New Study Examines Boston's Solar Energy

Problems with space and sunlight obstruction pose no barrier to solar energy usage in Boston, a study released last week by the Kennedy School's Energy and Environmental Policy Center concludes.

Solar energy, however, will not be able to compete economically with fossil fuels, although existing tax credits and subsidies encourage homeowners to use some technologies, the report's author. Michael Shapiro, a former associate professor and the current chief of the Regulation Impacts Branch of the Environmental Protection Agency, says.

The study, which was done on a $75,000 grant from the Department of Energy, focuses especially on Boston's solar energy possibilities, Lee said. Shapiro said he conducted the research because there had been little previous analysis on urban solar feasibility.

"In urban areas, the argument in the past has been that surrounding structures preclude solar energy," Shapiro said this week. The study, which looked at a random sampling of buildings in the Boston area, concludes that "physical accessibility to sunlight should not, per se, prevent substantial application of solar technologies in urban areas such as Boston."

Shapiro stressed that his report does not necessarily advocate increasing solar energy investments, but rather provides new data on it. "One has to make a policy decision as to whether one wants to subsidize solar energy," he said.

Current subsidies and tax credits "make a number of solar applications reasonably attractive," the study states, but continues that "in the absence of a more direct subsidy system, lower-income groups will not find solar investments attractive."

Massachusetts is already encouraging solar energy use in Boston, Buz Laughlin of the Massachusetts Energy Resources Office said this week. "We believe that if it is cost-effective, it should be done. We're doing everything possible to encourage energy efficiency."

Laughlin mentioned the state's 35-per-cent tax credit for solar energy users as an example of its support for solar energy development.

Richard Wilson, professor of Physics, agreed with the study's conclusion that solar energy is feasible. "We clearly can do a fair amount of house heating that way," he said.