Massachusetts Solar Energy Rebates and Incentives
Massachusetts solar energy rebates and incentives range from up-front, per-Watt rebates that can help you pay for system installation to a healthy SREC market for performance-based rebates that earn you money later, on top of your electricity savings. Whether you’re owning, financing or using a PPA in Massachusetts for your solar power, you’ll surely be able to take advantage of several of the state’s generous solar energy rebates and incentives.
Massachusetts Government Solar Energy Rebates + Incentives
Massachusetts allows a state income tax credit of 15% of the the installed cost of a resident’s solar PV system (up to $1,000). If the credit is worth more than the taxpayer owes, it can be rolled over to the next year up to three times.
Solar PV systems in Massachusetts are exempt from all local property taxes for the first 20 years of their lives.
Solar PV systems in Massachusetts are exempt from all state sales taxes.
Massachusetts Utility Solar Energy Rebates + Incentives
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center provides residential solar PV system owners with per-Watt rebates beginning at $0.40 and extending up to $0.85 if certain adders apply (adders are based on things like income, home value,
disaster relief needs and locally-produced PV equipment). Per-Watt rebates apply to systems’ first 5 kW, for a maximum rebate of $4,250. This rebate is available to customers of the following investor-owned utilities:
- Fitchburg Gas & Electric Light (Unitil)
- National Grid
- NSTAR Electric
- Western Massachusetts Electric
Applications for the Commonwealth Solar II rebate must be approved before system installation begins.
Residential Chicopee Electric Light customers can get a $2.50-per-Watt rebate (up to $5,000) for newly-installed solar PV systems while funds are available.
CMLP customers who purchase and own new solar electric systems are eligible for a rebate of $625 per AC Watt (up to $3,125). Leased and third-party-owned systems do not qualify for this rebate.
RMLD offers its customers a rebate of $1.00 per Watt (or up to $2.50 with adders) on new solar PV systems. The maximum rebate amount is $5,000.
Other Massachusetts Solar Energy Rebates + Incentives
Residential solar PV system owners in Massachusetts can earn one SREC for every megawatt-hour (1,000 kWh) of electricity their system generates. Electric utilities will buy SRECs from system owners at the market price (currently between $300 and $550) in order to comply with state renewable energy standards. To generate SRECs, system owners must receive a statement of qualification from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and create an account with the New England Power Pool (NEPOOL) Generation Information System.
The City of Boston created its own solar PV rebate program in June 2011. In order to qualify, Boston homeowners must first have a no-cost home energy audit performed through either the Renew Boston initiative or the MassSAVE program. They must also meet the qualification requirements for the Commonwealth Solar II rebate. The Renew Boston Solar rebate will be 1/3 the value of the homeowner’s Commonwealth Solar II rebate.
