Solar PV in Cambridge

Residential - November 2013

Most of my electricity use is now covered by the solar production on my roof, including short car trips via a plug-in hybrid!

Quick Facts

Average Annual Savings

$1,000

Energy Needs Met

75% to 99%

of electricity

Property

Owner:: Quinton Zondervan
Type:: Residential
Address:: 235 Cardinal Medeiros Ave, Cambridge, MA 02141
Size:: 1,800 sq ft
Energy need met:: 75% to 99% of electricity

Technology

Type:: Solar PV
Installed:: November 2013
Size of System:: 6.9 kW
Purposes:: To generate electricity

Financial Details

Annual Savings:: $1,000
Additional Financial Notes:: The system will pay for itself in less than 10 years, assuming the cost of electricity does not increase by more than inflation (it will, in which case the payoff will be faster).

Professionals & Suppliers

Products:: SunPower
Installers:: Independent Power

What You Need to Know

Description:

Originally I thought we could not have solar because our roof does not face south. But thanks to the more efficient SunPower panels we were able to get a west-facing system that still covers 80% of our usage! So the lesson is to be persistent and don't give up on trying to get solar.

Efficiency or Sustainability Improvements:

We added insulation to the attic first.

My Motivation:

We want to reduce our ecological footprint, including our greenhouse gas contributions, getting as close to zero as we can!

Advice:

Getting the right installers is key. Get a personal reference from somebody who's done it before and is satisfied with their installers.

Experience with Installer:

Independent Power Systems is great!

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