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Solar power in Massachusetts

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Photovoltaics on a house near Boston[1]

Solar power in Massachusetts has been increasing rapidly, due to Section 1603 grants for installations that began before December 31, 2011,[2] and the sale of SRECs for $0.30/kWh,[3] which allows payback for the system within 5 or 6 years, and generates income for the life of the system. For systems installed after December 31, 2011, and before December 31, 2016, the 30% tax grant becomes a 30% tax credit. There has been an appeal to the Congress to extend the 1603 program, the grant program, for an additional year.[4][5]

Net metering is available with no aggregate limit for systems less than 10 kW, or three phase connected systems less than 25 kW. Larger systems are limited to 3% of total peak load.[6] Approximately 40 municipalities are exempt from net metering. Of these, most choose not to offer it.

The first solar park in the country is the 100 kW array installed in 1981 at Beverly High School.[7] The largest campus to have a solar program is Harvard's 555 kW array.[8][9]

Massachusetts' largest privately owned solar array is the 7.1 MW Happy Hollow Community Solar and Storage Farm, completed in March 2019.[10] The town of Harvard, Massachusetts has the most solar installations with 75 planned, of which 21 have been installed.[11] Holyoke is home to two arrays which total 4.5 MW which were completed on December 20, 2011.[12] A 1.8 MW solar farm in Pittsfield was completed in 2010.[citation needed] A 5.75 MW solar park in Canton was completed in 2012.[13][14] Two 6 MW solar parks are being built, one in Berkley, and the other in Carver.[15] As of August 2012, a total of 129 MW has been installed in the state.[16]

Solar installation, Newton North High School

State officials had set a target of installing 250 MW of solar PV statewide by 2017 and in May 2013 upped the target to 1,600 MW by 2020 as the 250 MW goal had been met four years ahead of schedule.[17] Exceeding projections again, cumulative solar PV capacity in the state reached over 2 GW (2,000 MW) at the end of 2017.[18] The American Solar Energy Industries Association forecasts that another ~1.5 GW of solar PV will be installed in the state over the next four years (2018-2021).[19]

The U.S. Energy Information Administration meanwhile reports that solar power, including both utility-scale and small-scale projects, accounted for 7.7% of the electricity generated in Massachusetts in 2017 - the 5th highest percentage nationwide among the 50 states.[20][21][22]

Massachusetts has a robust program for solar on closed landfills, with more than 80 projects with over 250 MW of capacity.[23]

Charlie Baker administration (2015–2023)

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Main article: Governorship of Charlie Baker
Solar panels at West Natick station parking lot

In July 2015, the administration of Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced that Baker would file legislation to raise net metering caps on solar energy, with officials stating that "The administration looks forward to filing legislation that builds upon the success and continued growth of Massachusetts' solar industry while ensuring a long-term, sustainable solar program that facilitates industry growth, minimizes ratepayer impact and achieves our goal of 1,600 megawatts by 2020".[24] The administration submitted the legislation the following month,[25] and on April 11, 2016, Baker signed the legislation into law.[26] The cap increase prompted a subsequent overhaul the following year of the state's solar incentive program that cut the cost of solar installations to ratepayers in half.[27]

In December 2015, Baker's administration launched a $30 million residential solar loan program to increase direct ownership of solar electricity by lowering fixed interest rates to homeowners purchasing solar panels, with Baker himself stating "Massachusetts is a national leader in solar energy, and this program provides another way for residents to access solar energy while diversifying the Commonwealth's energy portfolio and reducing our overall carbon footprint".[28] In January 2018, when President Trump imposed tariffs on solar panels manufactured outside the United States,[29] Baker's administration criticized the decision, stating that it was "disappointed" but "remains committed to supporting solar energy as an important component of the Commonwealth's diverse energy portfolio and source of clean energy jobs."[30] In February 2018, Baker's administration announced that solar capacity in Massachusetts had increased to 2,000 megawatts.[31]

