Great strides for solar occurred in Massachusetts last week with the passage of the 2012 Energy Act. This comprehensive energy bill expands an important solar program called net metering that gives customers credit for the valuable clean power they send to the grid.
Massachusetts’ net metering law has successfully enabled thousands of homes, businesses and public agencies to go solar and save on their utility bills. With the cap on net metering now doubled from 3% to 6% of utilities’ peak load, Bay Staters can keep on investing in clean energy to power their lives.
One of our favorite parts of this new law is that solar systems under 10kW don’t count toward the net metering cap. This means homeowners have certainty that if they go solar, they’re guaranteed the right to fair credit for the energy their home solar system sends to the grid. Now that’s smart policy!
Net metering has played a tremendous role in making Massachusetts the solar success it is today. By extending this important consumer right to more Bay Staters, this Act will help keep Massachusetts a solar leader.
Vote Solar is a non-profit grassroots organization working to fight climate change and foster economic opportunity by bringing solar energy into the mainstream.