Massachusetts
Massachusetts solar in 2026
The pitch you heard in 2024 is dead. The 30 percent federal credit no longer exists for systems bought in 2026, and most solar sites still have not updated their math. What Massachusetts still has: the third highest residential electric rates in the lower 48, net metering at retail credit, a 20 year SMART payment, and three tax breaks that survived. The deal changed. It did not disappear.
What electricity costs here
Rates actually fell about a cent from a year ago. Nobody selling solar will mention that, so we will. The gap against the national average is still enormous, and that gap is the entire reason solar math works in this state.
| Measure | Massachusetts | US average |
|---|---|---|
| Residential rate, May 2026 | 28.82 c/kWh | 18.44 c/kWh |
| Residential rate, May 2025 | 29.9 c/kWh | |
| Average monthly usage | 570 kWh | |
| Average monthly bill | $167.2 | |
| Residential customers | 2,924,535 |
Sources: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (May 2026); EIA Table 5.A (2024 annual).
Your utility vs solar you own
Three companies deliver almost every residential electron in this state, and all three reset their supply rates every six months through DPU filings. Here is what they charge right now, next to what owned solar actually costs per kWh once you spread the install over the life of the system. One of these columns does not get a rate increase.
 Eversource |  National Grid |  Unitil | Home solar you own | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who they are | Investor owned utility serving eastern and western MA | Investor owned utility serving much of central and southeastern MA | Investor owned utility serving the Fitchburg area | Panels on your roof. You own the equipment and the output |
| Supply rate right now | 17.3¢/kWhfixed residential, Aug 2026 to Jan 2027 | 16.7¢/kWhfixed residential, Aug 2026 to Jan 2027 | 16.2¢/kWhfixed residential, published Feb to Jul 2026 schedule | 0¢for every kWh your panels produce |
| Change vs the prior period | Up about 11 percent | Up about 13 percent | New period not yet published | Fixed on the day you install |
| Delivery charges on top | Yes | Yes | Yes, 15.5¢/kWhpublished Feb 2026 schedule | Only on the power you still draw from the grid |
| All-in cost per kWh | 28.82¢ Massachusetts residential average, May 2026. US average is 18.44¢ | Roughly 11 to 15¢our estimate over 25 years, cash to loan range | ||
| Who sets your rate | DPU approved filings. Supply rates reset every six months | You do, the day you sign. Production is physics, not a filing | ||
Supply rates from DPU basic service filings as reported by EnergyChoiceMatters (Eversource) and EnergyChoiceMatters (National Grid), plus Unitil's published rate schedule. State and US averages from EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A. The solar cost per kWh is our estimate, not a quote. The math and assumptions are on the methodology page. Company marks belong to their owners and appear here for identification in an editorial comparison.
The incentives that survived 2025, and the one that did not
One big loss, five survivors. Here is the full stack for a Massachusetts homeowner in 2026, each item tied to the statute or program page so you can check us.
| Incentive | What you get | Status in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Federal credit (Section 25D) | Was 30 percent of system cost | Dead for purchases. Ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025 (IRS) |
| Federal 48E (lease/PPA only) | Provider claims it, prices it into your rate | Alive for third party owned systems (CRS) |
| MA income tax credit | 15 percent of cost, $1,000 cap, 3 year carryforward | Active, purchases only, Schedule EC (MGL c.62 s.6(d)) |
| Sales tax exemption | No 6.25 percent sales tax on the equipment | Active (MGL c.64H s.6(dd)) |
| Property tax exemption | System value excluded from property tax for 20 years | Active (MGL c.59 s.5 cl.45) |
| SMART 3.0 | 3 cents per kWh produced, paid for 20 years. 6 cents low income. 4 cent storage adder. | Tariff approved May 19, 2026 (D.P.U. 25-175). Qualification paperwork was still preliminary as of July 2026 (Mass.gov) |
| Net metering | Exported power credited at roughly full retail rate | Active, residential systems exempt from caps (Mass.gov) |
| ConnectedSolutions (battery) | $275 per kW of summer event performance, roughly $1,200 per year for a typical battery | Active with Eversource and National Grid (Eversource) |
The practical read: a cash buyer in 2026 lost the single biggest line item. On a $30,000 system, the dead federal credit was worth $9,000. The surviving state stack is worth maybe $3,000 to $4,000 up front plus SMART income over time. That is why payback moved out several years, and why lease and PPA offers suddenly look more competitive than they did. Run both through the calculator below before believing anyone's pitch, including ours.
