Boston Solar Living, Inc. is dedicated to assisting our customers in making environmentally responsible buying decisions.   Boston Solar Living aims to significantly reduce the impact of global warming and dependence on foreign oil by offering our clients affordable solar water heating systems and solar photovoltaic systems.   We are the company which is bringing solar energy into Greater Boston's mainstream!   Solar powered alternative energy sources are what we want to offer our customers.   Boston Solar Living, Inc. seeks to maximize environmental and economic benefits by pioneering and promoting clean energy technologies and fostering the emergence of sustainable energy markets from renewable sources.

Our Objectives…

• To reduce the cost of your utility bills by implementing a more efficient, and economic, and green way to heat your home and hot water.
• To implement a method to heat your home and hot water that is affordable as well as protects our environment.
• To implement a method to reduce dependence on fossil fuels; this in turn means to reduce dependence on foreign energy sources.
• To implement an energy system that doesn’t use up the earth’s valuable resources.
• To enable our customer base to not only reduce the utility costs via renewable energy but also to make their whole home energy efficient through education in converting their respective homes into energy star compliance as well as the utilization of direct energy suppliers.

Solar Thermal (Hot Water)
A solar hot water system is really quite simple. You're using the sun's energy to heat a solar collector full of propylene glycol, a special form of anti-freeze which is a common non-toxic food additive. The glycol transfers that heat into your home's hot water tank. (1) When there is sufficient heat to be drawn from the collectors, a controller automatically activates pumps. (2) Heated solar fluid is then circulated from the collector, (3) through a heat exchanger where its heat is transferred to (4) water in the storage tank. (5) The solar fluid is then pumped back to the collector to once again be reheated. This circulation loop will continue as long as there is heat to be drawn from the collector. During times when there is little or no sun, a backup heating system will be activated to provide adequate hot water. However, because our system preheats water before it reaches your tank, you’ll notice an immediate decrease in your natural gas, oil or electric bill.

Benefits of a Solar Thermal System
One of the most cost-effective ways to include renewable technologies into a building is by incorporating solar hot water.

A typical residential solar water-heating system reduces the need for conventional water heating by about two-thirds. It minimizes the expense of electricity or fossil fuel to heat the water and reduces the associated environmental impacts. The installation of a solar thermal system offsets the increased costs of fossil fuels as the demand is reduced by approximately 65%.

A solar thermal system can also be integrated with radiant floor heating to dramatically reduce your home heating costs.

Conventional fuel resources such as gas, coal and oil are rapidly increasing in cost, and will eventually run out. By reducing your fuel consumption through the installation of a solar hot water system, you can lower your energy costs and improve your bottom line. Contrary to public perception, a solar hot water system is quite affordable often proving to be one of the least expensive renewable energy sources a business can invest in regardless of the business size.

SOLAR IS FOR YOU

The demand to fuel our industries has put a tremendous strain on the Earth's resources. As the world's population grows, so does our need for natural resources. Coal, propane, natural gas, and fossil fuel supplies are dwindling, and alternative energy sources are needed. We have options. Renewable energy means the supply will never run out, and solar thermal energy is the most abundant natural resource available today. The more we adopt this form of energy, the sooner we can restore environmental balance.

Solar hot water has proven that it's efficient and reliable. Today, solar hot water technologies have evolved into systems that perform extremely well in all climates. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that over 1 million solar hot water systems have been installed throughout the United States alone.

Solar hot water systems have been proven reliable in all types of businesses used throughout various industries. Today there are thousands of solar thermal systems installed in commercial and industrial buildings throughout the U.S. Since a solar hot water system is scalable, it can be easily customized and adapted for a number of applications. Examples include: restaurants, hotels, pools, gyms, laundromats, and food processing.

GUARANTEES
Boston Solar Living utilizes Heliodyne flat panel collectors. Heliodyne is manufactured in California and is rated as one of the most efficient and effective panels designed today. Furthermore, flat panel solar collectors are used for superior performance and reliability. Heliodyne offers a 5 year warranty on all parts and Boston Solar Living has a two year labor guaranty on all solar thermal systems. Solar is simple, fully automatic, and completely reliable and requires no regular maintenance for 20-30 years. It is possible that you may need a service call over that time, but there is no need to change the fluid, clean the panels, or oil the pumps.

Solar Photovoltaic (Electric)
Solar photovoltaic systems use solar energy to produce electricity. Photovoltaic technology relies on the electrical properties of certain materials known as semiconductors. When hit by sunlight, a semiconductor material responds by creating an electrical charge which can then be transferred to anything that uses electricity.

These semiconductors are produced in the form of cells, which can then be assembled in groups in a panel. There are many different types of panels available, and each has its particular advantages. Photovoltaic cells and panels can be manufactured and installed at almost any scale, and as a result are used to power a broad variety of applications. At its smallest, photovoltaic technology powers calculators, laptop computers and other appliances that run on batteries. At its largest, it powers homes, offices and other buildings that use large amounts of electricity, and can be connected to utilities to increase the diversity of our collective electricity supply.

Benefits of a Solar PV System

Renewable Fuel
Because photovoltaic technology uses only the sun as its fuel, it is considered an entirely renewable source of electricity - once it is installed, it will never run out of an energy source. Because solar energy is available essentially anywhere, photovoltaic technology is also an ideal local source of energy.

Site Impacts
Because photovoltaic systems are most often mounted on roofs, they have essentially no impact on land use. Even pole mounted and tilt mounted systems installed on the ground take up little space and have minimal contact with the ground. Because photovoltaics do not use fossil fuels, they produce no material waste during their use, further benefiting the local environment.

