Massachusetts energy programs beyond Mass Save rebates
Four programs operate alongside the Mass Save rebate. They are administered by different bodies, pay on different terms, and are claimed in different ways. This page sets out what each one pays and how to obtain it.
The four programs at a glance
| Program | Administered by | Amount | Claimed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEHPA | Energy Solutions | $300 to $750 per unit | The distributor, at point of sale |
| SMART | Massachusetts DOER | $0.03 per kWh generated | Your electric utility, monthly |
| ConnectedSolutions | Mass Save Sponsors | $275 per kW contributed | Your battery manufacturer |
| HEAT Loan | Mass Save Sponsors | $25,000 to $50,000 at 0% | A participating lender |
A heat pump conversion in a Mass Save territory can draw on NEHPA, the Mass Save rebate and the HEAT Loan together.
NEHPA
New England Heat Pump Accelerator
A point of sale discount on heat pumps and heat pump water heaters, applied by the distributor before the customer sees a price.
At a glance
- Administered by
- Energy Solutions, under a federal grant
- Amount
- $300 to $750 per unit, by equipment type
- Term
- February 2026 to December 2029
- Eligibility
- Existing homes of one to four units. Five or more units from 1 June 2026
- How it is claimed
- Deducted from the contractor invoice. No application
- Stacks with Mass Save
- Yes
Incentive by equipment type
| Equipment | Incentive | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Air source heat pump | $650 per outdoor unit | Two per dwelling |
| Air to water heat pump | $750 per outdoor unit | Two per dwelling |
| Geothermal heat pump | $750 per unit | Two per dwelling |
| Heat pump water heater | $300 per unit | One per dwelling |
Eligibility
Equipment must be installed in an existing home of one to four units in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire or Rhode Island. Buildings of five or more units became eligible on 1 June 2026. New construction does not qualify. Equipment must appear on the Accelerator qualified products list.
Equipment standards
Air source heat pumps must meet the ENERGY STAR version 6.1 cold climate criteria. Ductless systems require an HSPF2 of 8.5 and ducted systems an HSPF2 of 8.1. Both require a SEER2 of 15.2, a heating capacity ratio at 5°F of 70%, and a coefficient of performance at 5°F of 1.75. Air to water systems must be 6 tons or smaller. Heat pump water heaters must hold 120 gallons or less and reach a uniform energy factor of 3.30 on 240 volts, or 2.20 on 120 volt and split systems.
Obtaining the incentive
The contractor must purchase from an enrolled distributor. The distributor requires the customer's name, installation address, telephone number, email address and existing heating fuel. Ridgeline Analytics conducts random post installation inspections.
Find an enrolled distributor
65 companies supply 106 Massachusetts towns. Ask your installer whether they buy from one of them.
List published by NEHPA and last updated August 11, 2026. It is revised weekly, so confirm with your installer before ordering. View the source list .
NEHPA is funded by a federal grant rather than by utility ratepayers. Eligibility does not depend on the electricity supplier, so households in municipal light plant towns qualify even though Mass Save rebates are unavailable to them.
Sources
- New England Heat Pump Accelerator, incentive details. Verified 25 August 2026.
- Mass Save, air source heat pumps. Verified 25 August 2026.
SMART
Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target
A per kilowatt hour payment on everything a solar system generates, paid through the electric utility for twenty years.
At a glance
- Administered by
- Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources
- Amount
- $0.03 per kWh for systems of 25 kW AC or smaller
- Low income rate
- $0.06 per kWh
- Term
- 20 years from the Final Statement of Qualification
- Eligibility
- Solar systems qualified under 225 CMR 28.00
- How it is claimed
- Application through your electric distribution company
Program Year 2026 rates
| System type | Flat incentive rate |
|---|---|
| 25 kW AC or smaller | $0.03 per kWh |
| Low income systems | $0.06 per kWh |
The flat rate is established by 225 CMR 28.05(7) and compensates the system owner for the Renewable Energy Certificates retained by the utility. The rate is locked at the time of qualification and guaranteed for the twenty year term. For Program Year 2026, DOER calculated a rate of $0.02 and elected to maintain $0.03.
Current program status
SMART 3.0 replaced the declining block structure used by earlier versions. The Department of Public Utilities approved the utility specific tariffs on 8 July 2026, after which DOER began issuing Final Statements of Qualification. Applications for Program Year 2026 are accepted from 1 January to 31 December 2026.
Payments are not backdated to the date a system begins operating. The twenty year term starts when the Final Statement of Qualification is issued, which may fall well after installation.
