The SMART program: getting paid to make solar power

SMART stands for Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target. Unlike a one-time rebate, it's a production-based incentive: the state pays you a fixed amount for every kWh your system generates, month after month, for years. It's administered by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) through the state's three investor-owned utilities.

How much SMART pays in 2026

Under SMART 3.0, most residential systems (25 kW or smaller) earn a base incentive of about $0.03 per kWh generated. For context, a typical Massachusetts home system producing ~10,800 kWh a year earns roughly $324 per year from SMART alone — on top of net metering and bill savings. The rate locks in when you enroll and runs for a 20-year term.

The adders that increase your rate

• Battery storage adder: pairing a battery adds roughly $0.04/kWh through an energy-storage multiplier.
• Low-income base: qualifying low-income households receive a doubled base rate near $0.06/kWh.

SMART and net metering run together

A common confusion: SMART and net metering are not either/or. They operate in parallel. SMART pays you for everything your system produces; net metering credits you for the excess you export to the grid. You collect both, which is a big part of why Massachusetts solar economics are so strong.

Who can get SMART

SMART is available to customers of the three investor-owned utilities — Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil. Municipal Light Plant customers aren't eligible for SMART, though some municipal utilities run their own local programs. You generally need to own the system, and your installer submits the SMART application on your behalf as part of interconnection.

One honest caveat about 2026

SMART 3.0 is currently the subject of an ongoing tariff proceeding before the Department of Public Utilities. DOER continues accepting applications and issuing preliminary qualifications, but final statements and the 20-year payment clock begin after the tariff is approved. It's worth confirming current timing with your installer — we keep this page updated as the proceeding moves.

A realistic example of SMART income

Consider a typical Massachusetts home with a 10.8 kilowatt system producing roughly 12,000 kilowatt-hours per year. At the base SMART 3.0 rate of about $0.03 per kWh, that system earns around $360 per year from SMART alone, or roughly $7,200 over the full 20-year term — entirely separate from the bill savings that net metering provides. Add a battery, and the storage adder of about $0.04 per kWh can meaningfully increase that figure. For a low-income household qualifying for the doubled base rate, the SMART income roughly doubles as well. These are not headline numbers, but they are steady, predictable, and they stack on top of everything else you save.

How SMART has changed over the years

SMART replaced the older SREC programs that Massachusetts used previously, moving from a market-traded credit system to a fixed, predictable per-kWh payment. SMART 1.0 and 2.0 used a declining-block structure where rates dropped as capacity filled. Under SMART 3.0, the Department of Energy Resources sets rates through an annual program-year report, which brings more predictability. This history matters because you may still encounter old guides referencing SRECs or declining blocks — that information is outdated, and the current program works differently.

What to confirm with your installer about SMART

Because SMART enrollment is handled by your installer as part of interconnection, it is worth confirming a few things before you sign. Ask whether they submit the SMART application on your behalf, what the current expected timeline is given the ongoing tariff proceeding, whether your system configuration qualifies for any adders like the battery storage bonus, and when your 20-year payment term is expected to begin. A good installer will answer these clearly. We can help you make sense of the answers and confirm you are getting the SMART value you should.