Berkshires | Suntility Electric LLC

New Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC) Program & Grid Modernization Efforts Move Massachusetts Towards a Greener Grid – Learn More & Get Involved

This spring the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources announced it’s second solar renewable energy certificate program in Massachusetts. This incentive program allows solar owners to be compensated for the clean, local, solar benefits of the energy they produce in addition to the electricity savings. This program is intended to move the state towards an installed solar capacity of 1600 MW by 2020. To put it in perspective 1 MW is enough to power about 180 homes annually.

At the same time significant discussion and planning is underway to ensure those resources can be brought online quickly, effectively and with the most benefits to electricity customers here in Massachusetts. To facilitate that the electric grid itself – from the Berkshires, to Boston, to Cape Cod – will need to evolve and become more modern. Suntility Manager Luke Hinkle has been actively engaged on these issues at the local, regional and state level and recently took part in a WCAI discussion titled ‘Smarter and Greener: Making Changes in Our Energy Use.’ This discussion covers the state of the electric grid, managing distributed generation resources, and actions that can be taken to ensure the electric system can adapt to the economic and environmental drivers in our world today. To listen click here:

http://capeandislands.org/post/smarter-and-greener-making-changes-our-energy-use

To learn more and get involved click here:

https://www.change.org/petitions/cape-power-brokers-green-our-grid-now

Suntility is your trusted partner in success. Suntility provides renewable energy maintenance services, utility credit services, owner’s agent services and consulting solutions to optimize facility reliability, performance and value.

To learn more contact us at 508-566-6322

Best 6 Solar Production Months Ahead – More Sunshine Means More Net Metering Credits & SRECs On The Way

The melt from New England’s deep freeze has begun and solar installation owners in Massachusetts can look forward to the 6 best months of solar production in the year starting with March.

In a start to the year characterized by nearly consistent below average temperatures and above average precipitation, systems from Cape Cod to Boston to the Metrowest area and to the Berkshires are beginning to achieve strong production. Low pitch solar installations, which are most susceptible to snow cover, have completely melted in most cases based on Suntility’s solar monitoring services. The beginning of February was especially challenging for many solar installations as cold temperatures trapped snow on solar panels and many systems almost used more energy than they produced for the first two weeks of the month.

With the snow dissipating and better weather ahead – we can hope – months like March, April and May are typically very strong for solar production. These spring months have limited tree cover (less shading), are cool (solar panels have a negative temperature coefficient which means they function better in colder weather), the sun is higher in the sky and the daylight hours are longer. For example, March historically offers 15-25% better solar production than February based on National Renewable Energy Laboratory solar data for the Northeast.

With the best months ahead it is important to have the right services in place to make sure that your solar installation is well maintained; performing at its best; and that you’re receiving the full and proper value for your net metering credits and maximizing your solar renewable energy certificate (SREC) or REC revenue streams. To learn how to make the most of the months ahead for your solar array get started with a free consultation by contacting Suntility.

Suntility is your trusted partner in success. Suntility provides renewable energy maintenance services, utility credit services, owner’s agent services and consulting solutions to optimize facility reliability, performance and value.

To learn more contact us at 508-566-6322