Our members and friends are surprised at how easy it is to get the information you need to consider solar on the Mass Solar Connect web platform (powered by EnergySage), without a big sales pitch or a big demand for research or study. More than 300 people have now signed up for Mass Solar Connect information and we're getting great feedback.  (Rhode Islanders, we'll soon be offering you a similar program, but until then you can use EnergySage for great information and solar shopping.)

Using the Mass Solar Connect program is like having a solar-savvy personal assistant (in this case, program partner EnergySage) doing your solar research for you. One of our members from Worcester, Charlotte, wrote us in July to report, “I've been wanting to go solar for a long time, but the process felt daunting. The EnergySage website [through the Mass Solar Connect program] allowed me to collect several quotes quickly and easily, and provides helpful information to understand the language and jargon of the solar industry. I'm planning on having my rooftop solar panels installed by the end of the summer.”

Mass Solar Connect does indeed “connect” you to as many as seven qualified installers who are bidding against each other for your project. They can bid lower than they might otherwise, because they don’t have to expend big marketing dollars to find you, according to an independent study from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. These competitive quotes are then evaluated by the Solar Advisors at EnergySage. These professionals are trained on all the latest innovations in solar power, and take the time to understand your particular situation. They provide you with impartial advice about which one would be the most efficient, which would the most savings over time, which would cost the least upfront, etc. Depending on your inclinations, you can invite as many or as few of your seven bidders as you like to come to your home to generate more detailed bids.

“Installing solar had been on the back of our minds for a while, but once I saw how easy it was to request [Mass Solar Connect] quotes through EnergySage, I decided to go ahead and try it out," says another member, Alex from Malden. "Within a week I had a few installers visiting to check out the house, talk about options, and give quotes. It wound up being much cheaper than I expected, and the ease of the process motivated us to get started right away. We've already selected an installer and have started working on our solar loan.”

As the trade journal Solar Power World notes, “Customer acquisition can be a time-consuming and costly task for solar contractors. Many installers resort to door-to-door sales and keep information on a variety of platforms, such as SalesForce and Excel. But customer identification software can help lead customers to installers and simplify sales….EnergySage serves as a simple, online marketplace to match installers and homeowners.”

The reason that installers can afford to bid lower through the Mass Solar Connect process is that EnergySage helps them minimize their marketing costs, and that means the vendors can pass on those savings to you. Thinking about solar? Join Alex and Charlotte and the other 300+ people who have already signed up at www.massenergy.org/solarconnect to see if solar will work for your home.