Existing Commercial Solar in Massachusetts
Answers to what owners ask us most: what you have, what it means for your income, and what you can do next.
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Step 1 of 3 · What you have
What do I actually have?
Most owners don't know much about their system, and that's normal. An address and the utility account are enough to start.
I don't know anything about this system. Can you still look at it?
Yes. That's the normal case. With the address and the utility account, we can find the size, install date and state program from public records and the utility.
Send us the address →How do I find out how old it is or who installed it?
Check the label on the inverter, the utility's approval papers or old SREC statements from your broker. Or just send us the address and we'll look it up.
Is it even working?
Many owners don't know. If your electric bill went up and nothing else changed, it probably isn't. The online monitoring can also be down while the system still runs. We buy systems whether they're running or not.
How to tell if it's still performing →Do I own it, or does someone else?
This is the most important early question. With a power purchase agreement (PPA) or lease, another company may own the system and you only host it. If you don't own it, we can't buy it from you, but we may be able to buy it from the owner. Not sure? Contact us and we'll talk it through.
Talk it through with us →Which Massachusetts program is it on?
Massachusetts has had three programs: SREC-I, SREC-II and SMART. For most owners, one tap tells you which one is probably yours.
When was your system approved?
The date on your state approval letter, or about when it turned on. A close guess is fine.
What are SRECs, and am I still getting them?
SRECs are credits your system earns for the power it makes, which you sell for extra income. In Massachusetts a system earns them for up to 10 years. SREC-I is over, and SREC-II systems are reaching their 10 years now.
What's the difference between SREC-I and SREC-II?
SREC-I was for systems approved from 2010 to April 2014. SREC-II covered April 2014 to November 26, 2018. Both pay with certificates you sell, usually through a broker.
What is SMART?
The program that replaced SRECs on November 26, 2018. Your utility pays you a set rate for each kWh and keeps the certificates. It lasts 20 years for systems over 25 kW.
DOER: how SMART works ↗I have SRECs sitting in an account. Are they part of the sale?
They can be. If your account holds unsold SRECs that can still be sold when we close, we'll include their value in your offer. Have your SREC account details ready, and we'll confirm what counts during our review.
Which systems are too new for you?
SMART systems approved from late 2020 on are under 6 years old. So is everything on SMART 3.0, which started in 2025. We can't buy them yet, but we're glad to help you make sense of yours.
The programs at a glance
- SREC-I, Up to 10 years
- Approved January 2010 to April 2014
- Certificates you sell, one for every 1,000 kWh. The market is now over.
- SREC-II, Up to 10 years
- Approved April 25, 2014 to November 26, 2018
- Certificates you sell. The lowest price steps down each year.
- SMART, 20 years over 25 kW, 10 years for smaller
- Approved November 26, 2018 or later
- A set rate for each kWh, paid by your utility.
- SMART 3.0, Set each year
- Built June 20, 2025 or later
- Under 6 years old, so newer than the systems we buy.
| If your system was | It is probably on | How it pays | For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approved January 2010 to April 2014 | SREC-I | Certificates you sell, one for every 1,000 kWh. The market is now over. | Up to 10 years |
| Approved April 25, 2014 to November 26, 2018 | SREC-II | Certificates you sell. The lowest price steps down each year. | Up to 10 years |
| Approved November 26, 2018 or later | SMART | A set rate for each kWh, paid by your utility. | 20 years over 25 kW, 10 years for smaller |
| Built June 20, 2025 or later | SMART 3.0 | Under 6 years old, so newer than the systems we buy. | Set each year |
How to check which program you are on
- Find your Statement of Qualification. The state sent this letter when your system was approved. It names your program.
- Search the state's lists. The lists of approved systems cover each program. The SREC-II list shows the last quarter your system can earn SRECs.
- Check who pays you. A monthly payment from your utility points to SMART. Payments from a broker point to SRECs.
- Log in to the tracking website. SREC systems report their production to MassCEC's Production Tracking System. Your broker often has the login.
- Still stuck? Your utility can send its approval letter. Or ask us. We look these up all the time.
Step 2 of 3 · What it means
Why did my solar income drop?
Most likely your SREC years ran out, or rising electric rates shrank your SMART check. SREC-I is over, and SREC-II systems are reaching their 10 years now.
The Department of Energy Resources (DOER), the state energy office, runs these programs. The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) sets the net metering rules. Read more about the state's 10 GW plan and its unused solar potential.
When do my SREC or SMART payments end?
SREC payments last up to 10 years from when the system was approved. SMART lasts 20 years for systems over 25 kW, and 10 years for smaller ones. The state's SREC-II list shows your last quarter.
DOER: lists of approved systems ↗What happens when my SRECs end?
The panels keep working and you keep saving on your bill. After SREC-II, the power earns a basic renewable credit worth much less. The state emails you each quarter to confirm the change. Answer on time, or you lose that quarter.
DOER: SREC rules ↗Why does my SMART check get smaller when rates go up?
If your system powers the building it sits on, SMART pays a set rate minus the value of the power. That value rises with electric rates. So your bill savings grow and your SMART check shrinks.
What happens to my net metering?
