Solar Carve-out and Solar Carve-out II Program Information

This page provides information on the Solar Carve-out (SREC) and Solar Carve-out II (SREC II) Programs.

Table of Contents

Guidance on Equipment Changes to SREC Systems

SREC system owners may replace broken or damaged panels and maintain their SREC eligibility if the total system capacity remains the same. System owners must notify the Department of the system changes within 30 days by submitting a Change Request Form to doer.srec@mass.gov for approval. Failure to notify DOER of changes within 30 days may result in a forfeit of SRECs for a given quarter. If you are working with an aggregator, please contact them to submit the request for you. The eligibility of panel replacements may be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Department.

System changes not allowed under the SREC program include panel additions, capacity increases, or complete system replacements. System owners that wish to expand their original SREC system may consider applying to the RPS Class I program or the SMART program, subject to program eligibility. Questions regarding system changes should be directed to doer.srec@mass.gov.

Transition to SMART

The SMART Program officially launched on November 26, 2018, marking the last day solar Generation Units in Massachusetts were able to qualify for the SREC II Program. Systems qualified under SREC II must meet the following requirements:

Systems 25 kW DC and less

Operational on or before November 26, 2018. Applications for eligible operational systems must have been submitted to DOER through the SREC II Statement of Qualification Application portal by February 15, 2019. 

Systems over 25 kW DC

DOER is no longer accepting Solar Carve-out II applications for facilities larger than 25 kW DC.

Metering, Data Reporting, and Verification

DOER has designated the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s (MassCEC) Production Tracking System (PTS) as the sole and required independent verifier for the RPS Solar Carve-out and Solar Carve-out II programs. The PTS reports all production data on a quarterly basis to the NEPOOL GIS for the purpose of generating SRECs and SREC IIs.

Each month, the system Owner or its agent must report all metered data to the PTS. The reporting period for the PTS is open during the last five days of the reporting month through the first five days of the following month. Owners or agents can report their data by logging into their assigned PTS accounts. To find out more information and to report production, please visit MassCEC’s Production Tracking System webpage.

All production from qualified Generation Units must be individually metered and reported. Per NEPOOL GIS rules, all projects must utilize a revenue grade meter from which generation data is to be reported and conform to the Small Generator Metering Protocol found in the NEPOOL GIS Operating Rules. Projects less than or equal to 10 kW DC can report production manually or automatically. Projects greater than 10 kW DC must be reported electronically and automatically through a Data Acquisition System (DAS). 

MassCEC maintains the right, but not the requirement, to audit any project's metering and reporting. MassCEC will execute specific protocols and algorithms to verify reported data and identify any out-of-bounds data. On-site project audits are triggered by PTS identification of out-of-bounds data or disputes by an Owner or aggregator.

Penalty for Failure to Report: Not reporting metered data during the reporting period may result in forfeiture of SRECs that would have otherwise been generated during the unreported period.

System Ownership and Aggregation Transfers

If you transfer ownership of your solar system when you move, or if you decide to work with a different aggregator, you or your aggregator will need to notify DOER so that we can update our records and make sure that the correct individual or aggregation receives the SRECs. If you are working with an aggregator, you should first contact them so they can handle the transfer process for you. DOER will process your request once we receive a Change Request Form, a REC Services Agreement, and documentation of the transfer via email at DOER.SREC@mass.gov.

Please note that the decision to transfer SRECs at the time of a property sale is up to the buyer and seller of the property.

DOER has established the following recommended submission deadlines for each quarter:

Quarter

Recommended Submission Deadline

Q1

May 15th

Q2

August 15th

Q3

November 15th

Q4

February 15th

System Information Updates

If you need to update the equipment information or make another correction to your system information on file, you will also need to let DOER know by sending a Change Request Form to doer.srec@mass.gov. If you are working with an aggregator, you should first contact them so they can handle the request for you.

Expansions to Qualified Projects

Expansions to qualified projects are generally not permitted under the Solar Carve-out or Solar Carve-out II Program at this time. Expansions to a system that are interconnected after November 26, 2018 must seek qualification under the SMART Program and will be required to have a separate production meter, which will be owned by the local distribution company. Questions regarding expansions should be directed to DOER at DOER.SREC@mass.gov.

