• Boston goes solar with SunPower®

    Beantown elevates itself with solar energy

The state of solar in Boston

Boston has diverse weather conditions, but it is still a front-runner for solar energy production. The annual sunny day average for Boston is five days shy of the national average of 205 days.* About 81% of buildings in the city have solar viability that could produce up to 1.5 million megawatt-hours of electricity per year—that’s an amazing 1.5 trillion watts!*

  • *. Best Places, Climate in Boston, Massachusetts (accessed 8/26/2021)
  • *. Google, Project Sunroof data explorer (November 2018)

How much solar energy does Boston produce?

According to the Shining Cities report of 2020, Boston is the 25th city in the country for solar installations per capita. The city’s solar energy capacity per person is 55.51 watts, with 38.56 megawatts of total installed solar energy panels (a megawatt is one million watts).

What are the advantages of going solar in Boston?

It pays to go solar in Boston. The average payback time for a 5 kilowatt (kW) solar system is only about seven years.*

A kilowatt (kW) is 1,000 watts of power. A measure of energy output, a kWh (kilowatt-hour) is 1,000 watts (a kilowatt) producing energy for one hour. The average U.S. household uses just over 900 kWh per month.*

The average residential electricity rate for the city is 14.91¢ per kWh, but rates can go as high as 15.2¢ in the metro Boston area.* At those rates, you could potentially save up to $890 a year on electricity bills with solar panels.*

Going solar also positively impacts the environment. Solar energy is clean and sustainable, so you can enjoy a greener lifestyle and reduce your household’s dependence on fossil fuels. Solar panels generate no greenhouse gas emissions and contribute nothing to air pollution.

  • *. Solar Energy Facts, Boston MA Solar Guide (accessed 8/26/2021)
  • *. Energy Sage, What is a Kilowatt Hour? (accessed 9/10/2021)
  • *. Electricity Local, Boston, MA Electricity Statistics (accessed 8/26/2021)
  • *. Solar Energy Facts, Boston MA Solar Guide (accessed 8/26/2021)

What’s the best way to go solar in Boston?

Going solar in Boston requires a personalized approach that considers several factors, such as your home’s energy objectives, roof size, the durability of solar panels, solar storage solutions, and solar system attractiveness. What works well for one household may not be ideal for yours, even in the same city.

Before meeting with a solar contractor, it’s worth using a solar savings estimator to quickly build an initial custom solar system design for your roof with an estimate of how much money you’ll save on electric bills and the amount of power it will produce.

Working with a reputable solar provider will help you navigate the solar power production process. These professionals have ample experience matching households with appropriate high-efficiency solar panels that complement the property’s aesthetics. Solar contractors also have plenty of industry knowledge, including local and federal incentives that will reduce the cost of going solar.

Get started now. Request your consultation with SunPower. We’ll follow up with a quick call to schedule a time. You can also call us directly at (800) 786-7693.


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