The Future of Low Carbon Home Comfort, Step 3: Solar + Storage

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Welcome to part three of our “Low Carbon Home Comfort” blog series! In this series, we’re reflecting on the real impact human activities are having on climate change — and focusing on what homeowners here in Maine and elsewhere can do to achieve “low carbon home comfort.”

In part one, we discussed the importance of making your home as energy efficient as possible with energy saving upgrades like weatherization and basement encapsulation. Then in part two, we dove into how heat pumps can reduce your reliance on fossil fuels and “electrify” your home, preparing it for future renewable energy upgrades like solar.

Now, in part three, we’re discussing one more home upgrade you can make to significantly increase your energy independence: installing solar panels and battery storage.

Solar Offsets Your Home’s Electricity Needs

As you may remember from parts one and two, energy efficiency upgrades like weatherization reduce the overall amount of energy your home consumes, while installing a heat pump allows you to use electricity instead of fossil fuels like oil and natural gas to heat and condition your home.

Once your home is as energy efficient as possible and relies on electricity instead of fossil fuels, the next step is to offset your electricity needs with solar. Installing a solar photovoltaic (PV) system allows you to generate free and clean electricity from the sun, reducing or even eliminating your reliance on the power grid. This renewable energy will power your heating and cooling system, lights, appliances, and everything else in your home that runs on electricity. You can even plan to have your solar panels supply the energy needed to charge electric vehicles down the road!

How much electricity your solar system generates largely depends on the size of your system, as well as other factors such as roof orientation, shading, and outdoor temperature. (Cooler temperatures are actually best for solar panel efficiency.) Many homeowners here in Maine choose to install a grid-tied solar energy system — which supplies a home with electricity during the day when energy production is at its highest and draws from the power grid at night or at times when energy production is low.

Add Battery Storage for Even Greater Energy Independence

For even greater energy independence when you go solar, we recommend adding battery storage to your solar PV system. Battery storage allows you to store the excess energy your system generates during the day for use at night or other times of low energy production. With a large enough solar + battery storage system, you can even go “off-grid” and secure your home against issues with the electricity grid and those infamous Maine power outages!

You Also Have Green Power Buying Options

If your roof is not well suited for solar panels, or a solar PV system simply isn’t in the budget at the moment, there are alternative options that still allow you to harness the benefits of clean, renewable energy.

Maine Green Power Program

Here in Maine, the Maine Green Power program allows homeowners to match the electricity they use with energy generated from renewable resources, such as wind, hydro, and biomass. Participants simply purchase “blocks” of energy through their utility bill for as low as $4.95 per month, and these blocks are matched to Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) produced in Maine.

Community Solar

Want to own solar panels but don’t have the ability to put them on your own roof or property? Consider community solar, which allows you to purchase a share of a larger solar array in your local community. 100% of the energy generated by the array goes to the power grid, and then shareholders automatically receive credit based on their stake in the solar array. One perk to this option is you can take your share with you even if you sell your home and move elsewhere in the community.

Considering Solar? Get Ready with the Right Upgrades

If you’re considering clean solar energy for your home, make sure your home is ready for the switch by making the right energy saving upgrades first. Evergreen Home Performance is here to help you reduce your home’s carbon footprint and make it more energy efficient — so you can be ready to harness the full benefits of solar. Then, we can refer you to one of our trusted solar partners for your solar panel installation. To get started, schedule a free energy consult with us!

Going solar and achieving low carbon home comfort starts with making smart energy efficiency upgrades. Call 207-594-2244 or contact us to schedule a free energy consult!

Considering solar for your home?

We can make your home energy efficient first. 207-594-2244

Evergreen was so helpful in securing us Efficiency Maine funding for a big attic insulation project early this winter. They did all of the paperwork, and totally guided us through a vermiculite removal process that included a payment from a trust for the procedure. I could instantly feel the second floor being so much warmer than before. The boiler does not kick on nearly as frequently since they completed the job. It was worth every penny! Brian Robinson was so thorough throughout the whole process including a full walk through after the job had been completed.

Todd W.

