is it worth to install solar panels in MA? (Newburyport: how much, homes)

[olacda]

with the recent price hikes in electricity, do you think it will stay high or go higher or go lower in the future? i saw a few neighbors getting solar panels installed in the past 12 months and start to wonder if it makes sense to consider it, i'm also concerned with the potential damage to the roof and wonder if anyone has experience to share on that?

also, anyone has any solar companies to recommend? Telsa solar seems to be cheaper than others

[OutdoorLover]

The National Grid rep at a Newburyport town hall meeting said that while this winter is an especially big increase, rates go up steeply every winter, and then fall again every spring. It's because of competition for the natural gas supply during the heating season - that drives up natural gas prices, which is also used at most of the electricity generation plants in Mass. In 2021, 77% of the power generation in Mass came from natural gas, so power prices are closely tied to gas prices in this state. Rates will fall again in spring when the heating season is over.

I believe the Inflation Reduction Act has federal subsidies for green energy, so it may be an opportune time because of those benefits. I don't have the details though - you'll need to dig in.

[simplexsimon]

I just had panels installed. Have you received estimates? It's hard to say if it's worth it without knowing numbers.

One way to start is to create an account on Energysage for free and post your project and you'll get bids from different contractors.

Tesla is going to be much cheaper but they can be difficult to work with if you need any kind of hand holding. There are lots of negative stories if you search online and a friend of mine who tried to use them hadn't heard anything for over a year, then got a revised quote (increase in $), and they then said they couldn't do it.

Roof damage was my top concern...panels are installed on thousands of homes and it does not sound like a real problem, not zero but not common. I haven't had any issues in the six months since they were put in. Solar companies will theoretically fix the problem if the leak occurs within the warranty period. I heard from someone that their friend who used Tesla was hard to get ahold of when there was an issue with a roof leak.

[timberline742]

If you can do ground mount and have a nice S-W aspect, probably. It's always case specific.

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by timberline742

If you can do ground mount and have a nice S-W aspect, probably. It's always case specific.

I have only done some background research for my retirement cottage project, still 2 years of - but yes, I read that if you have the available land space and with a spot wide open to the sun, fixed ground mount has several advantages:

- No concerns about roof leaks
- No coupling to roof repair project logistics
- Potential for more optimal orientation
- Easier/safer to sweep free of snow in winter as they're much lower and more accessible

It is supposed to cost more to put in as you're not reusing the roof deck as your panel mounting surface, but that's of course also where the advantages come from.

[matrix5k]

Every quote I've gotten is over 40k which seems insane to me. Before Covid, it was literally half as much.

[olacda]

Originally Posted by OutdoorLover

The National Grid rep at a Newburyport town hall meeting said that while this winter is an especially big increase, rates go up steeply every winter, and then fall again every spring. It's because of competition for the natural gas supply during the heating season - that drives up natural gas prices, which is also used at most of the electricity generation plants in Mass. In 2021, 77% of the power generation in Mass came from natural gas, so power prices are closely tied to gas prices in this state. Rates will fall again in spring when the heating season is over.

I believe the Inflation Reduction Act has federal subsidies for green energy, so it may be an opportune time because of those benefits. I don't have the details though - you'll need to dig in.

Good perspective, I did a quick calculation of the rate and saw a 7% increase in unit price over a 12-month period so I fear the price will keep going up.. recent subsidies is definitely a reason for us considering it now.

[olacda]

Originally Posted by simplexsimon

I just had panels installed. Have you received estimates? It's hard to say if it's worth it without knowing numbers.

One way to start is to create an account on Energysage for free and post your project and you'll get bids from different contractors.

Tesla is going to be much cheaper but they can be difficult to work with if you need any kind of hand holding. There are lots of negative stories if you search online and a friend of mine who tried to use them hadn't heard anything for over a year, then got a revised quote (increase in $), and they then said they couldn't do it.

Roof damage was my top concern...panels are installed on thousands of homes and it does not sound like a real problem, not zero but not common. I haven't had any issues in the six months since they were put in. Solar companies will theoretically fix the problem if the leak occurs within the warranty period. I heard from someone that their friend who used Tesla was hard to get ahold of when there was an issue with a roof leak.

A few companies stopped by our front door and gave us quotes.. it's between 30k to 48k for different size/configuration. It seems really complicated with so many things to consider without the knowledge. I'm a ware of Energysage site and will look into it for sure!

One comment I saw online was the warranty period.. companies offer 25 years of warranty but will they really be around in the next 25 years? How much weight should we put on this in selecting the installers?

How much offset did you choose? Is 100% good enough? I've seen quotes that's like 120% to 130%.. and if battery is necessary?

[olacda]

Originally Posted by timberline742

If you can do ground mount and have a nice S-W aspect, probably. It's always case specific.

well, you'll need a quite big land to do ground mount i guess..

[olacda]

Originally Posted by matrix5k

Every quote I've gotten is over 40k which seems insane to me. Before Covid, it was literally half as much.

ya, inflation affects everything