Solar Electricity
Use the power of the sun to generate electricity and reduce or eliminate your electricity bills.
Are you ready to investigate Solar Electricity for your home? Find an installer that serves your community.
What is Solar Electricity?
Solar Electricity, also known as solar electric systems, solar PV, or solar photovoltaics, convert sunlight into electricity through an array of panels that connect to a building’s electric system and/or the electrical grid.
Solar Electricity
Solar Electricity is ideal for:
Homes with Available Roof or Ground Space / Good Sun Exposure
The Technology
How It Works
- Solar panels convert sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity
- Electricity is sent to the inverter, where it is converted from DC electricity to alternating current (AC) electricity.
- The AC electricity is sent to the Electrical Panel, where it can be moved through the home’s electricity circuitry for use.
- The electrical panel will automatically draw additional power from the utility if the solar system is unable to meet the building’s electrical demand. If the solar electric system is producing more electricity than needed, the electrical panel will send excess electricity to the utility grid through a net meter.
- A net meter is an electric meter that measures the amount of electricity both consumed and generated on the site to determine if the property owner receives a credit for energy passed to the grid or is charged by the utility for energy consumed from the grid.
Other ways to provide clean electricity for your home
Community Solar: With community solar, a solar electricity system is installed on a suitable roof or parcel of land, and then participants who live elsewhere sign up to receive benefits from the system, either by receiving net metering credits, or offsets towards their electric bill. Participants get benefits from a solar electricity system without the large upfront investment or need for roof space for solar panels, save money, and support clean energy deployment.
Buy Clean Electricity: Renters or homeowners who are not ready to invest in solar electricity or do not have a suitable roof or parcel of land for solar panels can opt in to purchase their electricity from clean sources, like solar or wind power. Anyone who pays an electric bill, including renters, is eligible to buy clean electricity, helping to increase demand in Massachusetts for clean energy resources.
Why Should I Consider a Solar Electric System?
Solar Electric Systems can be an excellent investment to reduce electricity costs and lower your home’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using clean electricity
Save on Electricity Bills
Save hundreds to thousands of dollars a year by generating your home’s electricity
Energy Price Stability
Electricity generated by your system has a stable cost over time and is not subject to rising fuel costs or fluctuations in utility rates
Ongoing Revenue
Depending on your utility, additional upfront incentives or ongoing credits can provide additional revenue
Things to Consider
Is Solar Electricity right for me?
Every home is different. We strongly encourage you to speak with an installer to see if a Solar Electric System meets your needs.
Do you want to save (or even make money) on your electric bill?
By generating your own electricity, you can drastically reduce or eliminate your electric bill. In months when your solar panels produce more electricity than you use, you can even receive a credit from your utility!
Do you have available roof or yard space with good sun exposure?
Solar electricity requires good sun exposure for at least 6 hours a day and plenty of roof or yard space for panels.
Do you want to reduce your home’s greenhouse gas emissions?
By installing solar panels, you can ensure that your home is utilizing locally produced clean energy.
Is solar electricity feasible for a condo building?
Many of the same conditions that make a single-family home a good candidate for solar apply to multi-family buildings. Condo owners will likely need to get approval from their condo association before installing a system.
How can I generate revenue from solar electricity?
Depending on your utility, additional upfront incentives based on the size of your system or ongoing credits based on the amount of clean energy generated by your system can provide additional revenue.
Your Guide to Solar Electricity for Your Home
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We’re In This Together
Pledge to reduce your home’s carbon footprint by replacing old systems and appliances with clean energy technologies over time.