In late 2020, the Baker Administration released a Decarbonization Roadmap that aims for net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The plan calls for major investments in solar energy, along with offshore wind, which is considered complimentary.[32][33]

Statistics

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Average solar insolation

Potential generation

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The average insolation in Massachusetts is about 4 sun hours per day, and ranges from less than 2 in the winter to over 5 in the summer.[34]

[35]

Massachusetts electricity consumption in 2015 was 54,621 million kWh (54.6 TWh). The state is a net importer of electricity, having only generated 32,086 million kWh (32.0 TWh) that year.[36] Massachusetts has the potential for generating 799,344 million kWh/year (799.3 TWh/y) from 184,076 MW (0.184 TW) of offshore wind farms and 82,205 million kWh (82.2 TWh) from 51,568 MW (0.052 TW) of photovoltaic solar farms, and 26,000 million kWh (26 TWh) (47% of consumption) from 22,500 MW (0.023 TW) of rooftop photovoltaics.[dubious – discuss][failed verification][37][38]

Installed capacity

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In 2016, the net metering limits were reached in all utility areas, causing over 240 MW in over 550 projects to be delayed.[39] On April 11, 2016, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed a bill increasing caps on net metering for private projects from 4% of the utility's load to 7%. Government project caps are 1% higher. The value of net metering credits paid was reduced, with remuneration for large projects set closer to the wholesale electricity price, while smaller projects stay closer to the retail price. Utilities will be able to charge a minimum fee to pay for maintaining the grid.[40]

Massachusetts Grid-Connected PV Capacity (MW)[41][42][43][44][45][46]
Year Capacity Change % Change
2003 0.15 0.03 25%
2004 0.21 0.06 40%
2005 0.28 0.07 33%
2006 2.18 1.90 679%
2007 3.83 1.67 76%
2008 7.36 3.53 92%
2009 16.95 9.59 130%
2010 40.07 23.12 136%
2011 74.6 36.4 86%
2012 207.3 123.2 165%
2013 445.0 237.7 115%
2014 734 289 65%
2015 1,020 286 39%
2016 1,360 340 33%
2017 1,699 304 22%
2018 2,465 766 45%
2019 2,767.68 302.68 12%
2020 3,046.7 279.02 10%
2021 3,607.4 560.7 18%
2022 4,158 550.6 %

Utility-scale generation

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Utility-scale solar generation in Massachusetts (GWh)[47]
Year Total Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2011 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
2012 30 0 0 1 2 3 4 4 4 4 3 3 2
2013 106 3 4 7 7 8 10 9 11 11 13 10 13
2014 307 9 10 16 21 28 34 34 36 37 34 28 20
2015 452 20 26 38 43 45 46 48 49 41 35 32 29
2016 609 23 47 41 47 58 58 66 65 62 55 48 39
2017 790 30 48 67 73 74 91 91 93 77 68 44 34
2018 977 46 51 82 92 116 114 134 110 69 67 40 56
2019 1,166 62 72 102 112 113 124 150 124 117 82 66 42
2020 1,406 63 83 127 122 171 164 161 152 133 97 70 63
2021 1,776 91 89 146 173 190 174 183 176 169 143 135 107

