In short: electricity in Massachusetts is expensive. Homes paid about 30.5 cents per kWh in July 2026, roughly two-thirds above the U.S. average (EIA). Outages are short by national standards, about 1.7 hours per customer in 2024. So here, cutting the bill (solar, SMART payments, state tax breaks) usually matters more than backup power.
Below are the Massachusetts numbers behind our advice on solar, batteries, generators and EV charging, each dated and sourced.
Massachusetts at a glance
- Residential electricity price: 30.49¢/kWh in July 2026, against a U.S. average of 18.31¢. A year earlier it was 30.07¢, and the January to July 2026 average was 30.14¢ (EIA Electric Power Monthly, September 2026 release; 2026 figures are preliminary).
- Outages (2024): 102 minutes per customer counting major storms, 76 minutes without them. The average customer had 0.84 interruptions in the year, or 0.74 without major events (EIA-861, 2024).
- Solar resource: Boston gets about 3.81 kWh of sunlight per square meter per day (NASA POWER, 2001–2020 average). By our rough estimate, each kW of panels produces about 1,110 kWh a year. A south-facing tilted roof usually does better.
- Net metering: yes. Under DPU 23-91 (in effect from February 2025), residential systems up to 25 kW AC are exempt from the cap and earn near-retail credits that roll over (Massachusetts SMART program pages, checked October 2026).
- Plug-in (balcony) solar law: none as of October 2026. Your utility’s interconnection rules apply.
- EVs and charging: 113,900 battery-electric and 60,000 plug-in hybrid vehicles registered through 2025. There were 11,768 public charging ports, 1,984 of them DC fast, at 4,562 locations (AFDC, read October 3, 2026).
- Main utilities: NSTAR Electric Company (47% of customers) and Massachusetts Electric Co (42%), followed by the City of Taunton’s municipal utility and Fitchburg Gas & Electric Light (EIA-861, 2024).
- Weather hazards (FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025): ice storm is rated relatively high. Hurricane, cold wave, tornado and strong wind are relatively moderate, winter weather relatively low and wildfire very low.
- Planned wildfire shutoffs (PSPS): none found from Eversource, National Grid or Unitil.
Backup power in Massachusetts
Massachusetts has one of the steadier grids we track. Without major storms, the typical customer lost power for about an hour and a quarter in 2024. Counting the storms, it was still under two hours. If you divide total outage minutes by the number of interruptions, the average outage lasted about two hours. That is our rough arithmetic on EIA’s figures.
Averages hide the bad nights. FEMA rates ice storms a relatively high risk here, and ice on trees and lines is what keeps a street dark for a day or more. Coastal storms in the hurricane season (relatively moderate risk) can do the same along the South Coast and Cape Cod. So decide based on what your own household can’t do without, not on the state average:
- Short outages, apartment or condo: a portable power station keeps phones, internet, a CPAP or a small fridge running for a few hours with no fumes and no permit.
- A house that needs heat during an ice storm: most gas and oil heating systems still need electricity for the blower, pumps and controls. A generator connected through a transfer switch or interlock, or a home battery sized for the heating system’s electrical load, covers that. Size it with our generator sizing tool or battery backup calculator.
- Medical equipment, a basement sump pump or working from home: these are the cases where automatic backup earns its cost, even on a reliable grid.
Generator safety is the same in Brookline as anywhere: run it outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, with the exhaust pointed away from windows, doors and vents. Never run it in a garage, even with the door open (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission). Put battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms on every level. Any connection to house wiring should be done by a licensed electrician.
Solar in Massachusetts
Massachusetts proves that you don’t need desert sun for solar to make sense. The sun here is modest, about 1,110 kWh per installed kW a year by our estimate. But every kWh you don’t buy is worth about 30 cents. That puts the yearly value of one kW of panels at roughly $338 if the solar power offsets retail-priced electricity (1,110 kWh × 30.49¢; an estimate, not a promise). A 6 kW system would make about 6,660 kWh a year. At today’s rate that is worth about $2,030 a year.
To test a quote, divide its net price (after any state incentives) by the yearly savings. That gives you a simple payback in years. Then remember that rates change, panels slowly lose output, and shade and roof angle can push production well above or below our estimate. Our solar potential tool and the solar cost guide help you check the inputs.
Confirmed state incentives (check each program page before you sign, because amounts change):
- SMART 3.0: a performance payment that opened to applications on October 15, 2025. The residential base incentive is $0.03 per kWh ($0.06 for low-income households) for 20 years, and a storage adder applies when you add a battery (MassCEC). On the 6,660 kWh example above, $0.03/kWh comes to about $200 a year on top of bill savings.
- Residential Renewable Energy Income Tax Credit: 15% of net cost, up to $1,000, claimed on Schedule EC. Unused credit can carry forward three years (Mass. DOR).
- Sales tax exemption: residential solar and wind systems are exempt from the 6.25% sales tax (MGL c.64H §6(dd)).
- Property tax exemption: solar and wind systems are exempt from local property tax for 20 years (MGL c.59 §5 cl.45).
The Mass Solar Loan program is closed to new applications. The federal 25D credit ended for systems completed after December 31, 2025, so a 2026 install has no federal tax credit. Ignore any quote that still counts one. Read how credits work on our net metering page, see every program on incentives, and start at the solar hub.
