Working from home can mean surprise energy bills. Green power can help. By Irina Ivanova Solar panel installations are on the rise Many people working from home during the pandemic have gotten a rude surprise: higher energy bills. But improvements in technology and a last-minute tax credit extension is making it easier for homeowners to save by retrofitting their house, adding new sources of power or even creating a backup energy system. "Because a lot of us are working from home, we're consuming more energy — and people are investing a lot more to improve their homes," said Vikram Aggarwal, CEO of EnergySage, an online marketplace that lets users compare solar installation services and costs.