| When I was working in California, it was refreshing to | | | | significantly different now. I can't wait to see how it |
| see solar panels in many neighborhoods. They are | | | | changes. |
| harder to find out here in New England other than the | | | | The reason why California has taken the lead for solar |
| ones hooked up to highway signs, but when I do it is | | | | installations is because Californians have a greater |
| always a treat to see how the system was designed. | | | | awareness about solar and how it works. Getting the |
| The Commonwealth Solar Program, now run by the | | | | first installation in a community is the hardest. But after |
| Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, does an | | | | the first, friends and neighbors are more likely to follow |
| excellent job publishing data about the PV projects | | | | suit. Oftentimes when I've been working on a PV |
| completed in the state. On their website, they include a | | | | installation, the people living next door or across the |
| map that shows where the installations are done by | | | | street usually ask a lot of questions and many |
| town/city in MA as of March 16, 2009. | | | | eventually ask for a solar evaluation for their own |
| So where do you think most of the photovoltaic | | | | houses. |
| projects to date were done? My guess would have | | | | If you have more interest in seeing installed solar |
| been one of the suburbs east, north, or south of | | | | electric systems in Massachusetts or any other state, |
| Boston. It came as a huge surprise that Barnstable | | | | there is an annual solar tour that the American Solar |
| topped the list at 8 solar electric installations, followed | | | | Energy Society organizes every fall. During this tour, |
| by 6 in Brewster, Falmouth, and Acton. Honorable | | | | you can view someone's solar electric system |
| mention goes to Framingham, Northborough, Amherst, | | | | firsthand and talk to the owner of the system about |
| Northampton, and North Boston (not sure, but could be | | | | why they made the purchase, how they found the |
| Chelsea) with 5 installations. The cape has taken an | | | | experience, and what you should know before |
| early lead, but will it continue? It's been more than a | | | | contacting an installer. |
| year since the map was updated so it could look | | | | |