WALTHAM, MA – National Grid has been recognized for its innovative online marketplace that simplifies the process of installing solar energy for its customers by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC). In 2016, National Grid collaborated with EnergySage, a company that matches solar customers with qualified installers, to create a utility-sponsored, first-of-its-kind online solar marketplace for customers in Rhode Island. In 2018, the program was expanded to Upstate New York and will soon be available to Massachusetts residents via the state’s Mass Save initiative. The marketplace has resulted in hundreds of solar installations across National Grid’s service territory and thousands of quotes generated by prospective solar customers, driving a transition to clean energy and supporting clean energy jobs in the Northeast.

The program foundation is built on educating customers not only on the benefits of installing solar systems to power their home but to make them aware of the resources available through National Grid to advise and consult on the best ways to reduce energy costs and improving consumer sustainability.

 “At National Grid, customers are at the heart of our clean energy transition, from solar and storage to energy efficiency,” said Gregory Knight, Chief Customer Officer at National Grid. “I am proud that our marketplace proactively engages National Grid customers to help them better understand their home's solar potential by providing them with the information and tools needed to make an educated decision. When customers have the knowledge and confidence to move forward in their solar shopping journey, they are dramatically more likely to embrace clean energy technologies and contribute to a decarbonized energy future.”

The awarded programs are designed to engage customers around solar and storage technologies and to educate them about their options. Each of these steps – from education and exploration to shopping and buying – can be accomplished entirely online with complete transparency. This is accomplished through a number of resources available to National Grid customers:

• A property-specific Solar Calculator for learning the costs and benefits of going solar.
• An online Solar Marketplace for comparing multiple, custom solar quotes from local, pre-screened contractors in a standardized, apples-to-apples format.
• A Consumer Reports-style Buyer’s Guide for learning and evaluating panels, inverters, and batteries.
• Access to trained Energy Advisors available to customers by email and live chat, as well as by phone.

"The high engagement that we've seen with this program is testament to the customer's desire for actionable information and National Grid's leadership in this area," said Tess O’Brien, vice president of partnerships at EnergySage. “Thanks to National Grid’s forward-thinking, customer-centric approach and EnergySage’s commitment to transparency and information, we’ve been able to achieve meaningful results by providing helpful tools and resources that customers really like.”

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