Camden

I highly recommend Evergreen! 1st, I had a home efficiency inspection (that was free) & Bryan P. was great! He took the time needed, asked & listened to what I thought were priorities, explained clearly what he thought were priorities & why, then gave me numerous options. No pressure whatsoever. Then I had my attic sealed & insulated as the 1st step & Bryan came along on day 1 to introduce everyone & make sure we were all on the same page. Bruce's team (inc. Kelsey & Roland) did the work - they were exceptional!!

Melissa M.

Kennebunk

Update 12/2018: Evergreen has completed Phase II of my house (insulating and installing air/moisture barrier on exterior walls, replacing old windows) and now that heating season is upon us, the difference is astonishing. The house is tight as a drum and so easy to keep warm. Worth every penny. Thank you all! Working with Evergreen was a positive experience from start (no charge energy audit) to finish (a MUCH more comfortable home). Brian Robinson spent a lot of time with me on the audit, explaining clearly what he was finding in my ca.

Rebekah W.

Rockport

Evergreen removed and replaced the insulation in my attic. They did a great job!, Crew was excellent, and the whole thing went smoothly, and the attic was NOT easy to get into or work in, so kudos to some hard work done well!

Joel A.

Portland

The folks at Evergreen did a great job fixing a rather major insulation problem in my house, which they helped identify with a great audit. When the work began, they were thorough, upbeat, and -- dare I say it -- efficient. I strongly recommend them.

Michael Williams

We had a fantastic experience working with Evergreen to insulate our roof this winter. Everyone was extremely friendly throughout the process - the crew at our home worked hard, were approachable with questions, and the team leader even showed me around the project to point out specific areas they were working to improve.

Joel Wentz

Led by Brian Robinson, the Evergreen Home Performance team just completed an insulation refit at my home. It was truly a great experience from start to finish, a period of time that was a fraction of the time that I originally anticipated due to the team's unbelievable work habits and professional knowledge of their tasks. As impressive were the communication skills and friendliness of each and every member of the team.

Anne W.

Rockport

I cant say enough about this company and the benefits that it created for our family. They are very professional and have effectively re-insulated our home. The heating bill proves the point.

Bob O.

Springvale

Last week, my oil company asked if we were using some other kind of fuel because our usage was so much less than they had expected We are very happy with the results; the house is much more comfortable

Steve T.

St. George

We are thrilled with the job Evergreen did to transform our 213 year old home into a warm, draft-free, cozy space. The entire team led by Bruce was prompt, courteous, knowledgeable, and hard working. If Evergreen could transform our home in this way, we are sure they would make a comparable difference in YOUR home!

Jonathan M.

Bridgton

I cannot say enough great things about working with Evergreen Home Performance. Everything including the initial consultation, the fabulous work crew, the office support and the final resolution was handled in a caring and professional manner. My only regret is that I did not know about them earlier. I enthusiastically recommend Evergreen to anyone with concerns about home energy use.

Darlene R

Bath

We had Evergreen Home Performance of Rockland come in to make our home more energy efficient, and what a TOP notch crew. Brian and his crew did an amazing job from start to finish. Very knowledgeable and professional. We would Definitely highly recommend this crew to anyone who is looking for energy efficiency in their home with a company that truly is an expert and knows how to do a quality job and truly cares about their customer.

Melissa S.

Owls Head

A thorough inspection of our (older) house and its energy needs. Competent and personable work crew.

Jacob Watson

They were highly recommended. I found them to be very knowledgeable and so helpful, with practical ideas. Despite my not living within their service area, they were generous with their knowledge, describing the usual solutions to correct leaks in my basement, and what the result is likely to be by following path A, B or C, and why. I was discouraged. Talking with Evergreen helped me see that my basement problems are far from insurmountable and really, fairly common in 100-year old homes. There are proven solutions.

Rosalind J

Damariscotta

Evergreen came out 2 years ago to do an assessment and insulate our roof. This year we had them come back and do the basement as well. They are hands-down the best crew we've ever hired to work on our house. They are experts at what they do, and super meticulous in their work. After working in our house for a week with blown insulation, there was no trace they were ever here. We've seen a huge decrease in our energy bills while at the same time the house has become way more comfortable. Can't recommend them enough.

RC Lations II

Portland

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