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NuWatt designs, installs, and manages solar, battery, heat pump, and EV charger systems across 9 states. One company, one warranty, one point of contact.
Get a Free QuoteSee exactly how solar changes your Massachusetts electric bill. This simulator shows your bill before and after solar with net metering credits, SMART 3.0 income, and ConnectedSolutions battery revenue for Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil customers.
Adjust your current bill, utility, system size, and battery to see exactly how your monthly electric bill changes with solar. All calculations use real 2026 Massachusetts rate data and incentive values.
Current Eversource costs
Assumes 5% annual rate increases (MA historical average)
At Eversource's current rate of $0.36/kWh, you are paying 60% above the national average of $0.18/kWh.
10 kW system with Eversource
Your 10 kW system produces ~12,000 kWh/yr, offsetting 100% of your bill through net metering credits.
You save $200/mo on your electric bill alone
Net Metering Savings
$200/mo
SMART Income
$30/mo
ConnectedSolutions
$0/mo
This estimate includes net metering credits, SMART 3.0 income (20 years), and 5% annual rate escalation. Actual savings depend on system design, roof orientation, and shading.
Get Your Free Personalized EstimateUnderstanding your bill structure is essential to understanding how solar reduces it.
Every Massachusetts electric bill from Eversource, National Grid, or Unitil consists of two primary components: supply charges and delivery charges. Together, these make up the total rate you pay per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
Supply charges cover the actual cost of generating the electricity you use. In Massachusetts, this includes the Basic Service rate set by your utility (updated every 6 months for residential customers), renewable energy charges, and the clean energy transition charge. For Eversource customers in 2026, the supply portion is approximately $0.155/kWh. For National Grid, it is approximately $0.178/kWh. These rates fluctuate with wholesale energy market prices, which is why your bill can swing dramatically between rate periods.
Delivery charges cover the cost of transmitting electricity from power plants to your home through the transmission and distribution grid. This includes the distribution charge, transmission charge, transition charge, and various surcharges. Delivery charges are set by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) and tend to increase steadily year over year as utilities invest in grid modernization, storm hardening, and infrastructure replacement. In 2026, Eversource delivery charges total approximately $0.129/kWh, while National Grid delivery runs approximately $0.142/kWh.
Even if your solar system produces enough electricity to offset 100% of your usage, you will still pay a minimum monthly customer charge. This is the cost of being connected to the grid. For Eversource residential customers, this is approximately $7.00-$10.00 per month. For National Grid, it is approximately $7.00-$12.00. This is why you will never see a $0.00 electric bill with solar — the minimum charge is the floor.
The critical advantage of Massachusetts net metering is that solar credits offset both supply and delivery charges at the full retail rate. In states that only credit the generation portion, solar savings are 35-45% lower. Massachusetts homeowners receive the full $0.359/kWh (Eversource) or $0.39/kWh (National Grid) value for every exported kWh — making MA one of the best states in the country for solar economics.
When you install solar panels on your Massachusetts home, your electric bill transforms in three distinct ways: direct consumption offset, net metering credits for excess production, and separate incentive income streams.
During daylight hours, your solar panels power your home directly. Every kWh you generate and consume on-site is a kWh you do not draw from the grid. This directly reduces both your supply and delivery charges because you are simply using less grid electricity. For a typical Massachusetts home, 25-35% of solar production is consumed on-site in real time — higher if you run appliances during the day or have an EV charging during solar production hours.
The remaining 65-75% of your solar production is exported to the grid when your panels produce more than your home needs. Under Massachusetts net metering law, your utility credits you at the full retail rate (1:1) for every exported kWh. These credits appear as a line item on your monthly bill, reducing your charges dollar-for-dollar. Credits roll forward month to month, allowing summer overproduction to offset winter underproduction. Once per year (typically in April), Eversource and National Grid reconcile your account — any remaining credits may be paid out at a lower avoided-cost rate or rolled into the next period depending on your utility.
