ASTGU Annual Reports
Per 225 CMR 20.06(1)(d)5., annual reporting to the Department and MDAR of the productivity of the crop(s) and herd, including pounds harvested and/or grazed, herd size growth, success of the crop, potential changes, etc., shall be provided after project implementation and throughout the SMART incentive period for Agricultural Solar Tariff Generation Units (ASTGUs).
2023 Reports
SMANG_00235 - Million Little Sunbeams/Reddy Fox Farm
SMAES_05244 - REDP Godfrey Solar LLC
SMANG_00414 - BWC Lake Ripple LLC
2022 Reports
CSS/LICSS Annual Compliance
Community Solar Customer Disclosure Form Examples
Per 225 CMR 20.06(1)(f)2. and 225 CMR 20.06(1)(h)2., Community Shared and Low Income Community Shared Solar Tariff Generation Unit Owners or Authorized Agents must provide updated customer disclosure forms for any new Customers of Record that receive electricity or bill credits generated by the Community Shared Solar Tariff Generation Unit after it is granted its Statement of Qualification. These updates must be provided at least annually by no later than December 31st. In addition, the Owner or Authorized Agent must provide an updated AOBC form so the Department can identify the new Customers of Record and confirm that their customer disclosure forms have been submitted.
The Department will send reminders to applicable systems in December. Any system Owner that does not have new Customers of Record should reply to the Department's reminder email stating as such. All other system Owners should reply with the updated AOBC form and new Customer Disclosure forms by December 31st. The Department will review materials submitted and notify the responder if there are any issues identified.
ESS Annual Compliance
Per 225 CMR 20.06(1)(e), Solar Tariff Generation Units co-located with an Energy Storage System and receiving an energy storage adder must comply with eligibility criteria.
Data Provision Requirements: The Owner of the Energy Storage System must provide historical 15-minute interval performance data in a manner established by the Department for the first year of operation, and upon request, for the first five years of operation.
Operational Requirements: The Energy Storage System must discharge at least 52 complete cycle equivalents per year, or must participate in a demand response program, and must remain functional and operational in order for the Solar Tariff Generation Unit to continue to be eligible for the energy storage adder. If the Energy Storage System is decommissioned or non-functional for more than 15% of any 12-month period, the Department may disqualify the Solar Tariff Generation Unit from continuing to receive the energy storage adder.
The Department will provide a template for the Owner to submit the 15-minute interval data and will work with the Electric Distribution Companies to identify which systems are participating in the ConnectedSolutions demand response program. The Department will reach out to the applicable systems with the template and a timeline for submitting the materials. The Department will review the materials submitted and notify the responder if there are any issues identified.
Audit of Low Income Solar Tariff Generation Units
Per 225 CMR 20.06(1)(k), a Solar Tariff Generation Unit that services eligible Low Income Customers must demonstrate to the Department's satisfaction that any such customers shall receive a net savings by enrolling in the solar contract, as detailed in the Department's Guideline Regarding Low Income Generation Units.
History
In 2021 and 2022, the Department undertook an audit of Low Income Solar Tariff Generation Units. The Department selected projects at random and reviewed applications from 15 Applicants.
Pursuant to Section 4 of the Guideline on SMART Consumer Protection (Guideline), Applicants received a warning for each instance of non-compliance. Applicants that received three or more warnings were suspended from submitting applications to the SMART program for 12 months. Additionally, Applicants were required to remedy the non-compliant projects and demonstrate that it had made the necessary improvements to ensure the issues that lead to its suspension would not occur in the future.
Two entities were shown to have three or more instances of non-compliance, resulting in the Applicants being suspended from submitting applications to the SMART program.
Currently Suspended:
- Vision Solar: filed Chapter 7 on December 28, 2023
Previously Suspended:
- Palmetto Solar: came back into compliance on November 8, 2024
Seven Applicants had two or fewer instances of non-compliance and received warnings on Pursuant to Section 4 of the Guideline, a warning expires two years after its issuance.
Entities Previously with Warnings:
- Freedom Forever: remedied instances of non-compliance on January 31, 2023
- Bright Planet Solar: warnings expired on June 16, 2024
- Devlin Contracting: warnings expired on June 16, 2024
- Isaksen Solar: warnings expired on June 16, 2024
- Trinity Solar: warnings expired on June 16, 2024
- Venture Solar: warnings expired on June 16, 2024