If you live in Massachusetts, then 2008 could be your “solar year.”
Massachusetts, like its mid-Atlantic neighbor states, enjoys a statewide average of 4.6 daily sun-peak hours, plenty to fuel an increasing eagerness to harness the sun; and enough to make it into Home Power magazine’s Top Ten Solar States list for its “Commonwealth Solar” program.
Starting this year, home owners who wish to install a photovoltaic system no larger than 5 kilowatt in size are likely eligible for a cash rebate from the state. The rebates cover 20 – 60 percent of the installation costs which translates into about $2 per watt for a residential photovoltaic electric system. This initial set of rebates, expected to continue through 2011, will serve as a catalyst to grow the state’s solar capacity to at least 250 megawatts by 2017.
Net metering also works in Massachusetts so many homeowners who install PV systems can expect to receive credit for any excess energy they generate on a monthly basis. The State offers a nifty calculator on its website to help residents anticipate how the state rebate might work for them: http://www.masstech.org/SOLAR/Attachment_A1-ResCalcOnly.xls.
Massachusetts is also capitalizing on its impressive intellectual capabilities. On Saturday (April 12, 2008), MIT President Susan Hockfield and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier announced the founding of the MIT-Fraunhofer Institute for Sustainable Energy Systems. The Fraunhofer Institute, the largest solar research institute in Europe, has begun establishing collaborative centers in the United States. The MIT-Fraunhofer center will concentrate on developing solar, green building, and alternative energy prototypes to find ways to significantly reduce the cost of solar energy systems.
Already, construction of a photovoltaic manufacturing plant by, Masschusetts-based Evergreen Solar, is underway in Devens, MA. The company’s decision to remain in the state was influenced by Governor Deval Patrick’s commitment to make Massachusetts a leader in clean energy. The plant, scheduled to begin production in late 2008, will double the company’s manufacturing capacity to meet the ever-increasing demand for solar panels.
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I love solar power I think over the next few years it’s going to be exploding even more… as performance of solar panels goes up people are going to be adopting it everywhere they can… after all it’s free energy
Some things I’m looking forward to are more effiecient solar panels, about 5 years from now when I buy my house I want to make sure I can power the entire house and my plugin hybrid all on solar power… I’m also hoping that solar paint will finally be in customers hands… having your entire house generate so much electricity and maybe even being able to sell it back to the grid would be amazing…
BTW here is more great Solar Power information, there is quite a few amazing new solar projects being done right now… it’s really great to see so much focus on alternative energy.
When considering a home or small business think “hybrid energy system”. Solar is still very expensive and should be used in connection with a home or business that has done an energy audit or good forward design. An equal number of dollars spent on an energy efficient refrigerator or clothes dryer may be as good or better than solar panels. (Maybe not as flashy.) Building integrated PV has come a long way and can serve more than one purpose at a time. You don’t have to wait for PV paint. There are standing seam roof panels and thin film PV that can help tp power a home or business at the same time they fill in as roofing or windows. Consider how new construction is turned (orientation) and how it is arranged (massing). Department of Energy research shows that the identical building oriented properly can save or cost more energy.