Customer testimonial: Jan Weinberg

Jan Weinberg had been thinking about adding solar energy to her home for years, but decided to take the leap when new federal incentives were announced this year. When she started researching solar companies, it made sense to go with mtvSolar because she lives in Berkeley Springs, WV.

“I live in this community and I shop in this community,” Jan said. “I like a company that hires good local people.”

Jan also liked finding out that mtvSolar is purposefully inclusive in hiring.

Weinberg said everyone who came to install her 17.8 kW array was friendly, professional and conscientious.

“They were right on the ball and right on time,” she said.

“MTV Solar was incredible to work with. They explained things in a way I could understand, and they continually kept me informed as to their progress – they were always on schedule,” Jan said. “They were great communicators and very efficient.”

Henry Gill-Newton flipped the switch on for her array in February, and she saw her electricity bill drop immediately from $325 to $25. The system’s 45 Tesla modules grab full sun on her home and one side of her garage – more panels that she had initially planned. Her daughter encouraged Jan to use as much roof space as possible to take advantage of the power generation.

Jan said the lower electric bills are fantastic, but she was equally motivated to invest in solar because of her commitment to the environment.

“I think it’s our duty and our responsibility to do anything to help the environment, even in a small way,” Jan said.

She sees her investment in solar as a long-term gain, and one she hopes her children will benefit from.

“I’m old. I don’t do all the new technology or software. So why would I choose solar? I believe it’s a great investment – especially in the future by cutting the carbon footprint,” Jan said. “I highly recommend mtvSolar to any of my friends and family members.”

Sun, home & vehicle — power in every direction

One of the most exciting developments in energy recently has been the debut of bi-directional electrical vehicle (EV) chargers. This technology, now becoming available in the marketplace, has turned home-to-EV chargers into a conduit to vehicle battery power. Combined with solar PV panels that bring power into a home or business, the bi-directional EV chargers can create a flow of renewable energy that integrates the key parts of everyday life.

As The Washington Post reported recently, electrical vehicle manufacturers have recognized the value of making an EV’s large battery storage capacity available to their owners for more than just driving up the road. A fully-charged EV sitting in the garage can now — with the right accompanying equipment — be tapped to power a home when needed.

Power goes both ways

Because electric vehicles already have the capability to dispense electricity, the leap to send power back to the home was a logical next step. Some EV manufacturers have now built their vehicles with that in mind.

“Instead of plugging appliances into the truck, the truck plugs into the house, replacing the grid. This requires some equipment: an 80-amp bidirectional charger and a home integration system, which is a hardware unit that allows you to disconnect your house from the grid and power it with the truck,” the Post reported about one such vehicle.

Poised for new technology

One of our product partners, Enphase, is developing their own product to enable the V2H and V2G flow.

Enphase is currently working with EV manufacturers, regulators, and others to bring their bidirectional charger to market in 2024.

mtvSolar has evolved with the solar and battery industry since day one and is excited to see the Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology become available to our customers. Our team has more than a decade of experience installing EV chargers in our customers’ homes and businesses in tandem with solar, and we are poised to add V2H and V2G options as they continue to roll out into the renewable energy market.

To stay connected with mtvSolar and see how we continue to help customers achieve their energy goals, like us on Facebook or email us with questions at info@mtvsolar.com.

Remote work hinges on the power to stay connected

Working from home wasn’t born during COVID, but pandemic shutdowns and evolving workplaces have made remote work a new mainstream way of earning a living.

Waves of urban and suburban workers have spread out into more rural communities, where the cost of living is lower. More land choices, greater options for homesteading and dreams of self-sufficiency led people to buy homes and property outside of metropolitan areas. Because of remote work options, that no longer means giving up good-paying jobs or professional opportunities. It’s now normal to work on a business team that’s spread across several states, or even countries, and to hold meetings where no one is in the same room together. Adapting to this new work flow has happened successfully for millions of people across all industries. But this revolution hinges on two key factors – the availability of broadband internet and reliable electricity.

Many communities in rural states like West Virginia are pooling federal, state and local resources to expand broadband service to all residents – from families with school children to remote workers. Broadband internet is now considered to be an essential utility, much like electricity.

But some rural residents struggle when electric service fails, taking away the power source for their connection to remote work. Lost power means lost worktime, as some newly-rural workers are finding out. A multi-day outage, not uncommon in some small communities, has impacts on both home and work opportunities.

Solar energy is an excellent option for home power needs, but can be an even bigger game-changer in times of total power outages or grid failures. With a properly-designed system of solar PV panels and battery storage, a house and home office can continue to run essential equipment no matter what the power grid does. Big advances in battery storage options, along with energy management tools, mean mtvSolar customers can control their own power system. These systems — whether in a home or a small business — can be a wise investment for remote workers whose livelihood and new way of life are dependent on continuous broadband internet access, and the power to stay connected.  

