126 Self Storage of Ashland Goes Green With Solar Panels

Michael Kane, owner of 126 Self Storage in Ashland, Mass., recently installed 99 solar panels on 2,000 square feet of his facility’s roof in an effort to be more green―environmentally and financially. He started using the panels two weeks ago.  According to Kane, the sun will provide approximately 60 percent of the power he needs to run the facility’s office and exterior lights. He’s hoping to reduce his business’ carbon footprint.
 
Installed by SolarFlair of Hopkinton, the panels could one day cover all 57,000 square feet of Kane’s facility, he said. While they cost him $149,817, he received a $67,568 rebate from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, a $44,945 federal tax credit, a $7,221 state tax credit and other incentives that brought the price down to $45,312. Kane said he’ll pay that off in six to seven years and then, theoretically, he should make money on the system, which is expected to generate about 18,900 kilowatt hours per year. In addition to saving about $3,800 on utility bills, he can possibly sell electricity back to his utility company.
 
Matt Arner, president of SolarFlair, is marketing the idea to other self-storage companies. His two-year-old firm works with clients to maximize return on investment.
 
Source: The MetroWest Daily News, Ashland businessman Michael Kane using solar panels