Information on Aggregators & Traders/Brokers

Owners of solar PV systems of any size may seek qualification for the RPS Solar Carve-out and Solar Carve-out II, establish accounts on the NEPOOL GIS, and actively participate in the marketing and selling of SRECs. However, Owners may find it easier to become part of an Aggregation, which typically represent a number of PV systems and Owners. Aggregators will submit an application to DOER for qualification, establish an account at NEPOOL GIS, and market and sell its members' SRECs. DOER encourages Generation Units of all sizes to take advantage of Aggregations; however, each Owner should be aware of and carefully consider the Aggregation's contract terms and fees.

An Aggregation can only be composed of solar PV projects that are eligible for the RPS Solar Carve-out or Solar Carve-out II.

List of Aggregators

DOER does not recommend individual Aggregators.

Aggregations are qualified by DOER when they receive a Statement of Qualification after positive review of their Statement of Qualification Application which contains the initial set of one or more individual projects forming the Aggregation. After receiving the Statement of Qualification, the qualified Aggregation can add additional projects to their Aggregation.

Aggregators may often act as a trader or broker on behalf of their customers, but DOER has also compiled a list of traders and brokers who participate in the REC and SREC Markets.

List of Traders/Brokers

DOER does not recommend individual traders/brokers.

Solar Carve-out II Statement of Qualification Application (archived)

Before a project can generate SREC IIs, DOER must qualify the project for the RPS Solar Carve-Out II. Projects may qualify as part of an Aggregation or as an Independent Generation Unit. All prospective applicants must submit a Statement of Qualification Application (SQA) via the online registration platform hosted by the MassCEC and administered by DOER.

SREC II Statement of Qualification Application (SQA)
SREC II Statement of Qualification Application (SQA) User Guide 
SREC II Statement of Qualification Application (SQA) Glossary of Terms 

Authorization to Interconnect

SREC II generation cannot commence before the date on which the system has received the local utility’s authorization to interconnect. For Independent Generation Units and Aggregations, authorization to interconnect must be provided for each individual project via the online registration platform.

Project Owners that have not received the authorization to interconnect will need to qualify via the Assurance of Qualification process, which is outlined in the Guideline on the following page.

Other Required Documentation

Applicants may be required to submit other documentation depending on the type of project for which they are seeking qualification. Many of these documents can be submitted directly via the online registration platform.

Required Documentation by Project Type

Emergency Power Generation Unit

  • Copy of electric bill showing at least one year of on-site electric consumption; or
  • Estimate of yearly on-site electric consumption

Low or Moderate Income Housing

  • Evidence that 100% of the electricity or net-metering credits from the project is being delivered to a facility that qualifies as low or moderate income housing

Guideline Regarding the Definition of Low or Moderate Income Housing  

Community Shared Solar Generation Units

  • Copy of Schedule Z showing net metering credit allocation

Ground mounted projects >25 kW with 67% or more on-site use

  • Copy of electric bill showing at least one year of on-site electric consumption; or
  • Estimate of yearly on-site electric consumption

Brownfield Generation Unit

  • DOER has developed the following draft Guideline in consultation with MassDEP regarding the pre-determination of whether or not a particular site meets the definition of Brownfield in 225 CMR 14.00. 

Guideline Regarding the Definition of Brownfield 

Landfill Generation Unit

  • Copy of MassDEP issued post-closure use permit

Member of Aggregation

DOER Review and Approval of Application 

Applications that are incomplete, inaccurate, or include ineligible projects will not be reviewed further until the open issues have been completely rectified to the satisfaction of DOER. Within 30 days of receipt of an incomplete, ineligible, or inaccurate application, DOER will notify the applicant. The submission of incomplete applications may result in significant delays.

Once a Generation Unit or Aggregation has been approved by DOER, a Statement of Qualification will be mailed to the designated Authorized Representative of the Generation Unit/Aggregation. The Authorized Representative will also be notified of their qualification by email. Delays may occur during periods of high demand, vacations, and holidays.

DOER reserves the right to inspect sites and/or request additional technical information prior to approving or denying applications.

Historical Development

The process of developing both the Solar Carve-out and the Solar Carve-out II Programs can be found on the following pages. Each page not only outlines the development of the policy, but also contains links to program and policy documents issued and revised to reach the final program design.

Historical Development of the Solar Carve-out

Historical Development of the Solar Carve-out II

Additional Resources   for Historical Development

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