If you’re interested in learning more about our expertise in designing a solar power and battery system for your home, business and remote working needs, read more here: https://mtvsolar.com/resource-center/all-about-batteries/ or contact us for a consultation.

mtvSolar marks César Chávez Day with service

Mountain View Solar celebrates a company Day of Service in the communities where we live and work during the last week of March, in honor of the Latino civil rights and agricultural labor organizer César Chávez. In 2014, César Chávez Day was declared a U.S. commemorative holiday on March 31 in honor of Chávez’ birthday. Chávez worked to improve the labor and living conditions of migrant farm workers, particularly in Arizona and California, where César Chávez Day is a state holiday.

Mike McKechnie

mtvSolar has a company commitment to service, but president and founder Mike McKechnie chose to honor the day for a very personal reason, as he explained in a company message:

“I was adopted when I was 2 weeks old, and raised in a wonderful, loving family. My Mom and Dad, sisters Mary and Kiki, and my brother Pete; this is my family, and I love them all so much. I have had a great life, full of opportunities, and chances to do what I thought I might want to, always supported and allowed to think differently and follow my dreams by my family. My birth mother was Cookie Goepel (Cookie passed away earlier this year) and my birth father was César Chávez (César died in 1993, probably as a complication from his last fast). I always felt like I could not tell people or talk about it growing up and most of my adult life, until now,” said Mike.

Chávez and his family became migrant workers after his parents lost their farm in Arizona during the Great Depression. He worked alongside siblings in several migrant camps, then left to serve two years in the U.S. Navy. After his service, he returned to migrant farmwork in Arizona and California.

César Chávez

“César spent the rest of his life fighting for la causa (the cause).  He was a civil rights, Latino and farm labor leader; a community organizer and social entrepreneur; a champion of militant nonviolent social change; and a crusader for the environment and consumer rights.  He was best known for his efforts to gain better working conditions for the thousands of workers who labored on farms for low wages and under severe conditions.  His legacy is of serving the under-served, of championing for the greater good,” Mike said. “This is a part of my story, and my heritage.”

Company employees will contribute their time and expertise with a variety of non-profit agencies in Berkeley Springs, WV and Winchester, VA to support their missions.

Employees will be lending a hand at The Kids Club of Northern Shenandoah Valley, Humane Society of Morgan County, Morgan County Starting Points and Morgan County Early Head Start.

“I want us all to go and help the less fortunate people in our communities. Give them a hand with the things they need help with,” said Mike.

Beware of fast & free solar schemes

Adding a solar generation system to your home or business can feel like a big step, with a substantial price tag attached. There’s no way around the fact that solar panels and electrical work cost money. The return on investment is calculated in years, not months.

Unfortunately, there are many solar energy “offers” out there which can put unknowing customers in a bad situation — often by claiming to be able to give away free panels or systems. These misleading scenarios can involve solar leases – where the property owner never owns the system – or outright scams.

If you’re considering adding solar to your home or business, it’s worth the time to check out the details of these offers before signing any contract or letting someone alter your property in any way.

At mtvSolar, we hear from many people that they have been approached by someone wanting to sell or “give” them a solar system – often a ready-made setup that can’t be customized — if they’ll only sign the contract TODAY. This is a red flag for any transaction, and we’re glad to hear many customers say they walked away from those “offers.”

In our experience, most customers want to own their own solar equipment. That lets them be more energy independent, adds home value, qualifies them for tax credits and allows them to manage their own energy usage.

Even with a growing pot of grant money and tax credits out there to support renewable energy efforts, solar panels aren’t free up front. The panels cost money, connectors and electrical supplies cost money, and the skills of a well-trained crew and electrician cost money.

Our Solar PV Consultants are up front about this fact, and spend time running through the numbers with our customers to see how a system can be financed, and will reduce utility costs over the long run.  mtvSolar customers can be eligible for zero-down loans to finance a solar installation over 10-20 years, or a number of other incentives that can reduce the cost of a system. We know that solar is a good financial choice, because we’ve helped customers cut their power bills and even earn money back through solar credits, where available.

mtvSolar has been designing custom solar energy solutions for residential, agricultural and commercial customers since 2009. We’re not in a rush to sell you a ready-made solar system, because that’s not how we work. Each customer has their own energy goal, and each project is unique. We spend the time to educate customers about their options, to customize a system to their goals, and to install it properly so it functions as it should.

Take your time to learn more about solar. Visit our “Resource Center” section on mtvsolar.com to see Frequently Asked Questions and check out the gallery of our work. When you’re ready, we’ll be here to help you achieve your solar energy dreams.