Massachusetts has no plug-in (balcony) solar law, so a plug-in kit falls under your utility’s interconnection rules.
Home batteries in Massachusetts
Massachusetts already has plenty of rooftop solar, but few of those homes have a battery. Of the 189,611 net-metered residential systems EIA counted in 2024, only 2,528 (about 1.3%) were paired with storage (about 1,305 MW of panels in all). Near-retail net metering explains much of that: when the grid gives you close to full credit for exports, a battery adds little to the bill savings. It earns its place mainly as backup.
Where a battery does fit: you want quiet, automatic backup for the furnace, well pump or medical equipment during ice storms, or you want SMART 3.0’s storage adder (amounts on the program page). Batteries cost real money, so compare a battery sized for essential circuits with a whole-home system on our battery cost page, and see the trade-offs on the batteries hub.
EV charging in Massachusetts
Massachusetts has about one public charging port for every 10 registered battery EVs (113,900 BEVs, 11,768 ports). That is a dense network, and it helps drivers without a driveway.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Massachusetts: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Charging at home is where the high electricity price shows up. At about 30 kWh per 100 miles, a typical figure for an electric car on fueleconomy.gov, charging at 30.49¢ costs roughly $9.15 per 100 miles. For 12,000 miles a year that is about 3,600 kWh, or about $1,100. These are estimates; rooftop solar is one of the clearer ways to cut them. Run your own figures with the EV charging cost calculator.
The federal EV credit (30D) ended September 30, 2025, and the federal charger credit (30C) ended for chargers placed in service after June 30, 2026. A Level 2 charger needs a 240 V circuit installed by a licensed electrician, usually with a permit. Our EV charging hub covers charger choice and installation.
Off-grid, small wind and micro-hydro
Small wind is a hard sell in most of Massachusetts. NASA’s average wind speed at 50 m is about 4.5 m/s at the state’s center and 4.7 m/s near Boston. That is right at the Department of Energy’s rough 4.5 m/s threshold for a grid-tied turbine, and real turbines sit lower, where the wind is weaker. Only a measured, exceptional site (open coast or a high, exposed ridge) is worth studying. The state’s sales and property tax exemptions do cover small wind. We have no state data on micro-hydro. Start with our off-grid guide, and read the background on wind energy and hydroelectric power.
Licensing and permits in Massachusetts
Electrical work for solar, batteries, generator transfer switches and EV chargers must be done by a licensed electrician. Massachusetts licenses electricians through the Board of State Examiners of Electricians in the Division of Occupational Licensure. Home improvement contractors register separately (HIC). Check a license on the state eLicensing lookup. Building and electrical permits come from your city or town. Grid-tied solar and batteries also need your utility’s interconnection approval before they are switched on, and your installer normally handles that application.
Local guides in Massachusetts
Utilities, rates, outage records, permit offices and local programs for each area:
Where we cover in Massachusetts
- Greater Boston: Boston, Cambridge, Newton, Quincy, Waltham, Framingham, Lowell, Lawrence
- Worcester: Worcester
- Springfield: Springfield, Northampton
- South Coast: New Bedford, Fall River, Plymouth
- Cape Cod: Barnstable
Local pages will follow as we verify local information (utility territory, permit offices, local programs) and installers.
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Massachusetts energy FAQ
Does Massachusetts have net metering?
Yes. Since DPU 23-91 took effect in February 2025, residential systems up to 25 kW AC are exempt from the net metering cap, and they earn near-retail credits that roll over from month to month, according to the state’s SMART program pages. Your utility’s tariff has the exact credit, so ask for it in writing before you sign.
How much is the SMART 3.0 solar incentive?
For residential systems the base incentive is $0.03 per kWh produced, or $0.06 for low-income households, paid for 20 years. A storage adder applies if you add a battery. Applications opened October 15, 2025 (MassCEC). Rates and capacity blocks can change, so check the program page before you count on a number.
Is there still a Massachusetts solar tax credit in 2026?
The state credit is still in place: 15% of net cost up to $1,000 on Schedule EC, with a three-year carryforward (Mass. DOR). The federal 25D credit is gone for systems completed after December 31, 2025. Solar and wind equipment is also exempt from sales tax and, for 20 years, from local property tax.
Do I need a generator in Massachusetts?
Many homes don’t. The average customer lost power for about 102 minutes in all of 2024 (EIA). Ice storms are the exception (FEMA rates them relatively high), so homes that need heat, a sump pump or medical equipment through a multi-day outage should plan for a generator or battery. A power station covers short outages.
What does it cost to charge an EV at home in Massachusetts?
At July 2026’s 30.49¢/kWh and about 30 kWh per 100 miles, roughly $9 per 100 miles, or about $1,100 for 12,000 miles a year. That is an estimate. A time-of-use plan from your utility, if one is offered, or rooftop solar can lower it.
Sources
Electricity prices: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Electric Power Monthly Tables 5.6.A and 5.6.B, September 2026 release (July 2026 data, preliminary). Reliability, utilities and residential solar counts: EIA-861, 2024. Sunlight and wind: NASA POWER climatology, 2001–2020. Weather hazards: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. EVs and chargers: Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC), registrations through 2025 and station counts read October 3, 2026. State programs: SMART program pages, MassCEC, Mass. DOR, the General Laws and the Division of Occupational Licensure, checked October 3, 2026. Small wind thresholds: U.S. Department of Energy Small Wind Guidebook.