As the old adage goes, “Good things take time.” Dedicated supporters of solar energy and electric vehicles have long found comfort with those four words. Fortunately that adage, to the delight of environmentalists and consumers alike, soon may not apply.
Just last year My Generation Energy was one of the first owners on Cape Cod of an all electric Nissan Leaf. 7,953 miles and the equivalent of $270.40 of solar energy ‘fuel’ later and the brightly My Generation Energy adorned Leaf is raising awareness that solar and electric vehicles are a perfect combination; good for your wallet today and good for the future tomorrow. At today’s gas prices ($3.65 per gallon) a gas powered vehicle would have to get over 100 miles per gallon in order to match My Generation Energy’s fuel sipping Nissan Leaf.
In addition to the peace of mind and the electricity savings of using an electric car powered by solar, you’ll also be glad to know that you’re doing it efficiently. A life-cycle assessment study recently published in Environmental Science & Technology found that using PV is 30 to 200 times more efficient than using biofuels in powering a vehicle. A small but increasingly important part of the energy and car market, solar and electric vehicles respectively have seen tremendous growth in the past few years alone. That growth can be attributed to a number of factors including maybe most considerably a greater understanding of the financial benefits of these proven technologies. According to McKinsey and Company the economic potential for solar in Massachusetts, in less than a decade, is 10 GigaWatts – 50 times the current amount of solar in the state – . That means smaller electric bills and reducing the billions we send out of the state every year for energy. For electric cars we can see a similar trend. According to Pike Research, “Sales of plug-in electric vehicles will grow at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 40% over the remainder of the decade, while the overall auto market will expand by only two percent a year.” Electric vehicles sales in 2012 alone impressively tripled from the prior year according to Green Car Reports.
Charging stations as well are rapidly beginning to become part of the transportation landscape. That means spending less on gas and using more energy generated closer to where you drive. It’s no wonder communities across Southeastern Massachusetts like those in Plymouth, Bristol, and Barnstable County are generating the benefits of using solar and electric vehicles in growing numbers. My Generation Energy is proud to be a part of this important opportunity for homeowners, businesses and landowners by providing the solar energy solutions that save them money and help them run more efficiently. Feel free to contact us about how we can develop the best solar installation for you (and feel free to ask about the Leaf).
My Generation Energy’s Nissan Leaf is powered by Brewster Community Solar Garden® Cooperative.