As Maryland electric rates rise, solar options grow

Maryland electric customers are about to see their residential power bills jump up as part of a planned electric rate increase approved by the state’s utility regulators. Meanwhile, the market for solar energy credits remains strong, making this an optimal time to put solar to work for you and your wallet.

Customers of Potomac Edison will see their costs for Standard Offer Service (SOS) electricity rise on May 31, 2023 from 6.537/kWh to 8.910/kWh – more than a 30% increase. That price will remain in place for just four months. On October 1, 2023, the price for electricity will be 9.22 cents/kWh. Again, that price is just for the short term – through May 31, 2024. The price for SOS electricity from June 1, 2024 – May 31, 2025 will be set by Potomac Edison in January of 2024, the company says. Those costs reflect what electricity is costing Potomac Edison from its suppliers, the company says.

Maryland electric customers have choices about their power suppliers, from the open market to their own roof.

Solar energy continues to be a growing part of Maryland’s energy portfolio and is a very viable source for residential power needs. Customers can buy into community solar projects, seek out other renewables or install their own solar panels. Right now, there are unprecedented levels of federal grants and tax credits to make residential and commercial solar generation an achievable reality. If you’ve been interested in adding solar energy to your home to offset rising costs for electricity, this clearly is the time to take a step in that direction.

For commercial operations and farms, additional funding for renewable energy projects remains available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as part of their REAP grants – Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans & Grants. Project applications are due by March 31, 2023 for qualifying projects that serve small businesses and farms.

mtvSolar is your experienced, reliable source for guidance on adding solar to a home, business or farm in Maryland and the surrounding states. Explore our website, visit our FAQ page for Frequently Asked Questions about solar and click here to get your free estimate.

Going solar just got a boost with new federal credits & incentives

mtvSolar is excited to learn of new levels of federal support for clean energy projects, adding another layer of incentives for residential and commercial customers to install solar as their power source. These investments in growing the clean energy economy will have special impact around rural coal communities and on sustainable energy projects in low-income communities. Details of these programs were released just last week by the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Department of Energy and the IRS.

mtvSolar has a long track record of building out solar in underserved communities, and working with partners to boost solar in low-income areas.

Danny Chiotos, mtvSolar Director of Product Delivery, said the U.S. government’s new funds for clean energy create “stacked incentives” to offset the costs of solar panels, battery systems, smart electric panels and related electrical work.

Commercial solar projects have access to the widest variety of federal credits, said Danny. Businesses can receive the standard 30% federal tax credit for solar energy project costs, can apply for the USDA and Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans & Grants to possibly cover up to 40% of the cost of commercial projects, plus the new location-based incentives that can add 10% additional credits for projects in coal-affected communities, and in low-income communities.

“When you start adding those together, we can be talking about covering nearly all of the costs of a commercial solar energy installation,” said Danny.

Residential solar projects can still receive the 30% federal tax credit for new systems, plus applicable depreciation on a homeowner’s taxes each year. Other credits may be available from individual state tax departments for energy efficiency work, using American-made clean energy components and more.

Customers are encouraged to consult their tax advisors as they work with our PV Consultants to make the most of these new federal incentives to power a business, farm or home with solar.

And it’s worth remembering that all tax credits and financial incentives are added to our customers’ main savings – free electricity generated by their solar panels harnessing the power of the sun.

Get in shape for summer – prep solar plans in winter to maximize energy payback all year

The sun shines year ‘round, so why does timing matter when it comes to designing and installing a solar energy system for your home or business? As Danny Chiotos, our Director of Product Delivery, explains, cold weather months are the best time to take steps towards adding solar to your home, farm or business. The goal, he said, is to be ready to generate electricity when the sun is shining brightest.

Danny Chiotos

Summer offers the most solar generation potential from your panels, giving you a chance to “overproduce” energy – generate more energy than your home, farm or business needs. 

In areas where homeowners can sell Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs), that extra energy can generate funds over and above the free energy you gain for your own use. But even in states that don’t offer that benefit, covering your own energy usage through solar generation translates to instant savings. In summer, our customers see their panels working at their top performance, building up the “energy bank” to offset lower production months.

Sizing a solar energy system, setting up financing, securing permits and installing the components doesn’t happen instantly. “The process is months long,” Danny explains. The ideal time to get in touch with mtvSolar is when winter has settled in. That will allow solar panels to be installed early in the year, and turned on to capture the sun as production capabilities start to rise.

“There are noticeable rises in production from March to September and October,” Danny said.

Production graphs show the monthly solar output of a 9.45-kilowatt roof-mount system in Jefferson County, WV.

