In Massachusetts, we have a saying: Make hay while the sun shines. If you own a solar system, you can apply that same logic to your electric bill.
While New England winters are famous for short days and snow-covered roofs, Massachusetts has one of the best “savings accounts” in the country for solar owners: 1:1 Net Metering. At Brightstar Solar, we design systems that don’t just power your home in July—they effectively pre-pay your utility bills for January.
How the “Summer Bank” Works
Massachusetts law requires utilities like National Grid and Eversource to offer Net Metering. Think of the grid as a giant, free battery.
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The Overproduction Phase (May–August): During the long days of summer, your solar panels often produce far more electricity than your home actually uses. That excess energy flows back onto the grid.
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The Spinning Meter: Your utility meter literally “spins backward” (digitally speaking), and you receive 1:1 credits on your bill. If you sent 500 kWh of extra power to the grid, you get 500 kWh worth of credit at the full retail rate (currently around $0.32/kWh in 2026).
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The Bank Account: These credits don’t expire at the end of the month. They roll over, month after month, creating a “bank” of credits.
Carrying Your Credits Into Winter
By the time November hits, a well-designed solar system has usually built up a significant credit balance.
When the sun sets at 4:30 PM and the snow starts falling, your solar production naturally drops. This is when you “withdraw” from your bank. Your utility bill will show that you used electricity from the grid, but instead of charging your credit card, the utility simply subtracts those units from your accumulated summer credits.
The result? Many Brightstar Solar customers pay only the minimum monthly connection fee (usually around $7.00 for Eversource and National Grid) even in the dead of winter.
Why Ownership Beats Leasing for Net Metering
This is where the “Ownership vs. Lease” debate gets real.
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If you OWN your system: You are the “bank owner.” You keep 100% of those retail-rate credits. If utility rates go up, the value of your banked credits goes up too.
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If you Lease or use a PPA: You often pay a third-party company for the power the panels produce as they produce it. You don’t get the same long-term “equity” in your utility credits, and you’re still stuck with their annual escalators .
The SMART Bonus
On top of the bill credits, Massachusetts owners also participate in the SMART 3.0 Program. While Net Metering lowers your bill, the SMART program sends you a separate incentive based on your total generation. It’s essentially a “double dip”:
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Net Metering wipes out your utility bill.
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SMART Incentives provide a return on your investment.
🔎 Expert Note from Brightstar Solar
“In 2026, we’ve seen a shift in the MA market. With the expiration of the federal tax credit for individuals, many national ‘Big Solar’ companies are pushing PPAs harder than ever to capture the corporate credits for themselves. We investigated these providers and found that for the average Massachusetts homeowner, the long-term ROI of ownership—even without the federal credit—outperforms the PPA by nearly 3x when you account for Net Metering and SMART 3.0 income.”
Is Your Roof Ready for the Summer Bank?
At Brightstar Solar, we don’t just slap panels on a roof. We look at your annual usage history to “right-size” your system. We want to ensure you produce enough in the summer to cover those cold February nights without over-investing in a system that’s larger than you need.
The Bottom Line
Solar ownership isn’t just about “going green”—it’s about financial strategy. By owning your system, you take control of your energy costs and turn the utility company into your personal savings bank.
Ready to find out more about solar ownership? Contact us for a complimentary solar evaluation of your Massachusetts home or business.