Solar Panels in
Massachusetts

Buying (with cash or a loan) usually provides the best long-term value because you keep all the incentives, including SMART payments, net-metering credits, and the $1,000 state tax credit.

Leasing or signing a PPA requires little or no upfront cost, but the solar company owns the system and receives the federal tax incentive, which is often reflected in lower monthly payments for you.

For now, yes. All three investor-owned utilities still credit excess solar at the full retail rate for residential systems up to 25 kW. The DPU opened docket D.P.U. 25-200 in early 2026 to investigate potential changes, but no reductions have been enacted yet.

Systems that are interconnected before any new rules take effect are expected to be grandfathered under current terms. The current structure is a known quantity. What comes next is not.

Expect 8 to 13 weeks from contract to grid connection for a typical residential install. The physical panel work usually takes 1 to 2 days, but site assessment, engineering, municipal permitting, and utility interconnection make up the rest.

Permitting timelines vary by town. Most process solar permits within 1 to 3 weeks, but Boston properties in historic districts may need Landmarks Commission review, which adds 4 to 8 weeks.

Yes. Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil each have different retail rates, which means your net metering credit value differs by territory. Eversource customers currently receive the highest credit value. If you are served by a municipal light plant, you are not eligible for SMART or the same net metering terms.

Yes, but less than in summer. Shorter days and lower sun angles reduce output from roughly November through February. Snow will temporarily block production, though it usually slides off angled panels within a day or two. The good news is that net metering lets you bank surplus credits from the high-production summer months and use them to offset winter bills.