Renewable Energy Snapshot

Current Installed capacity

Massachusetts has a long history of promoting renewable energy and technologies. Current targets for installed renewables capacity call for 1600 MW of solar and 2000 MW of Wind by 2020. Policies, programs and incentives range from the Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS)requiring a percentage of electric generation from renewables, to the new Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) and additional solar programs. Massachusetts continues to expand its initiatives to include biomass, clean heating and cooling, and advanced bio-fuels.

Installed solar capacity in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has surpassed its aggressive target of 1600 MW of solar power installed for 2020. The above figure represent the cumulative amount installed as of December 2019 in 100,639 projects.

Installed wind capacity in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has a goal of 2,000 MW of wind energy installed in Massachusetts by 2020. The above figures represent the cumulative amount installed as of December 2019 in 129 projects.

Massachusetts renewable energy net generation is rising

As shown in the Massachusetts Global Warming Solutions Dashboard, renewable energy generation is growing in Massachusetts.  Massachusetts created one of the first Renewable Portfolio Standards and the chart below highlights that mount of renewable energy that has come online since 2003.

Installed combined heat and power (CHP) in Massachusetts (2018)