We installed our simple, low cost GE induction cooktop about 15 years ago as part of a kitchen renovation project, and we both agree it was the best thing we did in the renovation. The fast response to controls, power for quickly boiling water and control for steaming rice (and even melting chocolate without a double boiler are something no other cook top can match. Because it is so easy to clean it still looks great. We had considered installing a propane cooktop, but we are glad we didn’t! Going back to a gas cooktop at a vacation home always reminds us we made a great choice, we would never go back to gas cooking, or cooking with a convetional electric resistance cooktop. 

I added an Air Source Heat Pump (HP) to heat our home, and so have little need for our old oil fired boiler, except it has a tankless coil used to make hot water. This is a very inefficient way to make hot water, it was perhaps in the range of 60-65% efficient. Another unsatisfactory aspect is that the water temperature varied when taking a shower, as the boiler cycled on and off.

After doing some research, I settled on a 65 gal RHEEM HP WH (Heat Pump Water Heater, to be installed in our unheated basement. For all of 2023, I measured our use of 9,300 gallons of hot water and a use of 1500 KWhrs of electricity purchased from Hudson Light and Power for a total annual cost of $195.

We are pleased with the performance. We especially enjoy the consistent water temperature the HP WH provided. While I did insulate the basement at the same time as the HP WH was installed, there has been no significant difference in the basement temperature. A big bonus to the HP WH is that it dehumidifies our basement enough we no longer have the need for a dehumidifier, which formerlly used quite a lot of electricity. 

When the HP WH is running, it makes about as much noise as a window mounted air conditioner, and produces about as much cool air.

I would advise those considering installing a HP WH to be sure their installer is familiar with, and can repair the HP WH you install. I had a thermistor fail, and while the part was covered under warranty the labor was not and my plumber unfortunately had no experience in performing the repair, so it took longer than it would have otherwise.

We started out switching incandescents to CFLs many years ago and noticed the change in our electricity bill. Perhaps the largest change was due to switching a number of high wattage recessesd lights in our family room, where we spend a great deal of time, especially in the winter. When LEDs became less expensive, we swtiched out the CFLs over time without noting a great deal of change in our electricity bills. 

We bought our new Chevy Bolt in February, 2019, in part because a friend bought one.  Also, because of  people on the Chevy Bolt Users Forum said they were enjoying their Bolts, offering a frank and open discussion of their experiences. We installed a Level 2 charger in our garage, and signed up for the Hudson Light and Power overnight charging rebate program. We found it very convenient to come home and plug it in for overnight charging – no more stops at the gas station in the rain and snow! We only charge it once or twice a week, since it has an EPA rated range of 260 mi.

It’s a really fun car to drive, with nearly silent, smooth and powerful acceleration. It is super stable and responsive to steering since the battery is under the floor, for an extremely low center of gravity. Using ‘one pedal’ driving mode means hardly ever having to use the brake pedal during most driving, providing a smoother, better controlled and more relaxing driving experience.

Taking longer trips does take some advance planning. Using phone applications like ChargeHub.com helps a great deal by quickly locating Level 2 and DC Fast charging stations, and indicating if they are available. After about three years we found we were only driving our gas car about 2000-3000 miles per year, so in 2022 we replaced it with a second BEV, and haven’t regretted that decision either, traveling as far as Florida in less than two days. BEVs (battery electric vehicle) are so much more enjoyable than driving gas cars, we would never go back.

Our experience has been they require very little maintenance, basically rotate the tires, change wiper blades, and change the coolant after 5 years or 50,000 miles. And with the remarkably inexpensive and very clean electricity we get from Hudson Light and Power, we not only save a lot of money, but feel good about the greatly reduced GHG emissions, and other considerations of not using gasoline.

Working with my wife and friend at First Parish, we've planted two pollinator gardens. The first was in our own yard. We began by smotheringthe existing grass with wet newspapers and wet leaves. We covered the leaves with top soil. After about six months, we planted through through this mulch. We used a set of 50 "plugs" of native plants we bought from Native Plant Trust. These established well with a little regular watering, but it was the second year when they really began to fill in and take off.  

We repeated this process with a second pollinator garden on a patch of lawn in fron of First Parish Church. This garden is about a year behind the one we planted in our yard, so a little slower getting established.

In June of 2017 our Photovoltaic (PV) system went 'on line' with Hudson Light and Power! Because we have a 'hip' style roof, were were only able to squeeze on 15 Sunpower X21  335 watt panels for a total system capacity of 5 KW. Sunpower solar panels are a bit more expensive than others, but have excellent specifications along with a warranty limiting production degradation over time. They are also produced in a more environmentally responsible way, see the comparison 2018-19 Solar Scorecard. For more information on the scorecard.

This system produces an average of about 6000 KWHrs/year, which is over half of our total annual electricity use of about 11,000 Kwhrs for almost all space heating and cooling, hot water, lights and appliances, and as well as charging two battery only electric cars. This system was a substantial investment, but the 30% Federal Tax Credit and State Tax Credit helped a great deal in making it a more affordable long term investment that will return additional value when we eventually sell the house. So far the PV System has generated over 44,000 KWhrs of silent, very low carbon electricity !