MCG Designs Cost-Effective Solar Hot Water Rebate Program for the City of Boston

Boston, February 2012: In close collaboration with Boston's Department of Environmental and Energy Services, MCG has designed and will administer new solar hot water (SHW) incentives for the City of Boston's Renew Boston Solar program. Through this program, the City of Boston will match the SHW rebate offered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which already covers up to $3,500 of the upfront cost of residential SHW. Altogether, city, state, and federal incentives combine to offset up to half of the upfront cost of a solar hot water installation.

Andy Belden and Jayson Uppal from MCG led the design and implementation of the rebate program. Driven by the City's solar energy goals, the MCG team created a program that maximizes outreach, incentivizes homeowners to act, and mitigates financial costs for the city. In a parallel process, the MCG team has also coordinated the procurement process to qualify the region’s top solar hot water installers for the program, ensuring that Boston residents receive high quality products at competitive rates.

MCG provides industry-leading services and support to municipal energy and sustainability efforts. The Renew Boston solar partnership has shown that smart investments in residential solar projects can expand the accessibility of clean, cost saving renewable energy technologies to homeowners of all income levels.

More information about the Renew Boston program is available online at www.renewboston.org.
 

Meister Consultants Group, Inc. (MCG) is a Boston-based international consulting firm that specializes in the rapidly expanding field of sustainability. By leveraging participation and dialogue tools as well as our expertise in business and governmental affairs, MCG helps clients shape strategies to adapt to changing events, markets, and policies. MCG is founded on the principle that global best practices can inform even the most localized decisions. As a collaborative partner and consultant, we connect the expertise of our international network with insights of local experts to implement robust sustainability strategies and sustainability programs.