After solar, your Eversource or National Grid bill will show your standard charges followed by a net metering credit that offsets most of the total. In high-production months (May through September), your credits may exceed your charges, resulting in a bill showing only the minimum customer charge of $7-$12. In low-production months (November through February), your credits will be smaller but accumulated summer credits help bridge the gap. The net result for a properly sized system: your average monthly bill drops from $150-$400 to $10-$25.
One of the most common misconceptions about solar in Massachusetts is confusing SMART payments with electric bill credits. They are entirely separate. The SMART (Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target) program pays you a fixed rate of $0.03/kWh for every kWh your system produces, regardless of whether you consume that electricity yourself or export it to the grid.
SMART payments come from your designated SMART program administrator — not from Eversource or National Grid. You typically receive quarterly checks or direct deposits. For a 10 kW system producing 12,000 kWh per year, that is $360 per year or $30 per month in SMART income. Over the 20-year SMART term, that totals $7,200 in guaranteed income — locked at enrollment, immune to rate changes, and completely separate from your electric bill savings.
If you add a battery, you also qualify for the SMART storage adder of $0.04/kWh, bringing your total SMART rate to $0.07/kWh. For the same 10 kW system, that is $840 per year or $70 per month — totaling $16,800 over 20 years. This stacks on top of net metering savings and ConnectedSolutions revenue.
$0.03/kWh
10 kW system = $360/yr = $7,200 over 20 years
$0.07/kWh
10 kW system = $840/yr = $16,800 over 20 years
These examples are based on actual NuWatt customer data from 2025-2026 installations across eastern and central Massachusetts. Names have been changed for privacy.
BEFORE SOLAR
AFTER SOLAR (8.5 kW system)
This customer went from paying $200/month to Eversource to essentially breaking even — the small remaining bill is fully offset by SMART income. With a battery and ConnectedSolutions, the household would earn a net positive of $200+/month.
BEFORE SOLAR
AFTER SOLAR (12 kW + battery)
With National Grid's higher rate of $0.39/kWh, this customer's solar savings are even more dramatic. Adding a 10 kW battery unlocks $2,250/yr in ConnectedSolutions revenue, turning the home into a net-positive energy asset. Over 25 years, total savings exceed $195,000.
BEFORE SOLAR
AFTER SOLAR (6 kW system)
Unitil charges the highest residential rate of the three MA utilities, so every kWh of solar production offsets more — making the per-kWh savings the strongest in the state. Even without ConnectedSolutions, solar eliminates virtually the entire electric bill, and SMART income more than covers the minimum customer charge. Over 25 years with rate escalation, savings total approximately $115,000.
Massachusetts electricity rates have increased an average of 5-8% per year over the past decade. Eversource rates went from $0.1968/kWh in 2020 to $0.359/kWh in 2026 — an 82% increase in six years. National Grid has been even more aggressive, pushing past $0.39/kWh in 2026. There is no indication this trend will reverse. ISO New England capacity costs are rising, grid modernization surcharges are increasing, and renewable energy mandates add costs to non-solar ratepayers.
When you own solar panels, every rate increase makes your investment more valuable. Your panels produce the same number of kWh year after year (degrading only 0.25-0.5% annually), but each kWh is worth more because the utility rate it offsets keeps climbing. A system that saves you $150/month today at $0.36/kWh will save you $244/month in 10 years if rates reach $0.59/kWh — and that is using the conservative 5% escalation assumption.
This compounding effect is the single most powerful financial argument for solar in Massachusetts. Over 25 years, a homeowner who currently pays $200/month will pay an estimated $114,000 in electricity without solar (with 5% annual increases). With solar, that same homeowner pays approximately $6,000-$8,000 total in minimum customer charges over the same period. The difference — over $100,000 — is the true value of rate increase protection.
