SAVING WITH SOLAR JUST GOT EASIER FOR MASS. BUSINESSES AND NON-PROFITS Massachusetts Sierra Club and EnergySage Partner to Help Organizations Reap the Economic Benefits of Solar Energy

Businesses don’t always think about including solar power as part of their financial strategies, but they should. Rising electric rates and falling prices for solar equipment along with incentives, rebates and tax breaks have made solar power an increasingly attractive business practice. The financial returns on investments in solar can be in excess of 20%. For businesses, there are other benefits as well. Producing their own energy protects businesses from the volatility of traditional energy costs and makes their new, lower energy costs more predictable. What’s more, with flexible payment options such as zero down leases or power purchase agreements, businesses can achieve these cost savings immediately with little or no upfront costs.

The Massachusetts Sierra Club, the premier environmental advocacy organization in Massachusetts, is working with EnergySage, to get the word out about this new paradigm. The new partnership is aimed at providing businesses and non-profits with the information, tools and guidance they need to learn how solar panels can help them to meet their financial goals. The program is fueled by the broad array of free resources available on EnergySage.com, an online marketplace for Solar photovoltaic (PV) and other clean energy systems. EnergySage serves as a trusted guide and advocate for business as they navigate the solar power shopping and procurement process. Through the EnergySage.com website, businesses and non-profits can learn about the technology, obtain competitive bids for solar and other clean energy systems, and receive valuable assistance as they evaluate quotes and make their selections.

Business owners can use EnergySage.com’s educational resources and tools as well as its large, zipcode-searchable database of detailed case studies on existing clean energy installations to learn about these technologies. The site also includes profiles, ratings, and reviews of products and installers to assist them in choosing the right brands and providers for their own installation. The EnergySage Solar Marketplace, a comparison shopping platform, helps property owners to obtain multiple quotes from its network of pre-screened, high-quality installers as well as appropriate financing solutions from banks and other financing sources. This automated quote system standardizes the quotes consumers receive, presents them in a clear, apples-to-apples format, and calculates key evaluation metrics for purchasing and leasing options. This allows property owners to quickly and easily choose the option or options that make the most sense for their particular needs.

“EnergySage’s resources provide the tools and guidance needed to research and compare clean-energy systems and the available financing options. By simplifying the comparison-shopping process, we believe that demand for clean energy will increase greatly,” comments Dan Proctor, Chair of the Massachusetts Sierra Club. “This joint effort gives our Sierra Club members an opportunity to inform businesses and other property-owners about an important, no-cost service. It can lead to financial savings while reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.”

Unlike many other programs aimed at encouraging solar adoption, the Sierra Club / EnergySage initiative isn’t aligned with one specific solar provider. Instead, the EnergySage platform helps users to solicit multiple competitive bids from several different providers, giving organizations tremendous choice in determining the option that best suits their individual financial and organizational goals. .

The program can be accessed through the Sierra Club portal on the EnergySage website (http://www.energysage.com/sierraclubmass/), or for more information, contact EnergySage at John@EnergySage.com or call 617-453-8924.