CASE STUDY: Massachusetts Residents Qualify For a Larger PV Rebate When They Use Massachusetts Components

Image via WikipediaBy Mona Reese

Massachusetts residents can take advantage of an additional discount on their solar electric system if it incorporates components from a Massachusetts company. The extra incentive is $.10/per watt. It may not seem significant, but on a 5 kW system this would be $500.

I am sure you have heard the words, "buy local," when referring to locally grown food. This motto is transferable to all other goods and services. Buying from a local components manufacturer makes sense for a lot of different reasons. Statistics show that purchasing from a Massachusetts owned business will infuse three times as much money in to the region's economy, strengthening the economic foundation of our community. Locally owned companies also tend to make more local purchases requiring less transportation. This reduces congestion and transportation-related emissions. And finally, Massachusetts businesses hire locally and will support green jobs where we live.

To qualify for this additional rebate, you will have to provide proof that the solar (PV) modules, the inverter(s), or another significant component that is important to the electricity production is manufactured by a company with a significant Massachusetts presence. This is determined at the sole discretion of the MASS Clean Energy Center (CEC). Please speak with your solar installer to see if it makes sense to use Massachusetts components in your solar electric system.

Current companies and products that qualify include:

Evergreen Solar: Modules

With their corporate headquarters in Marlborough, Evergreen Solar, Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets solar power products primarily in the United States and Europe. The company manufactures String Ribbon solar panels utilizing its proprietary wafer manufacturing technology, which involves a process to produce multi-crystalline silicon wafers by growing thin strips of silicon that are cut into wafers.

Schott Solar: Modules (only Schott ASE 300 series modules which may be obsolete)

Schott Solar, with its high quality products, enables the potential of the sun as a nearly inexhaustible source of energy to be utilized. Schott Solar produces important components for photovoltaic applications and solar energy power plants. In the photovoltaic industry, the company is one of the few integrated manufacturers of crystalline silicon wafers, cells and modules. Schott previously had manufacturing facilities for their 300 watt panels in Billerica, Massachusetts.

Satcon: Inverters

Satcon develops innovative power conversion solutions and provides system design services for utility-scale renewable energy plants. Satcon's corporate headquarters is based in Boston, Massachusetts.

Solectria Renewables: Inverters

With their headquarters in Lawrence, Solectria Renewables designs and manufactures premium efficiency, high reliability power electronics and systems for renewable power generation. We also offer engineering services for renewable power systems and distributed power generation.

Beacon Power: Inverters

Beacon Power is a global leader in the development and commercialization of flywheel-based energy solutions for grid-scale frequency regulation services and other utility-scale and unitary energy storage applications. Beacon Power's corporate headquarters is based in Tyngsboro, Massachusetts.

Panel Claw: Mounting Systems

PanelClaw, Inc. develops and markets cost effective and environmentally friendly mounting solutions for photovoltaic modules. PanelClaw manufactures efficiently engineered ballasted flat roof / ground mount solutions with a manufacturing philosophy geared to saving you time and money. Panel Claw's headquarters is in North Andover, Massachusetts.

Mona Reese is the co-founder of Brightstar Solar (http://www.brightstarsolar.net), a New England-based company that markets, designs, and installs photovoltaic systems. The company enables its residential, commercial, and non-profit customers to create their own electricity safely, dependably, and with an attractive return on investment.

If you're interested in more information about solar photovoltaic installations, go to our home page or for more information about a free solar evaluation please go to: http://www.brightstarsolar.net/contact-us/

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