What is the solar score for Massachusetts?

Massachusetts has a solar score of 41/100 (Moderate), ranking #10 of 51. The composite blends solar irradiance (4.2 kWh/m²/day, 40%), incentive density (30%), and modeled payback (30%).

How long does it take for solar panels to pay for themselves in Massachusetts?

The estimated payback for a 6 kW system in Massachusetts is 9.2 years, ranking #4 of 51 for speed to break-even. At a $18,600 system cost and $2,023/year modeled savings, that implies +$31,975 net over 25 years before rate escalation.

How much does a solar system cost in Massachusetts?

A 6 kW residential system in Massachusetts averages $18,600 before incentives, or $3.10 per watt. Massachusetts has 4 tracked state and utility incentive programs that can lower net cost.

How much electricity do solar panels produce in Massachusetts?

A 6 kW system in Massachusetts produces an estimated 7,358 kWh/year, based on average irradiance of 4.2 kWh/m²/day. Actual output varies with roof orientation, shading, and panel efficiency.

What solar incentives are available in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts offers 4 solar incentive programs including tax exemption, net metering, performance incentive, and more. Net metering here is classified as full.

Does Massachusetts have net metering for solar?

Massachusetts's net-metering policy is classified as "full." Homeowners receive full retail credit for excess solar exported to the grid.

Is solar payback in Massachusetts fast or slow compared to other states?

Massachusetts's 9.2-yr modeled payback is faster than 92% of the 51 tracked states, though 3 states model an even shorter break-even. This reflects the same electricity rates, irradiance, and incentive stack already factored into the 9.2-year figure.

State solar profile · #10 of 51

Solar in Massachusetts: fast payback · high rates

Name: Massachusetts Solar Data, Cost, Incentives & ROI
Creator: PlainSolarData
Published: 2024-10-01
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Massachusetts clears a modeled 9.2-yr break-even (#4 of 51) at 27.5¢/kWh and 4.2 kWh/m²/day, with 4 DSIRE programs in the stack.

4.2
kWh/m²/day irradiance: 27.5¢
avg electricity rate: 9.2 yr
payback (#4): 4
incentive programs

41 Moderate

Subscribe (RSS)

Form 860 capacity strip

Nameplate MA · Massachusetts score #10/51

Massachusetts | 41/100 | 9.2 yr payback | 1.4 GW

PHOTO 41/100
BOOK #10/51
VS-AVG 4.2 kWh
GW 27.5c/kWh
IRR 9.2 yr
STRIP 1.4 GW
FORM860 4 programs
MW near Connecticut

Stamps derive from this state's NREL irradiance, EIA Form 860 / Electric Power Monthly nameplate, and DSIRE incentive row (score, rank, sun, rate, payback, capacity, programs, peer), not a quote or site assessment. Modeled figures use a typical 6 kW system; your roof, shading, and utility tariff decide the real return. See our disclaimer. Verify with EIA Form 860 → · Read with methodology → · Net-metering guide → · Personalized estimate → · All state rows → · States ranked → · Payback vs U.S. avg (14.2 yr): 5 yr faster

CT

9
MA

9
ME

9
RI

10
NH

10
AZ

10

What this shows Massachusetts sits at 9.2 years among nearest payback peers (5 yr faster vs the 14.2-yr U.S. average).

Fast-band 25-year ROI · Massachusetts

$18,600

system cost

$2,023/yr

modeled savings

9.2 yr

break-even

+$31,975

25-year net

At $18,600 and $2,023/yr, Massachusetts is already in the faster third of modeled paybacks. Roof, shading, and tariff still move the real number. Run a personalized estimate →

Installed solar capacity in Massachusetts, 2010–2024

Total solar nameplate capacity in Massachusetts reported to the EIA, utility-scale and reported distributed systems. The number of reporting facilities grew 106x (5 to 530) between 2010 and 2024, and the average site size grew from 1 MW to 3 MW per site, a shift toward larger utility-scale installations.

Massachusetts now has about 1.4 GW of installed solar capacity across 530 reported facilities.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, installed solar nameplate capacity As of 2024

Massachusetts breaks even fast despite modest sun

Irradiance 4.2 kWh/m²/day (below the 4.8 national mean) vs 9.2-yr payback (fast band vs 14.2-yr mean). Crosshairs mark those means.

Massachusetts (highlighted): 4.2 kWh/m²/day, 9.2-yr modeled payback - faster than the national average.

Source: PlainSolarData model, NREL irradiance + EIA rates As of 2024

Massachusetts breaks even faster than nearly every state

Massachusetts's 9.2-yr modeled break-even beats 92% of the 51 tracked states.

Payback distribution: Massachusetts among all 51 states

Every tracked state, banded by modeled 6 kW break-even (2-yr steps).

9 Among the fastest faster than 92% of 51 states

all tracked states, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainSolarData model, NREL irradiance + EIA rates · 2024

Solar & grid details

Net-metering policy: full
Renewable portfolio standard: Mandatory (100% by 2050)
Installed cost / watt: $3.10/W
Annual production (6 kW): 7,358 kWh
Installed capacity (EIA 2024): 1.4 GW
Notable programs: SMART Program, Commonwealth Solar

Top incentive programs

4 programs available for Massachusetts residents

Tax exemption MA Solar Energy Property Tax Exemption · 20-year exemption Net metering MA Net Metering · Retail rate credit Performance incentive Massachusetts SMART Program · $0.05-$0.30/kWh for 10 years Rebate Commonwealth Solar Rebate · Up to $2,400 for low-income

All Massachusetts solar incentives (4)

Tax exemption

MA Solar Energy Property Tax Exemption

20-year exemption

Solar systems installed on residential property are exempt from MA property tax for 20 years.

Net metering

MA Net Metering

Retail rate credit

Massachusetts provides full retail net metering for residential systems up to 60 kW.

Performance incentive

Massachusetts SMART Program

$0.05-$0.30/kWh for 10 years

Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) provides long-term production incentives.

Rebate

Commonwealth Solar Rebate

Up to $2,400 for low-income

Mass Clean Energy Center provides rebates for residential solar.

More fast-payback peers near Massachusetts

Two non-geographic peer sets for Massachusetts: composite score neighbors and payback-year neighbors (deduped so each row links a distinct comparison).

Closest match: composite solar score

Nearest nationwide matches on the NREL/EIA/DSIRE blend (41/100 here).

Connecticut · score 41/100
Utah · score 40/100
New York · score 38/100
Colorado · score 45/100

States near this modeled payback

Nearest payback-year peers nationwide (9.2 yr modeled here).

Maine · 9.3 yr payback
Rhode Island · 9.7 yr payback
New Hampshire · 9.8 yr payback

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published composite scores and modeled 6 kW payback years; rankings above use the same fields but sort the full corpus.

Solar resource from NREL; electricity rates and installed capacity from the U.S. EIA; incentive programs from DSIRE. See our methodology.

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher. · Updated July 2026