A Massachusetts homeowner says getting solar panels was one of the best decisions she's made. Even better, she saved $10,000 on her installation costs and wants to spread the word about the tools that helped her do so.

Sue Marren details her experiences in an interview with EnergySage, an independent, objective source for all things solar. 

Her energy journey began when she switched from gas to electric heat pumps for her home-heating system. After seeing the monthly savings she realized by switching away from dirty energy, Marren decided she would explore adding solar panels to her rooftop as well.

Discussions with salespeople left her frustrated, but after discovering EnergySage's free tools, Marren said the process became much easier.

In particular, she appreciated its feature that lets users get quotes from local, verified installers. After answering a few questions, EnergySage provided her with a clear, easy comparison of their quotes, and each company's advantages.

"I received eight or nine different bids," Marren said. "And it was broken down in a way that I could easily compare, and that was probably one of the most useful tools in the process."

After the installation process, which went smoothly, things got even better. 

When it was time to do her taxes, Marren simply entered the installation information into her tax-preparation software, and automatically received $10,000 in savings, thanks to the Investment Tax Credit. That credit, however, will expire at the end of 2025, after July's passage of the "One Big Beautiful Bill."

Along with comparing quotes, EnergySage also offers a free mapping tool that shows the average installation cost and the solar incentives available in each state.

After the savings, Marren's system cost a little over $23,000. But she now generates enough power to not have to pay for electricity most months and builds up credits to bring down her charges during the winter, when the sun doesn't shine as much.

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Even better, she's using a clean, renewable source of energy that doesn't cause the damaging air pollution that's a result of burning fossil fuels.

"I'm looking forward to being able to talk to friends and neighbors about solar, because I think it's a great thing," Marren said. "Now I drive around and think, why don't these people have solar panels on every piece of construction?"

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