Environmental Impacts
Solar power is one of the most environmentally friendly ways to produce electricity, producing no emissions and minimally impacting the sites where it is installed. Because it is such a low-impact technology, it has gained increased interest in the face of new environmental problems like climate change.

Emissions
The most significant benefit of photovoltaic technology is that it produces no emissions. Because photovoltaic cells transfer solar energy directly into electricity, no fuel is required and therefore no fuel is burned in the process.

Guarantees
Boston Solar Living utilizes Evergreen photovoltaic panels which are manufactured in Marlboro, Massachusetts. Evergreen is known as the market leader in efficiency, power as well as reliability. There are additional state grants for products manufactured in Massachusetts, such as Evergreen panels. Evergreen offers a 5 year workmanship and 25 year power warranty. Boston Solar also utilizes Sunny Boy inverters on all PV installations. Sunny Boy is also known as the market leader for inverters and provides a 10 year warranty.

Radiant Floor Heating
Boston Solar Living recommends to our customers is to implement a solar thermal system with an existing or new radiant floor heating system. Radiant floor heating is a method of heating a home, shop, or other building with the heat concentrated in the floor. It works by embedding special tubing in a concrete foundation or in a thin concrete mixture on top of a wood-framed floor. Heated water (or a food-grade antifreeze mixture) flows through this tubing, warming the thermal mass of the concrete. Conventional forced-air systems, wood stoves, or other heating methods produce uneven heat, with the highest air temperatures near the ceilings. Hydronic heating puts the heat in the floor under your feet, gently warming a room or a complete structure. This results in similar heating levels with superior comfort without wasting energy and money in monthly fuel bills. The warm water circulated through the tubing in a radiant floor is made even more efficient when it comes from flat plate solar collectors.

The Benefits
Homeowners with radiant floor systems claim it's the most comfortable heating option. Heat is produced evenly across the entire room, eliminating hot and cold spots common with forced-air systems. Radiant heat also warms from the bottom up - when your feet are warm; the rest of your body feels warm too. Radiant systems are also very quiet, with no noisy blower fans or clunky radiators, and they don't circulate dust and allergens like forced-air systems. During the winter, the humidity remains at a more comfortable level. And best of all, radiant heating systems are energy-efficient - you can set the thermostat of a radiant floor heater six to eight degrees lower than usual and have the same level of comfort. Energy savings of 15 to 20 percent are common.

Boston Solar Living not only installs the systems, we also consult with each customer to find their particular needs based on the current energy usage. Boston Solar Living will asses the current usage and determine the systems that should be installed in the house based on location, structure, and need. If applicable, Boston Solar Living will also assist in the renewable energy grant application and educate the homeowner on the federal and state tax credits that are currently available for renewable energy systems. Upon determining the system size, Boston Solar Living will perform all of the installation functions.

• Consulting
• Analysis
• Advice

Contact Us for a free quote.

Products
These are examples of some of the products we believe in at Boston Solar Living:

• Evergreen Solar
• Helio-Pak HX PV
• SOLARSHEAT 1500G

• Energy Star
• Mass Technology Collaborative
• Federal Tax Credits
• CommonWealth Solar
• US Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
• American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

Eco-Friendly Financing

Car buyers now carefully consider MPG or vehicle efficiency in their purchasing decisions. In the past homebuyers paid scant attention to energy efficiency. However, with exponential increases in both gasoline and home heating fuels (oil, natural gas, propane or electricity), energy efficiency is paramount concern for car owners and home owners alike. Current owners of a gas guzzling vehicle have limited options to improve operational efficiency beyond reducing speed and cutting back on usage. Fortunately many if not most homeowners have a myriad of opportunities to implement various energy saving technologies including solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, radiant flooring, heating system upgrades, as well as lighting, etc.

Boston Solar Living has forged strategic relationships with a number of banks and lenders offering attractive terms for homeowners as well as business owners desiring to implement energy-efficient home improvements. Frequently, the installation of an alternative energy system and/or other energy-efficient technologies can provide significant monthly cost savings for greater than the costs of borrowing funds necessary to install the system.

BSL is able to assist its clients in procuring requisite financing for their energy efficient implementations.

Tax Credits and State Rebates

• The IRS provides for a 30% Federal Tax Credit for all commercial installations of Renewable Energy.
• The IRS also allows for a 5 year depreciation deduction on all commercial installations of Renewable Energy.
• The new federal bailout bill recently enacted removed the Cap on tax credits for individual tax payers installing alternative energies. The residential installations now have the same 30% tax credits allowed for commercial installations.
• The State of Massachusetts provides a $3.25 per watt rebate for all commercial installations of solar photovoltaic systems. This rebate is paid through the Mass Technology Collaborative and the rebate must be approved prior to the installation. There is an additional $.25 per watt rebate for photovoltaic systems that are manufactured in Massachusetts.
• The State of Massachusetts provides a $2.25 per watt rebate for all residential installations of solar photovoltaic systems. This rebate is paid through the Mass Technology Collaborative and the rebate must be approved prior to the installation. There is an additional $.25 per watt rebate for photovoltaic systems that are manufactured in Massachusetts.
• Massachusetts provides an income tax credit for individuals who install renewable energy systems (solar or wind-powered) in their residences. The credit is 15% of the net expenditure (including installation) for the system, or $1,000, whichever is less. The credit does not apply to commercial users (M.G.L. C. 62, sec. 6(d)).
• Massachusetts state law exempts from the state sales tax, the sale of equipment directly relating to any solar, wind, or heat pump system to be used as a primary or auxiliary power system for heating or otherwise supplying the energy needs of a person's principal residence in the state. [The exemption does not apply to commercial users (M.G.L. c. 64H, sec. 6(dd).)]