2025 Solar Incentives Guide for Hudson, MA - Tax Credits & Rebates

In this guide, we'll cover the latest solar incentives and rebates available in Hudson.

You'll learn about:

  • Local & State Solar Incentives
  • Federal Tax Credits (Updated for 2024 and beyond)
  • Ways to optimize your solar investment

Solar installers are experts in maximizing your solar tax credits and rebates.
Get a free quote from one of our trusted Hudson solar installers to see how much you can save.

By EcoWatch Local Advisors

Data Analysis: James Savino

Updated January 24, 2025

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What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Hudson?

Renewable Energy Property Tax Exemption

Incentive Type:
Property Tax Incentive
Solar energy systems used for heating or cooling: out-of-pocket expenditures by the owner for the components and labor
Wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, solar thermal, solar PV, and other solar energy systems: the assessed value of the system

Residential Renewable Energy Income Tax Credit

Incentive Type:
Personal Tax Credit

Renewable Energy Equipment Sales Tax Exemption

Incentive Type:
Sales Tax Incentive
100% exemption

Alternative Energy and Energy Conservation Patent Income Tax Deduction (Personal)

Incentive Type:
Industry Recruitment/Support
100% deduction

Cape Light Compact- Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program

Incentive Type:
Rebate Program
Appliances
Refrigerator and Freezer Recycling: $125
Electric Clothes Dryers: $50
Clothes Washer: $350
Dehumidifiers: $30
Room Air Purifiers: $40
Room Air Conditioner: $40

Heating & Cooling
Oil Heating System: Up to $800
Propane Heating Equipment: Up to $2,300
Oil Water Heater: Up to $400
Propane Water Heater: Up to $800
Heat Pump Water Heater: Up to $600
Central AC/Heat Pump: Up to $250/ton
Mini-Split Heat Pump: Up to $250/ton
Programmable Thermostats: Up to $25
WiFi Thermostat: Up to $100
Solar Domestic Hot Water heater: $500 - $1,500

Home Electronics
Advanced Power Strips: Varies

Home Insulation
Limited Time Enhanced Incentive: 75%
Year-Round Tenant Incentive: 100%
Enhanced Residential Program: 100%

Lighting
LEDs: Varies

Home Energy Assessment: Free

Mass Save - HEAT Loan Program

Incentive Type:
Loan Program
$25,000 ($50,000 for some expanded HEAT offerings)

Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) Program

Incentive Type:
Performance-Based Incentive
(Base compensation rate + compensation rate adders - greenfield subtractor) * total kWh generated - value of energy generated

Mass Solar Loan Program

Incentive Type:
Loan Program
Maximum required: $35,000; maximum possible: $60,000

Residential and Small-Scale Ground-Source Heat Pump Rebate Program

Incentive Type:
Rebate Program
New GSHP Rebate: $2,000 per ton with adders to eligible applicants
Retrofit Existing GSHP Rebate: varies with installation costs

Commonwealth Woodstove Change-Out Program

Incentive Type:
Rebate Program
Standard Residential:
Pellet Stove: $1,000 - $1,750
Catalytic Woodstove: $750 - $1,250
Non-Catalytic Woodstove: $500-$1,250

Fully Automated Wood Stove: $1,500 - $1,750
Low-Income Residential:
Pellet Stove: $2,500 - $3,250
Catalytic Woodstove: $2,250 - $2,750
Non-Catalytic Woodstove: $2,000-$2,750
Fully Automated Wood Stove: $2,750 - $3,250

Local Option - Energy Revolving Loan Fund

Incentive Type:
PACE Financing
Financing amount locally determined; 20-year financing term

Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SREC-II)

Incentive Type:
Solar Renewable Energy Credit Program
Varies, depending on market supply and demand

Hudson Light & Power - Photovoltaic Incentive Program

Incentive Type:
Rebate Program
Range 1: $1.00/watt
Range 2: $1.25/watt

Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit

Incentive Type:
Personal Tax Credit
30% federal tax credit for systems placed in service after 12/31/2021 and before 01/01/2033. Good for: solar water heat, solar photovoltaics, biomass, geothermal heat pumps, wind (small), fuel cells using renewable fuels.

Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/


Solar incentives are designed to encourage homeowners to make the switch to renewable energy by offering financial incentives meant to lower the burden of solar panel installation and use. You may be eligible for various kinds of incentives, including discounts, cash back or monthly utility bill credits, depending on your situation. Certain incentives come from your specific utility company, county or municipality, some from the state of Massachusetts and others from the federal government. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:

  • Tax Exemptions: These can come in the form of property tax exemptions, which allow you to exclude the value of your solar system when paying taxes on your house. They may also include exemptions on sales tax at the time of purchase.
  • Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): SRECs and other similar performance-based incentives are typically handled by your state government. Once your solar panel system meets a certain threshold (usually a small amount of energy production), you can receive SRECs that can then be sold to your utility company or other buyers. The money you make is generally considered part of your taxable income.
  • Tax Credits: Different from tax deductions, tax credits reduce, dollar-for-dollar, the amount of income tax that you owe the government.
  • Rebates: A solar rebate is a partial refund credited to your account after you've paid for your solar panels. These may be offered by your local utility company, your county or your state. The discount that rebates offer is normally applied to the price of solar panels before tax credits are calculated.
  • Net Metering: You may be able to sign a net metering contract with your Hudson utility company that will apply to all or a percentage of the excess electricity your solar panels generate. Your utility company will then deduct this value from your monthly utility bill.
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Federal Solar Incentives

When thinking about solar incentives, you likely think of federal incentives first. A federal incentive many people are likely to be familiar with is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This incentive is a tax credit for a predetermined percentage of your solar system's cost.

The ITC applies to the total cost of solar system installation, including the panels themselves as well as accessories, labor and equipment. You can claim this credit for panels installed after January 1, 2006, on a primary or secondary residence located in the United States that you own. Originally set at 30% of total costs, the credit has fluctuated over time, and you may qualify for different amounts depending on when your project was completed. There is no maximum claim amount.

To find out exactly how much money the ITC could save you, talk to your local Hudson solar panel installation expert.

The ITC was renewed and increased in scope after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022. It's also now called the Clean Energy Credit. Homeowners can now qualify for a credit of 30% of the total solar system installation costs for projects started after January 1, 2022, and completed before the end of 2032. This percentage will then begin to decrease annually until the Clean Energy Credit expires in 2035. The expansion to the program also makes claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before, starting in 2023.

More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Hudson solar panel company can answer your questions and explain how the new Clean Energy Credit will apply to you.

State & Local Solar Incentives

Federal solar incentives are not your only option; rebates, tax credits and more might also be offered at the state and local level. Incentives may be provided by your county or municipality, or by the state of Massachusetts. Some incentives may be available for only a limited time, while others are ongoing.

Next Steps for Installing Solar in Hudson

The expanding number of available solar incentives has helped tremendously increase the nationwide adoption of solar energy over the last 15 years. You may receive solar incentives from your local utility company, the federal government or the Massachusetts government. Your local Hudson solar panel installation company can give you more information about which incentives you might qualify for, and get you started on the path to switching to renewable energy today.

EcoWatch's Hudson, MA Solar Incentives FAQs

If my house already has solar panels, can I still claim incentives?

An excellent idea would be to talk to someone from the company that installed your system – or reach out to a local Hudson solar installer — to better understand which incentives you may qualify for. If your solar panels were installed after January 1, 2022, you likely qualify for the newly increased 30% tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act. Systems installed between 2006 and 2021 may qualify for a tax credit of 26-30%.

What are some environmental benefits of adding solar panels to my home?

You can decrease your carbon footprint by 200 pounds of CO2 a year when you switch to solar panels. This adds up to approximately 4,000 pounds in 20 years. In addition, solar power is a renewable energy source, meaning that making the switch lessens the drain on our planet's resources.

When does the federal solar tax credit end?

The federal solar tax credit, formerly called the ITC and now called the Clean Energy Credit, is scheduled to end on January 1, 2035. The current 30% credit will end in 2032, replaced by a 26% credit in 2033 and a 22% credit in 2034.

Can I apply for incentives both towards the up-front cost of solar panels, and later as reimbursement?

The order your incentives will be applied in may vary depending on which incentives you are claiming but typically yes, you can claim multiple types of incentives for your solar project. Get in touch with your solar installer or a local tax professional to be sure you are claiming all the incentives you qualify for and applying them in the correct order.

Can I use a combination of multiple types of renewable energy to power my home?

You can power your home with multiple types of renewable energy, or a combination of renewable and non-renewable energy. Be sure to talk through your plan with your local Hudson solar installer. They can help you as you plan for your project and give you an understanding of various incentives that you might or might not qualify for.

Our goal is to reach as many people as we can with sensible solutions like solar energy. Our team of full-time local researchers collects solar price and installation data for every city in America then compiles it to create these digestible city guides. If you want to read our solar expert's opinion on the top solar companies featured here, follow this link.

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