Sources
- Massachusetts DOER, SMART 3.0 program details. Verified 26 August 2026.
- DOER, Program Year 2026 Final Annual Report, Table 7. Verified 26 August 2026.
ConnectedSolutions
Battery demand response
An annual payment for allowing a home battery to discharge to the grid during summer peak demand events.
At a glance
- Administered by
- The Sponsors of Mass Save
- Amount
- $275 per kW of average contribution during events
- Typical payment
- Up to $1,375 a year for a battery contributing 5 kW
- Events
- No more than 60 a summer, up to three hours each
- Season
- 1 June to 30 September, non holidays, 3pm to 8pm
- How it is claimed
- Enrolment through the battery manufacturer
Payment is per kilowatt, not per kilowatt hour.
The rate applies to power delivered during events, not to the storage capacity of the battery. A battery contributing 5 kW receives up to $1,375 a year. Applying the rate to a battery's kilowatt hour rating produces a substantially higher and incorrect figure.
Event conditions
Events are called between 1 June and 30 September on non holidays, between 3pm and 8pm. There are no more than 60 events in a season and each lasts up to three hours. National Grid reports a typical annual payment of approximately $1,200 and between 30 and 60 events a year.
The thermostat program
ConnectedSolutions also runs a smaller tier for smart thermostats, which is separate from the battery program and pays on different terms. National Grid offers up to $100 on enrolment and $20 a year afterwards, across roughly 15 events a summer. Eligible thermostats include Nest, ecobee, Honeywell, Sensi, Emerson and Trane models. A household can enrol a thermostat without owning a battery.
Enrolment
Enrolment is handled by the battery manufacturer rather than by Mass Save. Participating manufacturers include Tesla, Enphase, SolarEdge, Generac, Sonnen, FranklinWH, Panasonic, Qcells, Sol-Ark and Emporia.
A higher paying variant, ConnectedSolutions+, is available in selected National Grid communities including Lynn, Malden, Medford, Salem and Worcester.
Sources
- Mass Save, battery storage. Verified 26 August 2026.
- National Grid, ConnectedSolutions. Verified 26 August 2026.
HEAT Loan
Mass Save zero interest financing
Zero interest financing for energy efficiency work, arranged through a participating lender.
At a glance
- Administered by
- The Sponsors of Mass Save, with participating lenders
- Interest rate
- 0%
- Standard maximum
- $25,000, effective 1 January 2025
- Expanded Loan Option
- Up to $50,000 for homes of two to four units
- Basis of the cap
- Applies across the lifetime of a customer's upgrades, not per project
- How it is claimed
- Application to a participating lender
The maximum applies for the lifetime of the customer.
Mass Save applies the cap across all of a customer's energy efficiency upgrades rather than to each project. Borrowing $18,000 for a heat pump leaves $7,000 available for all subsequent work.
Eligible measures
- • Weatherization, and the pre weatherization barriers that must be cleared first
- • Heat pump projects
- • Heat pump water heaters
- • Home batteries enrolled in ConnectedSolutions
- • ENERGY STAR replacement windows, only alongside completed weatherization work
Replacement windows are not financeable on their own. They qualify only in combination with the weatherization measures recommended by a Home Energy Assessment.
Sources
- Mass Save, 0% interest financing. Verified 26 August 2026.
- Montachusett Regional Planning Commission, listed on mass.gov. Verified 26 August 2026.
A heat pump conversion, in sequence
Three of these programs apply to the same project, and they arrive at different points. The example below assumes a three ton whole home air source system on a single outdoor unit, installed for $15,000 in a Mass Save territory, replacing oil.
| Stage | Source | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Installed cost | Quoted by the contractor | $15,000 |
| At the point of sale | NEHPA, one outdoor unit | −$650 |
| After installation | Mass Save, $2,650 per ton | −$7,950 |
| Remaining | Financeable at 0% on the HEAT Loan | $6,400 |
The order matters. The NEHPA discount is applied by the distributor when the contractor buys the equipment, so it has to be arranged before the order is placed and cannot be added afterwards. The Mass Save rebate is claimed after installation and arrives weeks later. The HEAT Loan is arranged separately with a participating lender and covers whatever balance is left.
Households on the income based Enhanced tier receive up to $16,000 from Mass Save rather than $8,500, which covers this project in full. In a municipal light plant town the Mass Save rebate and the HEAT Loan are both unavailable, and the $650 NEHPA discount is the only incentive that applies.