BOSTON (AP) — The Massachusetts House has passed a bill designed to boost the state’s reliance on solar energy.
The measure approved Tuesday increases the cap on the state’s “net metering” program that allows homeowners, businesses and local governments to sell excess solar power they generate back to the electrical grid in exchange for credit.
The increase in the bill equals 2 percent for private facilities and 2 percent for public facilities.
House Speaker Robert DeLeo says that’s enough to allow most net metering projects currently in the development pipeline to move ahead.
Solar energy supporters called the bill disappointing, saying it doesn’t go far enough and would make it harder for many Massachusetts residents to power their homes with renewable energy.
The bill would have to be reconciled with a version passed earlier by the Senate.
“Energy policy is one of the most crucial issues facing the Commonwealth today,” DeLeo said. “Today’s efforts and those we will undertake later in the session will help foster a sustainable renewable energy industry while ensuring ratepayers are treated fairly. I’m proud of the progress the House is making to strike a balanced approach that will serve our state’s environmental and economic needs both now and far into the future.”
