4 Benefits of Community Solar in MA
Many states are making efforts to incentivize renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions. And Massachusetts is no exception. The state of Massachusetts has multiple incentives to convince residents and businesses to switch to renewable energy, especially solar energy. One of the easiest ways to switch to solar energy, even partially, is with community solar. At Renewables Worldwide, we help people like you take advantage of the benefits of community solar in MA.
Here are four of the top benefits of joining a community solar program in MA.
State Solar Renewable Energy Certificates
Massachusetts has a solar incentive program called the SREC II program, which offers incentives to people who participate in community solar farms. If you participate in the program, you receive SRECs for the energy produced by your subscription to the community solar farm. You can then sell those certificates to utility companies or energy brokers for additional income.
Net Metering
Net metering tracks how much electricity your solar panels generate, even if it’s more than you can actually use in a day. Members of the community solar farm then receive credits for the excess energy they produce. The benefit of these credits is that the members of the solar farm can use them to offset the cost of electricity when they need more energy than their solar panels can produce.
Property Tax Exemptions
Everyone could use a break on their taxes, right? This benefit is primarily for the owner of the community solar farm, but it still helps everyone involved. When there is an incentive to actually build community solar farms, there are more opportunities for people and businesses to join them.
Low-Interest Loans
The last benefit is also for property owners who want to build a community solar farm. The upfront costs can be pretty high, and many people take out loans to build a community solar farm on their property. The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) offers low-interest loans for community solar farm projects. These loans can help developers launch new projects and give more businesses the opportunity to join a community solar farm.
