In late March, Hudson Light & Power Department announced a rebate for residential, commercial, and municipal customers who install a grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) system. The Hudson Light service territory includes both Hudson, MA and Stow, MA. Coupled with the other generous incentives offered by the state of Massachusetts and the federal government, the HLPD rebate makes solar power a very attractive investment in this municipality.

The Hudson Light rebate is only available on photovoltaic solar installations and does not include solar thermal (or solar hot water) projects. There are a few other municipal light plants, like Ipswich and Marblehead that offer a solar rebate, but their programs are restricted to only residential projects. Hudson’s solar rebate program is available for solar installations at commercial, industrial, residential, non-profits, schools, agricultural, and institutional facilities.

The rebate incentive is equal to $1 per watt DC with a $5,000 maximum incentive for residential projects and a $10,000 maximum incentive for commercial, industrial, and municipal projects. Funding is limited and capped, therefore subject to availability. The program can be modified or terminated at any time and without prior notice. Approved rebate applications have 12 months to complete construction or the rebate will be revoked.

System owners will retain ownership of all Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) generated by PV system. According to the program details, inverters must be certified to meet the most current edition of the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) Standard. In addition, solar panels must have a 20-year power warranty and must have UL1741 certification.

The solar PV rebate from Hudson Light is only one out of many incentives that are offered for Massachusetts solar installations. Rebates are not available for “do-it-yourself” projects and installations must be completed by professional, licensed solar contractors. Please talk to a Massachusetts solar installer, such as Brightstar Solar, to schedule a free evaluation to determine if solar power is right for your home or business.