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Mason resident Ray Scholl speaks to residents about his solar installation during a Community Supper for the Solar Curious on Thursday. -
Residents had a community supper and heard from homeowners who have installed solar panels in Mason on Thursday. -
Linda Lannin speaks to residents about her experiences putting a solar array on her roof.
The Mason Congregational Church was filled with tables where residents were eating a supper of roast chicken and vegetables Thursday.
Around the edges were smaller tables, where Mason residents who have gone through the process of putting up solar panels on their roofs or in ground mounts were ready to answer questions.
Sponsored by the Mason Energy Commission, the Community Supper for the Solar Curious was a way for the community to gather and share information with their neighbors – and possibly generate some interest.
Curt Spacht, who is both a member of the Energy Commission and a solar owner, said the idea of the supper was to provide resources and information for those who were interested, but have yet to bite the bullet on solar panels.
“We’re not salespeople,” Spacht said. “We’re not going to sell anything. But we are going to offer advice to people who are interested in doing solar. And we’re hoping that we will be able to convince at least some to do it.”
Multiple people in Mason with solar power attended the supper. Some had theirs professionally installed, while some did it themselves and some used a hybrid system. Some were roof mounts, and some ground.
Ray Scholl said he installed a roof-mounted array about 2 ½ years ago, with 31 panels producing about 9.3 kilowatts of energy. He said he’s an over-producer, paying for his own energy needs, plus about $400 extra each year.
Scholl went with a model that required him to do a lot of the legwork prior to the installation and put in the panels with community help through the Hillsborough Area Renewable Energy Initiative, or HAREI, which offset the upfront cost of his array. He expects the panels to pay for themselves within the next two years, and then there will be only benefits for the next 20 to 25 years of the life of the array.
Scholl said the HAREI model is based on “neighbor helping neighbor,” which is why he wanted to attend the dinner and help answer questions people might have.
“Mason is a small town – it’s what we do,” Scholl said.
Scholl said his experience with solar has been so positive, he’s hoping to add more panels to his barn, and put in a mini-split to offset his oil and wood heating.
“I’m very happy with it,” Scholl said.
Matt and Trish Cross, who have the largest array in town, producing 18.5 kW, also used HAREI to install their roof mount and solar battery system.
Trish Cross said they designed their system oversized for their usual output, because they wanted an energy-neutral home. They overproduce in the summer, but use that excess they sell to the grid in the sunny months to offset their winter usage.
While the Crosses used HAREI to install their current system, it’s not the first time they’ve used solar, Trish said. Their previous home had a ground-mount array. When they built their new home, they designed it not only to have a solar array on the roof, but to include battery storage, an upgrade from their previous setup.
“When we acquired land and built our new house, we knew from the start that we were going to do solar again,” Trish said.
For those that missed the dinner, or are interested in more information about solar, visit masonnhenergy.org for updates with information about general energy information, solar, electric vehicles and renewables.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.