Answer
Aug 11, 2020 - 12:20 PM
Absolutely! Our available sun power in New England is about 80% of the sunniest parts of the southwestern US and is much higher than anywhere in Germany, one of the leading solar countries in the world. We also have relatively high electricity rates, which makes solar PV systems more economically attractive. Economic viability for solar is greatly enhanced by financial incentives for solar system owners, and Massachusetts is one of the most “solar-friendly” states because of our progressive state solar policies. The state incentives are a combination of state tax credits and 10-year earned credits from SMART. For customer owned systems, the expected breakeven time is generally between 5 – 7 years on the purchase cost, but will vary depending on roof orientation, shading, and other factors. Homes with more shading have longer payback periods, but solar can still be a great investment in these situations. Due to improvements in solar panel efficiency, some homes that were previously not good candidates for solar installations may now be economically viable. Solar panels can be effective on most roofs, regardless of orientation.
