Home owners are going solar, without having to put anything on their roof.
Some time back, I explored whether it was worthwhile putting solar on my roof—with the ultimate answer being no, thanks to the large amount of mature trees that tend to shade our Southern neighborhood.
In Massachusetts, however, homeowners no longer have to make that decision. They can invest directly in community solar projects through their energy bills. And CleanTechnica tells us that the largest such project—7.1 MW of solar plus 3.3 MWh of battery storage—is now online, and consumers can get their share with no application, installation, or account setup fees. Apparently, they even get to save an estimated 10% compared to business as usual in the form of bill credits, which are based on how much energy is generated in any given month.
Massachusetts residents wanting to sign up to a project like this can do so via CleanChoice Energy. It's certainly likely to be a popular model. While buying regular green energy tariffs—where they are available—or carbon offsets does certainly channel some money to renewables, there is something eminently tangible about feeling ownership of a particular project and seeing its production.
Not all of us can put solar on our roofs. In fact, it's debatable whether we even should if it involves chopping down trees that otherwise reduce cooling bills. But projects like these allow folks to directly support the coming decarbonization without having to go through the hassle of permitting, installation or financing.
More of this, please!
Home owners are going solar, without having to put anything on their roof.
