How EnergySage equipped Allen with knowledge and power

Allen Dean isn’t easily impressed. He’s thorough and analytical, he asks smart questions, and he sees right through sales gimmicks. So, it’s unsurprising that the first solar salesman who knocked on Allen’s door in 2023 left empty-handed.  

The exchange, however, got Allen thinking about solar again. He dusted off the quotes and pamphlets he collected in 2015 when he first considered installing solar panels and started researching current offerings. What he found was a congested market that made it hard to know where to start, let alone how to sift fact from fiction. 

“The amount of information you need to know to go solar is overwhelming,” Allen said. “Having something that put things into categories that made sense to me was really helpful.”

Solar energy is complicated. It’s a confusing space, an expensive purchase, and plenty of bad players are looking to take advantage of the situation. It’s easy to go in circles without guidance. Making an educated decision requires not only understanding the technology and how it interacts with your utility and your home, but also local regulations and incentive programs. 

Knowledge is power, and Allen found that in EnergySage.

EnergySage’s informative content, online marketplace, and unbiased Energy Advisors make it easy for homeowners like Allen to learn more about their options, confidently shop for clean energy solutions, and compare installation offers.  

Allen answered a few questions about his property on EnergySage and was connected with his personal Energy Advisor, Maria Kiley. Unlike the solar company salesman who came to Allen’s house, EnergySage Energy Advisors work solely on behalf of the customer. They’re energy experts available (for free) to answer questions, provide context around rebates and other incentives, and offer personalized assistance, whether it’s through multiple phone calls or by simply responding to questions via email. 

Maria helped Allen review potential solar installers based on their warranties and company reputations.  

“Maria and I discussed how long each installer had been around and what kind of warranty they had,” Allen said. “Can I reasonably expect that they’ll be around in five years? What happens when something goes wrong? Because this is not something that I’m going to be able to fix myself.”

"I talk to a lot of smart homeowners, like Allen, who are simply looking for straightforward, honest answers to their questions,” Maria said. “It makes sense — like any long-term investment, I would want to assess the potential risks and ‘what ifs?’ before making a commitment."

Empowered with a solid understanding of the solar landscape, Allen collected several quotes both from EnergySage and through his own outreach. He was able to make apples-to-apples comparisons between the quotes using EnergySage’s comparison shopping tools.

Ultimately, Allen hired Great Sky Solar to install an 11.2-kilowatt solar panel system on his home:

• System size: 11.2 kW

• Solar panels: Qcells DUO BLK ML-G10+ 400 Q.PEAK 400 watt

• Inverter: Enphase IQ8+ microinverters

Allen’s decision to go solar resulted in an average annual savings of $3,500, fully covering his annual energy needs. As Maria wisely noted, in Massachusetts, it’s key not to overproduce—since you won’t be able to reclaim those extra credits.