For the planet and the grandkids: The Walkers’ journey to clean energy

Karen and Jeffrey Walker’s solar journey began more than a decade ago, when Karen—motivated by concern for the environment and a curiosity about sustainable solutions—scheduled a Mass Save energy audit of their Lexington, Massachusetts home.

"We've got three kids and grandkids, and we're thinking about this planet," Karen said. "Energy consumption in New England has traditionally been dirty, but solar is beautiful.”

The energy audit looked promising at first. Their home had a south-facing roof, which is ideal for solar. But then came a major roadblock: their neighbor’s towering trees. With the trees blocking sunlight, their roof would be under too much shade for solar panels to make sense.

Karen was disappointed, but tucked the idea away for the future.

Fast-forward to 2021. Soaring energy bills and the couple’s deepening environmental commitments brought solar back into the conversation. They had recently bought a Ford Mustang Mach-E electric vehicle and were considering switching out their gas furnace for heat pumps. Jeffrey began wondering how they could offset their rising electricity use.

"I saw an article on solar and thought, 'This is talking about significant cost savings,'" Jeffrey recalled. "I went and did more research on Mass Save and came across the EnergySage link."

Although initially hesitant, Jeffrey started to explore the solar Marketplace more seriously. He liked what he saw.

The EnergySage Marketplace offers a transparent experience that puts homeowners like Jeffrey in control. He started by uploading his electric bills and basic home information to the platform. EnergySage then matched him with seven pre-screened, qualified solar installers. When he had questions about comparing the different proposals, an Energy Advisor was available to guide him through the process without steering him toward any particular installer.

"EnergySage provided information about how solar could be successful, but also gave me contractors who would provide competitive bids, as opposed to me having to talk to individual solar providers without knowing if they were offering the best equipment or pricing," Jeffrey explained.

Karen appreciated EnergySage’s streamlined approach: “It's so easy—everything all in one location. I think that kept us really engaged."

When the installer bids started arriving in his inbox, Jeffrey was amazed. Some contractors promised over 100% coverage of their current electric bills, while others were more conservative at 77-81%. With his Energy Advisor’s guidance, Jeffrey felt confident evaluating the quotes.

"The guys who were over 100% were going to put more panels on the roof than I felt comfortable with the roof supporting," he reasoned. "I liked the one that was 81% coverage—it seemed very reasonable and was the most cost-effective option."

The Walkers ultimately selected local installer Brightway Energy, based in Massachusetts. They were drawn to Brightway’s conservative but realistic approach and competitive pricing. The company's site assessment also made a lasting impression, particularly on Karen's four-year-old twin grandsons.

"The installer showed up with a drone," Karen remembered fondly. "He engaged with the boys, showed them how it worked, explained why he was flying it over the house, and even saved a video for them. What a wonderful way to work with families—they're real people who engage with you as human beings."

• System size: 12.9 kW

• Panels: Qcells DUO BLK ML-G9+ - 380 Watt

• Inverter: Enphase Energy IQ7PLUS-72-x-US-240

Their system came online in January 2022, initially producing only modest amounts of power since it was winter. But as spring arrived, their power production soared.

"I can remember the first time it reached 10.1 kilowatt hours and generated 75 kilowatt hours over the day," Jeffrey said. "I was looking at the app a couple of times a day—now it's down to once a day."

Today, the Walkers’ solar panel system covers approximately 90% of their household’s electricity usage, significantly better than the originally projected 81%. This is particularly impressive considering they've since added a heat pump and EV charging capabilities.

"We now have a heat pump and one rapid charger for my car as part of that 90% coverage," Karen said. "Our electric bills for air conditioning used to be astronomical in summer, and now we still have energy credits going through the whole summer."

Jeffrey is also amazed by their savings. "Even with the EV charging taking significant energy, it doesn't exceed our solar production. We still have enough generation."

"In July, it's like Christmas," Karen laughs. "He's on his phone saying, 'Oh my goodness, Karen, look at this production!'"

Like many homeowners, the Walkers still faced small unexpected bumps on their solar journey. When squirrels chewed through some wiring, one of their two arrays went offline for five months. Fortunately, their installer diagnosed the problem and added critter guards to prevent it from happening again.

"If you live in the northeast with lots of squirrels, install the critter guard," Jeffrey advises. It's not expensive and definitely worth it."

The Walkers’ journey—from a tree-blocked roofline to a high-performing solar energy system—shows what’s possible when homeowners have the right tools and support to make informed, confident decisions when it comes to going solar.

"We've recommended EnergySage to so many people," Karen said. "It's an easy one-stop marketplace that puts all the experts in one place. There's so much we don't know about this new industry, and having all that expertise accessible is a valuable asset."

Jeffrey agrees. "EnergySage allows you to get the most economical solution, find the best contractors and products, and get competitive bids,” he said. “We feel very confident recommending it because we know people will get the best ability to evaluate solar."