Massachusetts Lawmakers Lift NEM Cap, But Fail to Act on Broader Legislation

With the clock running out on its 2014 session, the Massachusetts Legislature has agreed to a short term fix to address the bottleneck of solar projects across the Commonwealth by immediately raising the cap on net metering. But Instead of passing broad, compromise legislation, H 4185 – which was supported by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the New England Clean Energy Council (NECEC) and many other stakeholders across Massachusetts – the legislature established a task force to review net metering in the Commonwealth and develop recommendations on incentives and programs that will support the deployment of Governor Patrick’s goal of 1600 megawatts (MW) of solar in Massachusetts by 2020.

“This action makes it clear that the Massachusetts legislature recognizes the many benefits which solar investments bring to the Commonwealth,” said SEIA President and CEO Rhone Resch.  “While we are disappointed that H 4185 did not pass, leaving the solar industry with an uncertain business climate, SEIA is proud of the hard work we did with other solar stakeholders to find a workable framework, and we look forward to working with the legislature and the task force to build on that compromise.”

Today, solar is the fastest growing source of renewable energy in America, generating enough clean, reliable electricity to power more than 3 million American homes, while employing nearly 143,000 Americans, including 8,400 workers in Massachusetts. 

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About SEIA:

Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2014, the Solar Energy Industries Association® is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry. Through advocacy and education, SEIA® is building a strong solar industry to power America. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies to champion the use of clean, affordable solar in America by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. Visit SEIA online atwww.seia.org.

Media Contacts:

Ken Johnson, SEIA Vice President of Communications, kjohnson@seia.org (202) 556-2885

Samantha Page, SEIA Press Officer and Communications Manager, spage@seia.org (202) 556-2886