Page 46 - BusinessWest June 12, 2023

Josh Smith shows off an outdoor unit that powers a mini-split heat-pump system.
tomers stop worrying about energy consumption. “It becomes a quality-of-life and comfort issue. The preoccupation with the ther- mostat setting goes away. I see it all the time.”
In Massachusetts, another advantage to generating more energy is net metering. When a homeowner’s solar panels generate more energy than needed, the excess energy can be sold back to the grid. As an example of how it works, Rondeau said a solar installation might produce 10,000 kilowatt hours each year, and 7,000 of those kilowatt hours might be produced during the five months of the
In the simplest terms, a heat pump works like a furnace in the winter to warm the home and like an air conditioner in the summer to cool the house two
to three times more
efficiently than a tra-
ditional furnace or air
year with the most sunshine.
“The homeowner will net meter a certain percent-
age of what they produce, which generates a credit on their electric bill,” he explained. “Then, in the winter months, when there are shorter, darker days, they use that credit. It’s essentially a wash.”
He further explained net metering with a familiar New England analogy. “It’s like squirrels socking away food for the winter. Instead of acorns, people are stor- ing up credits on their electric bill.”
Some homes have limited roof or yard space to accommodate solar panels, so their systems might not generate 100% of the home’s energy needs. But Ron- deau said going solar is still a worthwhile investment.
“Some people are concerned about only producing enough energy for half of their needs,” he noted. “If you could lock in even half of your energy consumption at 14 cents, why wouldn’t you do that?”
Pump It Up
People with solar units can save even more energy and money when they install a heat pump. Recent advances in electric-powered heat pumps are help-
ing homeowners to save energy without sacrificing comfort. These units have the ability to heat and cool a home and work best as a supplement to whatever heating system is already in the home.
“For years, heat pumps were found primarily in the south and warmer regions,” said Josh Smith, service manager for Berkshire Heating & Air Conditioning in West Springfield. “In the last 10 years, the technology has improved their efficiency so much that they are now a good choice for places like New England.”
“In an ideal scenario, a solar installation can produce 100% of the energy a person needs for their home.”
Energy
>>
Continued on page 48
CREATING COMMUNITY THROUGH DESIGN SINCE 1985
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