners.”

Next steps:

We’re sure you have questions and we’re here to help. Our solar professionals are working remotely and ready to take your call to go over all the details. Our installation team is following state safety guidelines handed down by the Baker administration as they continue to make the Pioneer Valley and little greener with every solar install.

This is a free call and you are not committed to buy anything. Our customer centered approach to solar has earned us BCorp status and the Angie’s List Super Service Award year after year.