Quincy, Mass., Jan. 19, 2015, — The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center and the Green Communities Division of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources have selected the City of Quincy to participate in the 2015 round of Solarize Massachusetts (“Solarize Mass”), a statewide initiative that since 2011 has facilitated contracting for over 16 megawatts of solar energy systems on 2,400 properties.
With the City’s participation in this program, homeowners and business owners in Quincy will, for several months while the program is ongoing, be able to install solar photovoltaic (PV) at a significantly discounted cost than otherwise possible. The more homes and businesses that choose to add solar energy, the more steeply discounted the solar panels will be for everyone.
The program will be organized by Solarize Quincy team coach, Quincy resident Rebecca McWilliams, who is a member of the Mayor’s Climate Change Committee and the outgoing Chair of the Quincy Climate Action Network. The team will rely on volunteers to spread the word to as many home and business owners as possible to sign up for a solar assessment to see if their properties are suitable for solar. Owners will then get proposals from the installer, and sign contracts by June 30, 2015 to receive the discounted pricing. Also part of the Solarize Quincy team are staff from the Public Buildings Department and Planning Departments.
Already the team has a robust group of people potentially interested in installing solar panels. Four hundred and forty-six people indicated they’d like to learn more about pursuing solar power for their home or business in response to a Planning Department survey released last spring. The Solarize Mass Interest Survey has collected more than 900 responses to date and was instrumental in the City’s selection to participate in the 2015 round of the program.
With the price of PV dropping, it is already often a wise financial decision to install panels if your property is not heavily shaded and you have a newer roof. Now with discounted pricing through the Solarize program, and rising electricity rates, it is an even better deal.
The Solarize Quincy team aims to educate as many people as possible about the cost-saving and environmental benefits of solar PV, and to lower the barriers of adoption for those who are interested. If you’d like to learn more about the program please visit www.solarizequincy.weebly.com and read the FAQ page, or fill out an online sign up form . Information sessions will also be held in the next few months to provide residents an opportunity to learn about the program in person- stay tuned!