From Sunlight to Savings: A Rooftop Solar Success Story

By Sara Vinson, Sustainable Newton Co-Founder & Secretary

Mike McQuaide is our second Sustainable Star of 2025. Mike is a professor emeritus of sociology at Oxford College and a former Sustainable Newton board member. Mike and his wife Stacy Bell installed solar panels on their historic Oxford home in 2023. We asked Mike some questions about the decision to go solar, the process and the results that they’ve seen.

What inspired you to install rooftop solar panels?
We were inspired to install solar panels for several reasons.  When we learned about the many positive consequences of solar panels in reducing greenhouse gasses we also learned about the number of trees that would have to be planted to sequester the same amount of gases that the solar panels would save in emissions.  Our 5.67 kW, 14-panel system will reduce carbon emissions equivalent to planting 580 trees.  Put another way, they’re the equivalent of 56,000 car miles avoided.
We all contribute to global climate change. Installing solar panels was one decision we could make to reduce our carbon footprint.

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