87 Solar Myths

The Electric Bill Becomes an Investment for Albany, NY Family

August 28, 2012 by Amy Bowman in 87 Solar Myths, Solar Stories with 0 Comments

Solar Myth #33: The Cost Savings of Solar Aren’t Worth the Hassle. Enter Bob Hughes, who lives with his wife (and a few weekenders) in a 2,200 square foot colonial in Albany, NY.

Although Bob and his wife are empty nesters, the kids didn’t go far. They’re back every Saturday with massive loads of laundry – so the washer and dryer are running all weekend. Then there are the other high-consumption electric appliances: refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, heaters. And the rest: high-def televisions, electronic gadgets charging all day every day it seems, lights, hair dryers – the list goes on.

Myth #33 is from the Real Goods Solar eBook 87 Solar Myths, which confirms or busts many of the myths about solar energy, from short term financial gains/losses to where the most installations are completed.

Given the rising electricity costs and history of kilowatt usage at their home, it was time for the Hughes family to look at ways to save money. One might think the upfront investment in solar would be too high and that it could take years to realize savings. Mr. Hughes sees it differently. “I contracted with Real Goods Solar for 6.27kW in September 2011 and I have not paid a single dime to my electricity provider since (other than the standard monthly utility connection fee). Before we converted to solar energy, $250 per month was going right out the door. Now it’s being invested.”

Myth: BUSTED! How did it happen for the Hughes family? They’ve long been proponents of alternative energy, but the opportunity never feasibly presented itself. After conducting some research, they found out about New York’s best solar financing options and a variety of NYSERDA and federal incentives they qualified for. As a matter of fact, they saved over $7,000 upfront on the solar panel installation with cash incentives alone.

The Hughes family of Albany NY is turning electricity bill payments into an investment in solar “Real Goods Solar helped us find cash incentives and great finance rates. They also provided expert installation and customer service throughout the entire process,” Bob added.

Not only are the cost savings immediately realized, between 5 and 8 years from now, the Hughes Family will have their system paid off and will be getting 100% of their electricity for free – something Bob is looking forward to. “For years, we’ve been sucking up energy and paying out tons of money. It’s great to have a feasible alternative, and one that is also safer for the environment.”

Not only will solar give New Yorkers clean, reliable energy for generations, it will create thousands of jobs under New York’s Solar Jobs Act currently in legislation. Governor Cuomo’s NY-Sun initiative brings together existing programs administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to ensure consistency, and it will bring New York to the forefront of solar research and development.