Housing Nantucket’s Anne Kuszpa and Zach Dusseau of ACK Smart (foreground), as Zach and his team install 6.84 kW of rooftop solar at 1 Norwood Street
Grant Funding Fuels Solar Initiative
(Feb. 23, 2022) With support from the ReMain Nantucket Fund and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), Housing Nantucket has teamed up with local solar company ACK Smart to install rooftop panels on some of our affordable rental properties, reducing energy insecurity for our tenants. These rental homes, which were created through our House Recycling Program, now contribute even more to Nantucket’s sustainability efforts by capturing environmental resources as well as preserving a place for the year-round workforce to call home.
Solar Panels Reduce Energy Burden
Energy costs on Nantucket Island continue to rank among the highest in the United States, primarily due to the transmission logistics of delivering energy to a remote location. For low-income residents, high utility costs consume a significant portion of the household budget and present a barrier to financial stability. These households spend disproportionately more of their income on utility costs because they must pay the same surcharges and distribution rates as higher-income ratepayers in the service area. In these cases, heavy energy burdens often lead to energy insecurity, meaning households must choose between heat and other essential needs.
9.5 kW of solar capacity recently installed at 66 Pochick Street
Revolving Renewable Energy Fund
When creating a list of houses best equipped for solar installation, our staff short-lists properties with large, south-facing, unshaded rooves with minimal venting. We collect electric bills from tenants and analyze energy consumption of each household. Additionally, we review the tenant’s household income to determine whether they are on the appropriate electric rate.
In our model, tenants who receive power generated from the solar panels experience a modest increase in their monthly rent. In return, they benefit from a lower and stable electricity cost on an annual basis. Housing Nantucket, as the owners of the panels, receives revenue from selling the SMART energy credits in the secondary market. The increased rental income, as well as the SMART revenue, goes into a revolving energy fund for future solar panel installations and additional energy efficiency measures.
9.5 kW of solar capacity recently installed at 17 Irving Street
Support from the ReMain Nantucket Fund and MassCEC, as well as donors to our Community Investment Tax Credit program, have allowed us to minimize financial hardship for our tenants while generating income for our nonprofit purpose. Most importantly, our efforts contribute to wider solar acceptance and usage on the island, expanding renewable energy as a viable solution for our island community.
Please join our efforts and help this initiative grow.