It keeps going after SRECs or SMART end. Power you send to the grid becomes a dollar credit on your bill. Systems that got their spot before late 2016 usually get full credits. Most newer ones get 60%.
DPU: net metering guide ↗Can I replace broken panels without losing SRECs?
Yes, if the system stays the same size. Tell DOER within 30 days. Adding panels or replacing the whole system isn't allowed under the SREC programs.
Nobody has reported production for months. What now?
SREC systems must report every month, and missed months can't be made up later. Get reporting going again soon, or ask us to help.
MassCEC: where production is reported ↗What happens to my net metering if I sell to you?
Net metering stays in place. We keep the system net metered, and you pay us the per-kWh rate set in your power agreement. That rate is lower than what the grid charges you. During our review, we confirm exactly what your system receives today, including whether it gets full or 60% credits.
If I sell, do my SRECs and net metering move too?
They can. The state leaves it up to buyer and seller. The new owner's broker updates the state's tracking website. Your utility needs a signed notice too. National Grid calls it a Notice of Assignment.
National Grid: moving with solar ↗Step 3 of 3 · Your options
What are my options with an existing Massachusetts solar system?
You can keep running it yourself, fix it up, or sell it as-is to a buyer who takes over everything. Here's what owners ask us before they decide.
Are you the right buyer?
Do you buy residential solar?
No. We buy commercial, industrial and institutional systems only: rooftop, ground mount and carport.
Is my system too small or too old?
It needs to be 6 or more years old. On its own, we look for at least 250 kW. That's about a 30,000 sq ft roof, 2 acres of ground mount or 100 carport spaces. There's no upper age limit.
Which systems we buy →I have more than one system. Can you buy them all?
Yes. You can add each one when you get your estimate, up to 7.5 MW in total. You can also pick just the ones you want to sell.
Why would anyone want a broken system?
Because fixing it costs less than building new, and the panels can keep producing for many more years. That's our whole business.
What's it worth, and what do I get?
What will you pay?
You'll get an estimate in about 23 seconds, based on recent market transactions and standard assumptions about systems like yours. A Letter of Intent follows immediately. The final price depends on what due diligence confirms: the system's age and condition, how many years of state incentive income it has left, and the terms of any power contract it has.
Get your estimate →Is the estimate a firm offer?
No. The price can change after our site visit and our review of the papers. Nothing is final until you sign our written offer.
Do I have to pay to remove it?
No. You avoid removal and cleanup costs completely. That's one of the main reasons owners sell.
What if the roof needs replacing?
This comes up a lot. We work out with you who pays for taking the panels off and putting them back, and we do the work.
Are there taxes when I sell?
Talk to your accountant about your own tax picture. We only buy systems after the 5-year federal tax credit (ITC) recapture window has closed, so selling to us won't trigger a recapture of the credit you or a prior owner claimed.
How does it work?
How long does it take?
You get an estimate in seconds and a Letter of Intent immediately. Due diligence moves at your pace: the faster you send us documents and site access, the faster it goes. Closing follows shortly after.
How selling works →My paperwork is a mess. Is that a problem?
No. Sorting it out is part of what we do. Gather what you can: utility bills, any contracts, SREC statements and the installer's name.
Documents that help →Does my bank, landlord or tenant need to sign off?
Often, yes. Loans, liens and lease approvals come up during our review, and we help you work through them.
Do you need to come on site?
Yes. We only buy in the Northeast, within driving distance, so we come and see the system ourselves.
What happens to my maintenance and monitoring contracts?
We take over the contracts that come with the system, including maintenance. If the company is doing good work at a fair price, we usually keep them on.
Why should I trust you?
Our founder has built and run more than 200 solar projects across the Northeast over 15 years.
Meet the team →What happens after I sell?
If the panels stay on my roof, am I still involved?
Only as the host, and on better terms than you have now. We'll put a roof lease and power agreement in place, and you'll pay a fixed per-kWh rate, agreed in that contract, that's lower than what the grid charges you. With utility rates rising, those savings grow over time. We run and maintain the system and pay for it, keeping it safe and secure. You don't manage anything.
Who do I call if something leaks or breaks?
Us. We carry the insurance and the liability.
What if I sell the building later?
We stay on the roof under the lease. That usually makes the sale easier, because a buyer who doesn't want to own solar doesn't have to.
Selling a building with solar on it →We're here to help.
Send us what you know about your system, even if it's just the address. We'll help you work out where you stand, whether or not you sell.
More from the solar guide
Other states we buy in
- New Jersey →Legacy SRECs, TRECs or SREC-IIs, and when each one ends
- New York →Net metering, Phase One or the Value Stack, plus NY-Sun
- Maryland →Falling SREC values, the 2 MW limit and the 2027 net metering change
- Washington, DC →SRECs with no end date, and what can cost you certification
- Vermont →Standard Offer contracts or net metering, and when the terms change
- Pennsylvania →Low SREC prices, supplier switching and the Act 44 decommissioning law
Start at the solar guide for the questions every owner has, or see the documents that help when you sell.
What is your system worth?
Get a price range in about 23 seconds, free and with no obligation. A final price depends on the system's condition, contracts and records.
Get my 23-second estimate →Rather talk first? Contact us.