City of Boston - Renew Boston Solar Program

Summary

July 2012 Update: This rebate program is no longer available. Instead, Boston is now a part of the statewide Solarize Massachusetts program, which encourages the adoption of rooftop solar via education, marketing, and tiered pricing.

Boston opened its pilot solar rebate program in June 2011 using funds secured by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program, originally for solar photovoltaics and now for solar hot water as well (added in January 2012). Only residents that have participated in a MassSAVE or Renew Boston energy audit within the past year and have implemented all the rebate-eligible measures from the audit are eligible.  If no rebate-eligible measures were identified via the audit, the homeowner must have made a substantial investment in improving the home's efficiency by purchasing and installing a high efficiency HVAC or water heating system (for example), to be eligible for the Renew Boston Solar rebates. These PV rebates are added to rebates available through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center Commonwealth Solar II Program and the solar thermal rebates are added to rebates available through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center Commonwealth Solar Thermal Program.

Boston is one of 13 inaugural U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar America City Partners under the Solar America Communities Initiative.