2020
$0.197
2022
$0.233
2024
$0.298
2026
$0.359
2031*
$0.458
*2031 projection based on 5% annual increase from 2026 Eversource rates. Actual rates set by MA DPU.
Massachusetts solar production follows a strong seasonal pattern. Understanding this cycle is critical to setting expectations for your monthly bill after solar.
During the peak production months, a properly sized solar system in Massachusetts produces significantly more electricity than the average home uses. Days are long (up to 15 hours of daylight in June), sun angles are high, and production per kW can reach 150-180 kWh/month. Your bill will typically show the minimum customer charge ($7-$12) because net metering credits fully offset your usage and then some. Excess credits roll forward automatically.
Solar production drops 40-60% in winter due to shorter days (under 10 hours of daylight in December), lower sun angles, snow cover, and overcast conditions. Monthly production per kW may drop to 60-80 kWh. At the same time, electricity usage often increases if you have electric heating, holiday lighting, or simply spend more time indoors. Your bill during these months will be higher — potentially $30-$80 depending on your system size and usage. However, the credits you banked during summer help reduce this. Most solar homeowners still pay far less in winter than they did before solar.
Eversource and National Grid reconcile net metering accounts annually, typically in April (your “anniversary month” may differ). At this point, any excess credits are handled according to your utility's policy — Eversource pays out unused credits at the avoided-cost rate (much lower than retail), while National Grid rolls them forward. This is why a well-designed system aims to offset approximately 90-100% of annual consumption rather than significantly overproducing — excess credits beyond your annual usage are worth less.
Spring
Mar-May
Production: High
$7-$15
Summer
Jun-Aug
Production: Peak
$7-$12
Fall
Sep-Nov
Production: Medium
$12-$35
Winter
Dec-Feb
Production: Low
$30-$80
If you add a battery to your solar system, ConnectedSolutions becomes the most lucrative incentive in your stack. This demand response program pays you to allow your utility to discharge your battery during peak grid demand events — typically hot summer afternoons when air conditioning drives system-wide demand to dangerous levels.
Eversource pays $275/kW for summer demand response events plus a $50/kW winter bonus, totaling $325/kW per year. For a 10 kW battery (typical Tesla Powerwall or Enphase IQ Battery 10T), that is $3,250 per year or approximately $271 per month.
National Grid pays $225/kW summer plus $50/kW winter, totaling $275/kW per year. For the same 10 kW battery, that is $2,750 per year or approximately $229 per month.
Unitil does not currently participate in ConnectedSolutions. If you are a Unitil customer, a battery still provides backup power during outages and the SMART storage adder ($0.04/kWh), but you will not receive demand response revenue.
ConnectedSolutions revenue is separate from both your electric bill and SMART income. It is a third income stream deposited directly by your utility. Combined with net metering savings and SMART payments, a solar + battery system on Eversource or National Grid can generate $400-$500+ per month in total value — often exceeding the original electric bill entirely.
This simulator assumes 90% bill offset for a properly sized system. An undersized system will offset less; an oversized system wastes credits at the annual reconciliation. Professional sizing by your installer is critical.
The 1,200 kWh/kW/yr production estimate assumes a south-facing roof with minimal shading. East/west-facing roofs produce 10-15% less. Shading from trees or structures can reduce production 20-40%. Get a site assessment.
The Section 25D residential solar tax credit expired December 31, 2025. This simulator does not include any federal credit. If purchasing via lease/PPA, the third-party owner may claim Section 48/48E — see our solar lease guide.
If you are served by a municipal light plant (Braintree Electric, Wellesley MLP, etc.), you are NOT eligible for SMART or ConnectedSolutions. MLPs set their own solar rules. This simulator is for Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil only.
The MA DPU is reviewing net metering rules under Docket 25-200. Future changes could affect credit rates for new interconnections. Systems already connected are grandfathered under current rules.