As he explains, if a home solar energy system produces more than a customer’s electricity demand in a month, a customer has no energy costs (other than the fixed fee from the electric utility) and can have additional kilowatt hours that roll into the next month. In mild months like September, a home system could still be “building the bank” of excess energy, since there is generally lower energy demand – less need for air conditioning a home and only occasional days that require heat.  Even with lower solar energy production of fall, the system has still put the homeowner ahead.

Solar production is at its lowest rate in the winter and energy demand goes up. It’s a predictable cycle, and one that mtvSolar’s consultants build into their custom plans for each home, farm or business.

If solar energy is on your list of priorities for the year, now is the optimal time to get in touch with us. Tell us your energy goals, and we will design a system that can meet them. Taking a few steps now will make it possible to capture the full potential of the summer sun, and put it to work for you as the seasons unfold.

Feds amp up grant support for solar energy projects

Renewable energy generation, efficiency upgrades & equipment for farms & businesses can now qualify for 40% grants 

In 2023, solar energy projects that power businesses and farms can be eligible to get back 40% of the cost of equipment and installation under new grant guidelines of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) program. Grant levels shot up this year from 25% to 40% of project costs, giving small farm and business owners a big boost in adding solar power to their operations.

mtvSolar is excited to see this jump in grant support for solar projects, which will put solar within reach for many more rural entrepreneurs. We know it makes a difference because we’ve already helped many customers qualify for REAP grants to make the step into solar energy. 

Valley Car Wash goes solar.

Mike Studholme, our Senior Solar PV and Battery Consultant, has worked with a wide variety of customers who harnessed the REAP grants to add sustainable power to their small business or farm.

Successful applications have added solar panels to river outfitters, small farm operations, a car wash, chiropractic clinic and a substance use recovery center.

Mike said most small businesses in West Virginia, and many across mtvSolar’s service area, qualify as “rural” on the USDA map. 

Mountaineer Recovery Center

The great news is that REAP grants can be used along with tax credits and depreciation schedules to finance a solar project. Those combined resources can cover the majority cost of a solar power installation, creating a substantial return on investment over the life of the system.

If you’ve been considering adding solar panels, battery systems or looking for ways to ramp up your energy efficiency, now is the time. We know the process, and are here to help you reduce the cost of your project and meet your energy goals. Here are some things to know:

What energy projects can qualify? Grants can be used for small and large solar generation, geothermal systems, and other renewable energy forms. 

Who can get the grants? Small business owners who get 50% of the gross income from farm or business activities in eligible rural areas.

When do we apply? The first round of grant applications for REAP are due March 31 for this fiscal year. Because the process takes several steps, get in touch with us now to talk about your solar project. mtvSolar knows the REAP process, and can walk customers through the application process. Smaller projects may be eligible for remaining grants, under an October grant deadline.

How much will the grants fund? Renewable Energy System grants range from a minimum of $2,500 to a max of $1 million. Energy Efficiency Grants range from $1,500 to $500,000.

Farm and business owners can also apply for guaranteed loans for up to 75% of project costs under the federal energy program.

Rural Energy for America Program has been key to making renewable energy projects possible for entrepreneurs and farmers. We’ve seen it for our customers and watched the impact on their electric bills and in their communities. REAP is there to support rural economic growth, energy independence and a cleaner future.

Powering recovery with solar energy & job opportunities

Employees are always at the heart of what mtvSolar does – and so is doing good in the community.

enerG Magazine recently profiled one of ways we tied all of the company priorities together in a single project. Editor Paul MacDonald penned “Appalachian Solar Power benefits Recovery Center” in the magazine’s last issue of 2022.

It recounts how mtvSolar added job training and life skills to the benefits they brought to a solar installation on a Martinsburg, West Virginia recovery center. Mountaineer Behavioral Health partnered with mtvSolar to put a 200kW system on their facility last year.

During the process of planning the project, the director asked if mtvSolar would consider hiring some of their clients, who are recovering from various substance use disorders and other challenges, to help with the installation. As Mike Studholme told the magazine, the answer was a careful “yes.” With thoughtful interviews and training by the experienced mtvSolar crew, two clients at Mountaineer Behavioral Health were hired to assist with the facility’s project.

“Giving back to the community through employment is something that is very important to us,” said Studholme. “And one of the most important things for someone in recovery is to have a daily purpose.” Helping mtvSolar to install solar components that will power Mountaineer’s recovery center offered up that kind of purpose.

A second phase will add even more panels to another Mountaineer recovery center building in 2023. 

To read the full story from MacDonald, read enerG Magazine’s online here: https://digitalmag.altenerg.com/?shareKey=YImyMw or visit www.altenerg.com.