How much power a roof actually makes here
We ran NREL's PVWatts v8 model ourselves for five Massachusetts cities on August 16, 2026, instead of quoting someone else's rounded number. Same assumptions everywhere: south facing, 30 degree tilt, fixed roof mount, standard modules, 14 percent losses.
| City | kWh per kW per year | Annual output, 8 kW system |
|---|---|---|
| Hyannis | 1,400 | 11,200 kWh |
| Boston | 1,343 | 10,744 kWh |
| Worcester | 1,322 | 10,576 kWh |
| Springfield | 1,278 | 10,224 kWh |
| Pittsfield | 1,250 | 10,000 kWh |
Method: NREL PVWatts v8, model runs by Solar Learning Lab, August 16, 2026. Your roof orientation, pitch, and shading will move these numbers. A north facing roof in Pittsfield and a south facing roof in Hyannis are different products.
Run your own numbers
Three ways to pay, compared honestly. Cash has no federal credit anymore. Loans carry dealer fees priced into the system. Lease and PPA providers keep the federal credit and the SMART payments, and give some of it back through the rate. The right answer depends on your bill, your roof, and your quote.
PVWatts v8 range for Massachusetts: 1,250 to 1,400. South facing, 30 degree tilt.
National cash median was $3.50 per watt for 2024 installs (LBNL). Massachusetts quotes often run higher. Use your quote.
Assumptions you can change
Use the rate on your actual lease or PPA quote. There is no published statewide average we trust enough to hardcode.
Cash purchase
$17,200 after state credit
- Year 1 benefit
- $185/mo
- Payback
- 8 years
- 20 year net position
- $35,639
No federal credit. The 30 percent credit ended December 31, 2025. Includes the Massachusetts credit and 20 years of SMART payments.
Solar loan
$211/mo 15 yr payment
- Year 1 net
- -$26/mo
- Upfront
- $0
- 20 year net position
- $14,915
Loan pricing runs higher per watt than cash ($4.70 vs $3.50 national medians) because dealer fees get built into the price.
Lease / PPA
$0 down you buy the power
- Year 1 net
- $28/mo
- Upfront
- $0
- 20 year net position
- $10,123
The provider keeps the federal 48E credit and the SMART payments, and prices some of that into your rate. This is now the only path that captures any federal incentive.
Estimates, not quotes. Inputs use Massachusetts utility rates from EIA (Table 5.6.A, May 2026), PVWatts v8 production modeling, and LBNL national price medians. Your roof, shading, utility, and quote will change these numbers. We are a solar installer and we also partner with other solar companies. See our disclosures.
Installers active in Massachusetts
This list is built from installed capacity reported to Solar Power World, BBB records, and marketplace data. Where we could not verify a claim, the cell says so instead of guessing. Graded evidence profiles are rolling out installer by installer, starting with Boston Solar.
| Company | Base | Founded | MA kW installed, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
 Standard Solar | Rockville, MDDeveloper and EPC, ranked first in MA by installed kW | Not verified | 19,839 |
 Trinity Solar | Wall Township, NJBranch offices in West Wareham and Holyoke | 1994 | 13,851 |
 Boston SolarMassachusetts headquartered, residential focused | Woburn, MA | 2011 | Not reported |
 ReVision Energy | South Portland, MEMA office in North Andover; acquired SunBug Solar in 2023 | 2003 | 3,987 |
 Valley Solar | MassachusettsCommercial and residential | Not verified | 4,010 |
 Viridis Energy SolutionsEnergySage 2026 Massachusetts Installer of the Year | Woburn, MA | 2014 | Not reported |
 All Energy Solar | St. Paul, MNMassachusetts branch in Chicopee | 2009 | Not reported |
 My Generation Energy | Hyannis, MACape Cod, South Shore, South Coast | 2008 | Not reported |
 SunrunLargest national residential solar and battery installer | San Francisco, CAMassachusetts branch in Shrewsbury | 2007 | Not reported |
Sources: Solar Power World 2026 Top Massachusetts Solar Contractors, BBB company profiles, EnergySage Massachusetts marketplace data. "Not reported" means the company did not appear in the installed capacity survey, not that they installed nothing.
Check any installer before you sign
Massachusetts has no single solar license. Legit installers carry a combination of these, and you can verify every one online in about five minutes. If a sales rep gets cagey about license numbers, that is your answer.
| Credential | Who requires it | Verify |
|---|---|---|
| Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration | Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation | HIC lookup |
| Construction Supervisor License (CSL) | Board of Building Regulations and Standards | License check |
| Licensed electrician (required for interconnection work) | Board of State Examiners of Electricians, MGL c.141 | Board of Examiners |
See what your house pencils out to
Four questions, then a savings range built from the same EIA and PVWatts data on this page. We are a solar installer and we also partner with other solar companies. Details in our disclosures.
What does your monthly electric bill look like?
Massachusetts average is $167 per month (EIA, 2024).