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Solar house". Archived from the original on 2012-07-07. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
  2. ^ "1603 Treasury Program". Archived from the original on 2012-04-13. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  3. ^ "Massachusetts Announces Change to SREC Program - Brightstar Solar". Brightstar Solar. 2011-01-31. Archived from the original on 2016-03-23. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  4. ^ Cardwell, Diane (2012). "Clean Energy Projects Face Waning Subsidies". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2018-03-21. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  5. ^ "Overview and Status Update of the 1603 Program" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2012-04-16. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  6. ^ Massachusetts Net Metering Archived 2012-10-30 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Solar-panel grant keeps Beverly High going green Archived 2012-09-09 at archive.today
  8. ^ "Harvard is Hot on Solar Panels, But Why Aren't Other Boston Universities as Charged Up?". Archived from the original on 2012-07-07. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  9. ^ "Sunviewer.net™ Harvard Science Center". www.sunviewer.net. Archived from the original on 2018-03-21. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  10. ^ "Worcester Business Journal". March 11, 2019. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  11. ^ Solararize Harvard Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ "Holyoke solar power project, among largest in New England, starts up". masslive.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-20. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  13. ^ Old Massachusetts Landfill Will be Home to New England's Largest Solar Array Archived 2012-05-21 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ Lazar, Kay (2011-01-31). "Canton dump may soon be a solar powerhouse". Boston.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  15. ^ Nichols, Christopher. "Solar power soars to new heights in Berkley". The Taunton Daily Gazette, Taunton, MA. Archived from the original on 2012-07-18. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  16. ^ Massachusetts Clean Energy Installations Archived 2012-08-31 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ FOX 6 Springfield (2013-05-02). "Massachusetts Sets New Goal for Solar Power". WGGB-DT2. Archived from the original on 2013-05-06. Retrieved 2013-05-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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  23. ^ "Closed Landfills with Permits for Renewable Energy | Mass.gov". www.mass.gov. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
  24. ^ Young, Colin A. (July 30, 2015). "Gov. Charlie Baker plans to propose solar energy legislation". MassLive.com. Advance Publications. Archived from the original on March 12, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  25. ^ "Baker-Polito Administration Files Solar Legislation to Raise Net Metering Caps, Continue Industry Growth". www.mass.gov. August 7, 2018. Archived from the original on March 8, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  26. ^ Schoenberg, Shira (April 11, 2016). "Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signs solar net metering bill". MassLive.com. Advance Publications. Archived from the original on March 12, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  27. ^ Schoenberg, Shira (January 31, 2017). "Massachusetts energy officials overhaul solar incentive program, cutting cost to ratepayers in half". MassLive.com. Advance Publications. Archived from the original on March 12, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  28. ^ "Baker-Polito Administration Launches $30 Million Residential Solar Loan Program". www.mass.gov. December 17, 2015. Archived from the original on March 14, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  29. ^ Gonzales, Richard (January 22, 2018). "Trump Slaps Tariffs On Imported Solar Panels And Washing Machines". WBUR. Archived from the original on March 12, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  30. ^ "Solar Installers, Gov. Baker Criticize Trump's New Tariff". WBUR. January 23, 2018. Archived from the original on March 12, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
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  32. ^ Martin, Naomi (December 30, 2020). "Mass. to require all new cars sold to be electric by 2035 as part of climate-change measures". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  33. ^ "Massachusetts 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap". Archived from the original on 2021-01-01. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  34. ^ "Solar Insolation Levels In North America". Archived from the original on 2012-04-17. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  35. ^ "Installed Solar Capacity in Massachusetts" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2012-09-15. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
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  38. ^ "Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Technical Potential in the United States: A Detailed Assessment" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-04-17. Retrieved 2016-04-25.
  39. ^ "Stalled Solar Projects in Massachusetts". Archived from the original on 2016-05-04. Retrieved 2016-04-25.
  40. ^ Shallenberger (April 2016). "Massachusetts Gov. Baker signs bill lifting solar cap, lowering net metering rates". Utility Drive. Archived from the original on 2017-03-24. Retrieved 2017-03-24.
  41. ^ Sherwood, Larry (July 2014). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2013" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2014-07-26. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
  42. ^ Sherwood, Larry (July 2013). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2012" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-04-12. Retrieved 2013-10-11.
  43. ^ Sherwood, Larry (June 2011). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2010" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-12-17. Retrieved 2011-06-29.
  44. ^ Sherwood, Larry (July 2010). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2009" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-09-25. Retrieved 2010-07-28.
  45. ^ Sherwood, Larry (July 2009). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2008" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-11-23. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  46. ^ "Massachusetts Solar". Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). Archived from the original on 2020-05-28. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
  47. ^ "Electricity Data Browser". U.S. Department of Energy. March 28, 2018. Archived from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
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