Massachusetts
Technical Potential of Solar
An analysis of solar potential and siting suitability in the Commonwealth
In 2022, Climable collaborated with Synapse Energy Economics on a research study that estimated the total amount of solar that could be built in Massachusetts (MA) based on current physical conditions. Climable supported the project by collecting opinions and concerns of residents and other stakeholders in MA regarding solar development.
The project was completed for the MA Department of Energy Resources (DOER). The final report, which can be read here, serves as a tool for policymakers and other decision-makers to support the state’s clean energy goals. To meet these goals, 25 to 35 gigawatts of solar energy would need to be developed—building on the measly 3 gigawatts currently produced in MA. Synapse found that theoretically, 506 gigawatts could be generated by solar panels installed on rooftops, parking lot canopies, and ground-mounts across the Commonwealth. Only 152 gigawatts of this potential was considered satisfactory or acceptable for development, but that’s more than enough solar power to meet state goals! You can explore the suitability of various locations in MA using this interactive map created as part of the project.
This map shows the percentage of solar power each county of MA could potentially contribute to meet the 2050 solar production goal based on this study’s results. Source: Synapse Energy Economics, 2023, p. 36.
Climable’s Role
Climable led stakeholder engagement to assess MA residents’ priorities and concerns regarding different types and locations of solar development. Engagement took two forms: A survey and five meetings.
The stakeholder meetings aimed to gather in-depth information from residents, utility companies, and others with a vested interest in solar development in MA. Two meetings were held in person—one in eastern MA and one in western—and three were held on Zoom.
With the survey, we sought to gather broader opinions. We incorporated educational aspects along with questions to ensure we collected informed input. It was open to the public for 60 days on the DOER’s website. Respondents were asked about their attitudes towards placing solar panels on:
Under-developed lands
Previously or partially developed land
Agricultural land
Along roadsides
Brownfields (land that has been abandoned or is underused due to pollution or contamination from previous uses)
Capped landfills
Canopies over parking lots
Rooftops of small or large buildings, and on residential, private, or public buildings
Over 3,000 people took the survey. Check out some of the results below.
This graph shows respondents’ attitudes towards developing solar projects on the different land and building types listed above. Respondents were asked to rate their attitude toward each building and land type.
Each bar in this graph shows the percentage that each attitude was selected, using different colors for each building and land type. Dark red indicates “very negative,” orange is “negative,” yellow is “neutral,” light blue is “positive,” and dark blue is “very positive.” Source: Synapse Energy Economics, 2023, p. A-5.
Respondents indicated that they preferred developing solar panels on developed land and existing structures, including large rooftops (over 85% selected “very positive” and another 10% selected “positive”), parking lot canopies (over 70% and 20%, respectively), and small residential rooftops (70% and 20%). Generally, respondents rated feeling positive or very positive towards brownfields and along roadsides, albeit not as positive as the former three.
Many respondents indicated that they felt unfavorable towards solar projects on undeveloped or partially developed land; over 50% selected feeling “very negative” and another 25% or so selected “negative”. Responses were mixed towards solar on agricultural land.
The survey also asked respondents to identify other topics important to them concerning the development of solar projects. They could select any number of pre-written responses, including: negative impact on the environment, energy independence, positive impact on the environment, environmental justice issues, energy reliability, and more. You can see the results of this question in the graph below.
The results indicate respondents were most concerned about negative impacts on the environment, followed by energy independence, and positive impacts on the environment. These three were all selected over 2,000 times. Source: Synapse Energy Economics, 2023, p. A-2.
Importance of Community Input
Through the stakeholder meeting takeaways and the survey results, Climable, Synapse, and DOER learned what MA residents and stakeholders care about regarding solar power development. We found that it is generally supported in the state, and people feel positively about it in many locations that Synapse found to be suitable. However, people are concerned about the impact it could have on the land and environment, particularly negative impacts on undeveloped land, partially developed land, or land that is already under pressure from other forms of development, such as agricultural land. This is important information for local and state policymakers and other decision-makers as we all work towards meeting the state’s climate goals and transitioning away from fossil fuels. So, while it’s great news that MA has the potential to develop enough solar to not only reach but surpass our renewable energy goals, officials can arm themselves with this community input when deciding where to develop.