Solar in Massachusetts

Is solar worth it in Boston, MA?

A typical 7 kW rooftop system in Boston produces about 7,616 kWh/year and pays back in roughly 14.1 years against the area’s ~19.5¢/kWh commercial rate. Computed from Boston’s solar geometry — refine for your exact roof below.

Specific yield
1,088
kWh/kWp/yr
7 kW system output
7,616 kWh
per year
Est. payback
14.1 yr
@ ~19.5¢/kWh
Year-1 savings
$1k
vs $21k system

Monthly production — 7 kW system in Boston

02505007501.0kJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeckWh

How much solar does Boston get?

Boston’s continental climate gives a solar specific yield of about 1,088 kWh per kW of installed panels each year (south-facing, tilted near the latitude of 42°). At an estimated commercial electricity rate of ~19.5¢/kWh, a 7 kW array offsets roughly $1k of bills in year one, for a simple payback near 14.1 years before incentives. Add storage and you can ride through outages and shift usage off peak — model the full system for your address next.

Get the exact payback for your roof

Run real NREL PVWatts production against your actual serving utility — then size storage in the modeler.