667 per centimeter

Dramatis personæ: How to do zero Carbon emissions at a residence (Westwood, MA)

Updated, 1st October 2019


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Our external meter is now reading negative.

Peak was 2850 in April 2016. Solar panels were grid connected on 31st December 2015.
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Now, and for the last couple of months, our electric bill has been negative:
currentEversource_2016-08-09_090736

This is the trend heading to zero on the meter, including a calculation of household electricity consumption. We heat with electricity, heat hot water with electricity, and have an induction stove:
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How?

Air source heat pumps for heating and cooling:
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You can find the latest on these systems here. We have models ASU12RLF, AUU12RLF, ASU9RLF.

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Air source hot water heater (General Electric):
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And, of course, 29 SunPower PV panels installed by RevoluSun:
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So far we’re generated 6.6 megawatt-hours:
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Our inverter:
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And this is the oil heating system we orphaned to do this:
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Update: 2017-05-26

We have leased a Chevy Volt, and received a bounty from Massachusetts for doing so.

Update, 1st October 2019

The Chevy Volt has very recently been replaced by a Tesla Model 3. The figures above don’t reflect what the Model 3 is doing to our electricity needs. I’ll post an update once we have a half year or so of data.

Responses

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    […] So, are you considering selling a home in Westwood or Wellesley or Dover or Weston or Waltham, Massachusetts? Are you considering building one? Check out what high efficiency energy measures can do for you, solar PV on your roof or property, and air source heat pumps for heating, cool, and even providing hot water. And for the value of your home. See how. […]

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    […] you like (*). Below is the report of that from mid-May through early December 2016 for ours. Recall we have a zero Carbon home, but no EV (see also). We heat and cool the house with air source heat pumps (“ductless […]

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About the author

Sophia Bennett is an art historian and freelance writer with a passion for exploring the intersections between nature, symbolism, and artistic expression. With a background in Renaissance and modern art, Sophia enjoys uncovering the hidden meanings behind iconic works and sharing her insights with art lovers of all levels. When she’s not visiting museums or researching the latest trends in contemporary art, you can find her hiking in the countryside, always chasing the next rainbow.