ConnectedSolutions incentive rates are set annually by the utility and approved by the DPU. The $275/kW (Eversource) and $225/kW (National Grid) rates shown are 2026 values. Future rates may differ.
Yes. Even with solar, you remain connected to the grid and will receive a monthly bill from your utility (Eversource, National Grid, or Unitil). However, the bill will show net metering credits that offset most or all of your supply and delivery charges. Most solar homeowners see bills of $10-$25 per month — the minimum customer charge — instead of $200-$400.
Net metering credits appear as a line item on your utility bill. When your solar panels produce more electricity than you use during the day, the excess is exported to the grid at a 1:1 retail rate credit. These credits offset the electricity you draw at night or on cloudy days. In months where you produce more than you use, the credits roll forward to the next month. Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil all provide 1:1 retail net metering for residential systems under 25 kW AC.
Your Massachusetts electric bill has two main components: supply charges (the actual cost of generating electricity, about 55-65% of your bill) and delivery charges (the cost of transmitting electricity to your home, about 35-45%). Solar with net metering offsets both supply and delivery charges at the full retail rate. This is why MA solar savings are so high — you are offsetting $0.36-$0.45/kWh (Eversource to Unitil), not just the generation component.
Yes, completely separate. SMART (Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target) payments come directly from your SMART program administrator — not your utility. You receive $0.03/kWh for every kWh your system produces, regardless of whether you use that electricity or export it. This is additional income on top of your net metering bill savings. SMART payments are locked in for 20 years at enrollment.
ConnectedSolutions is a demand response program for battery owners. Eversource pays $275/kW and National Grid pays $225/kW annually for allowing the utility to dispatch your battery during peak demand events (typically summer afternoons). This revenue is separate from both your electric bill savings and SMART income — it is a third income stream. Unitil does not participate in ConnectedSolutions.
Yes, your bill will be higher in winter than summer because solar production drops 40-60% during December through February due to shorter days and lower sun angles. However, net metering credits you banked during high-production summer months roll forward to offset winter bills. Most well-sized systems produce enough annual credits to cover the full year, though your monthly bill will fluctuate seasonally.
Your savings increase. When Eversource or National Grid raises rates (averaging 5-8% annually in MA), each kWh your solar produces becomes worth more because net metering credits are at the current retail rate. A system saving you $150/month today at $0.36/kWh will save you $244/month in 10 years if rates rise to $0.59/kWh. This rate-increase protection is one of the most valuable benefits of owning solar in Massachusetts.
An average Eversource customer paying $200/month for electricity can reduce their bill to approximately $18-$25/month with a properly sized 10 kW solar system. Adding SMART income of ~$30/month and ConnectedSolutions revenue of ~$229/month (with a battery), the net monthly cost becomes negative — meaning solar pays you. Over 25 years with 5% annual rate increases, total savings exceed $140,000.
Yes. Your utility will install a bi-directional (net) meter at no cost to you as part of the interconnection process. This meter tracks electricity flowing in both directions — from the grid to your home and from your solar panels to the grid. The meter swap typically happens within 1-2 weeks of your system passing final inspection. Your utility handles the installation and there is no charge.
You can, but it is generally not recommended. With solar and net metering, you receive credits at your utility basic service rate. If you switch to a competitive supplier, your net metering credits may be calculated differently and could be worth less. The Massachusetts Attorney General has warned that most competitive supply offers cost consumers more than basic service. Stick with your utility basic service rate to maximize solar savings.
Full ROI calculator with system cost, payback, and 25-year projections.
Read guideEversource, National Grid, and Unitil rate history and forecasts.
Read guideOptimize TOU arbitrage with solar + battery on Eversource.
Read guideTOU rate stacking strategies for National Grid customers.
Read guideFull cost breakdown by system size, panel tier, and city.
Read guideThe simulator shows what is possible. A personalized solar design shows what is real. Get a free, no-obligation estimate based on your actual roof, shading, and usage patterns.
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