A number of clean, efficient technologies can help Massachusetts homeowners save money on their heating, cooling, and electricity bills while protecting the environment and maintaining a high level of comfort.
There are several programs, including programs through Mass Save, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) that offer incentives to help residents access clean energy technologies. In many cases, incentives from different programs can be combined to help make clean energy technologies more financially feasible.
Air-source heat pumps (including cold-climate mini splits) and ground-source heat pumps provide cost-saving efficient heating and cooling. They can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and provide an alternative to electric resistance heat (i.e., electric baseboard), oil, propane, or other fossil-fuel powered heating/cooling technologies.
Mass Save Clean Heating & Cooling Rebates
- Homeowners may be eligible to receive a rebate from Mass Save for replacing oil, propane, or electric resistance heat with high efficiency electric air source heat pumps.
- Zero percent interest financing through the HEAT Loan is available for eligible clean heating and cooling technologies.
- To get started, view heat pump details and apply online or download a mail-in form.
Incentives for Heat Pumps Through the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (APS)
- Homeowners that install high efficiency air source or ground source heat pumps may be eligible to receive incentives from DOER’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Program.
- To get started, visit the program website to learn more about program criteria and how to apply.
Solar PV systems use sunlight to produce electricity. They can be installed and connected to the building’s electrical system to meet on-site electricity demands and save you money. Solar PV can be paired with energy storage to capture “excess” electricity so that it can be used at times when the PV system cannot produce enough to meet the immediate electricity needs for the home (e.g. at night).
- The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER)’s SMART program provides incentives for solar PV installation throughout the Commonwealth. Upon application approval, the incentive is paid by the utility to the system owner based on the amount of electricity generated by the system.
- Increased incentives are available for solar projects that serve low-income customers, provide community shared solar, or are coupled with energy storage.
- Financing for solar PV on 1-4 unit properties is available through the Mass Solar Loan.
- To get started, visit MassCEC and learn more about the costs of solar systems and performance, find an installer, and see other resources.
Heat pump water heaters and solar hot water systems can reduce costs and greenhouse gas emissions by providing an alternative to electric or fossil fuel (oil, natural gas, or propane) hot water systems.
Mass Save Hot Water Rebates
- Mass Save offers rebates for high efficiency heat pump water heaters.
- Zero percent interest financing through the HEAT Loan is available for eligible water heating technology.
- To get started, view appliance details and apply online or download a mail-in form.
MassCEC Solar Hot Water Program
- MassCEC provides rebates for solar hot water systems in 1-4 family homes (Residential Program) and multifamily buildings (Commercial-Scale Program). Additional incentives are available for households with incomes below 120% of the state median income.
- To get started, homeowners should select a solar hot water installer and solicit proposals. The installer will submit the rebate application on the homeowner’s behalf.
Battery technology stores electricity generated from the grid or from accompanying renewable sources (e.g., solar PV systems). The stored electricity is then available to be discharged at a later time to meet on-site electricity demands or demands from the grid. Battery storage paired with on-site solar can help ensure that electricity produced by an on-site solar PV system is fully utilized by the home/building at the site. Battery owners can earn incentives for reducing the load on the grid during peak times by participating in an active demand management program. These allow the electric utility provider to draw energy stored in the battery during times of peak electricity demand to help balance out the electric grid and avoid the use of energy from “peaker plants.”
Mass Save ConnectedSolutions
- Mass Save’s ConnectedSolutions program allows battery owners to earn incentives in exchange for utility access to stored energy in times of peak demand. Participants can earn incentives per kW for a battery’s average kW event contributions to the grid during times of peak demand.
- Eversource and National Grid customers are eligible to participate. To get started, review the list of qualified battery storage systems and complete a program application on the ConnectedSolutions website.
SMART Storage Adder
- The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resource’s SMART program allows solar projects to achieve larger incentive payments by pairing energy storage with new solar installations, by unlocking eligibility to the Energy Storage Adder. The adder value depends on the ratio of energy storage capacity to solar array size and duration of storage discharge. More information on SMART is available on the SMART webpage
- To get started, talk to your solar installer about adding battery storage to your solar PV system.
