Bay State regulators strengthen policies to spur rooftop solar

On November 29, the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) issued two orders that expand access to solar and make it easier to participate in the Solar Net Metering Program. Net metering allows solar owners to be compensated for unused electricity that they send back to the grid for their neighbors to use.

The first order increases the size of solar projects eligible for net metering from 10 kilowatts to 25 kilowatts. This rule will allow customers who didn’t previously qualify to participate in the program and it could enable other customers to expand their pre-existing home solar systems.

The second order creates exceptions to a previous rule that allowed only one net metering facility per parcel of land. Under the updated rule, residents living in affordable housing units, condos, townhouses or government-owned buildings on a single portion of land will be able to have multiple net metering facilities.

“Fairly compensating solar owners for the energy they provide to the grid encourages more families to go solar,” said Reese Butcher, associate at Environment Massachusetts Research & Policy Center. “Massachusetts is lighting the way for other states to follow.” 

Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil are required to submit tariff filings to the DPU in January 2025 before the orders can be enacted. But, customers who qualify can proactively be re-classified in December as soon the regulations are published in the Massachusetts Registrar.