Mary Johnson of Ashfield had her automated wood heating system installed in May 2019 and a solar hot water system completed in June 2019.

“I am so very happy with them,” Mary says of her new clean energy systems. “More than I could have imagined.”

Her previous antiquated oil system – installed in the 1970s – frequently broke down and proved to be inefficient even after multiple repairs each season. Similarly, the house’s oil hot water system was faulty and did not fulfill her family’s domestic hot water needs.

The wood boiler and the solar hot water system are connected so that the automated wood heating system can serve as a backup for hot water. During the summer season, the wood system remains inactive since the Johnsons’ hot water needs are solely provided by the sun. The automated wood boiler provides warmth in the autumn, winter, and spring as the primary source of heating in the home. Mary is impressed with the silence and efficiency of both the solar hot water system and biomass boiler. With her rebate awards from MassCEC, Mary’s total monthly loan payments for both brand-new systems and wood fuel turned out to be less than the cost of her previous monthly heat and hot water bills.

As the Director of Green America’s Carbon Farming Innovation Network, Mary is passionate about contributing to climate change solutions, and feels relieved that her home no longer relies on fossil fuels for heating and domestic hot water. She plans to go all electric with solar panels and an electric vehicle to cover her family’s electric usage and transportation.