A new pilot program in Massachusetts gifted home solar panels to low-income residents — and the results were dramatic.
As Canary Media shared, the Cape and Vineyard Electrification Offering installed free or low-cost solar panels at 55 participating households in Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard. And now, nearly a year and a half later, the preliminary results are in — and they're great.
"The results show that there are savings, and that energy burdens are reduced by more than 50%, when you pair it all with solar," said Maggie Downey, chief administrative officer of Cape Light Compact, who administered the program.
Third-party analysis found that the average pilot household slashed its net electricity use by nearly 60%, drawing much of its power from the solar panels instead. This has correlated to a $150/month average drop in energy costs.
"My costs are drastically lower," said Judy Welch, one Cape Cod homeowner and participant. "In the summer now, I don't have any bills, and I have the air conditioning on the whole time."
It's a great deal, but for many homeowners, finding a trusted solar installer is one of the most intimidating aspects of the process.
Fortunately, the free tools at EnergySage are an excellent place to start. The company offers free quote comparisons from a network of vetted installers, as well as a helpful mapping tool that breaks down average costs and available incentives on a state-by-state basis.
While several incentives are still available, many of the tax credits for solar panels and home appliance upgrades are expiring at the start of 2026.
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Homeowners are only guaranteed the 30% tax credit on installations that are completed by the end of 2025, so acting sooner rather than later could mean a significant price difference — as much as $10,000, according to estimates from EnergySage.
There's also no better time to access affordable solar energy, as electricity costs are continuing to climb. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimated that the average electricity price in the U.S. would increase by 13% by the end of 2025.
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In the city 🏙️ Considering that electricity costs make up a major portion of the average home energy bill, eliminating them could mean significant savings. Specifically, in Cape Cod, lower-income households spent approximately 27% of their income on energy in 2023, according to the Department of Energy.
When homeowners pair solar panels with other electric appliances, such as efficient heat pumps, their energy bills drop even lower.
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For Welch, the participant whose summer bills vanished due to solar energy, winter was a similarly affordable story thanks to her new solar-powered heat pump. She shared that she'd previously spent roughly $500 a month on electric baseboard heating.
For homeowners looking to upgrade with a heat pump as well as solar panels, EnergySage also has a free heat pump quotes comparison tool to find the right installer and package for your unique needs.
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