SOLAR INCENTIVE PROGRAM
SMART
SMART provides additional incentives to solar developers for projects 5MW AC or less based on project size, location, and off-taker mix, using a Block Compensation Rate.
- SMART uses a declining block incentive program to compensate project owners
- SMART has compensation rate factor*
- The rate of compensation depends on the time that you set up your project and the current eligible rate with your utility
Calculate the block compensation rate by subtracting the cost of electricity from your block rate
- Income-qualifying
≤25kW → 230% - ≤25kW → 200%
- 25-250kW → 150%
- 250-500kW → 125%
- 500-1000kW → 110%
- 1-5MW → 100%
- Location-based
- Agricultural, Brownfield, Building Mounted, Canopy, Floating, Landfill
- Off-taker based
- Community Shared, Income-qualifying Community Shared, Income-qualifying Property, Public Entity
- Additional Adders
- Energy Storage, Solar Tracking, Pollinator
Check the Mass.gov website for updated adder amounts.
- Individual: enrolled in utility’s income-qualifying rate or if they live in a neighborhood with household income ≤65% of MA AMI
- Income-qualifying community shared solar project: at least 50% of energy output needs to be allocated to income-qualifying customers for the adder.
- Income-qualifying solar projects must demonstrate guaranteed savings for income-qualifying customers that participate
- All community shared solar recipients must sign a customer disclosure form
- No consolidated billing
- No income-qualifying carve outs or equity metrics
MASSACHUSETTS
CLIMATE ROADMAP
OF 2021
- Established a grant program to provide solar energy to non-profits that offer essential services
- Allows municipalities with environmental justice communities to approve 1+ solar projects (paired with energy storage when possible) owned or operated by electric or gas utilities
- Ensures that any new solar incentive regulatory processes provide equitable access for all MA residents including low-income ratepayers and that it would address solar affordability issues, consumer protection, and accessible language for non-English speakers
AN ACT
DRIVING
CLEAN ENERGY
AND OFFSHORE WIND OF 2022
- Established a commission to investigate and remove barriers to the development of agrivoltaic projects