Worcester County, MA — Solar Development Risk Assessment

No Moratorium

None codified at county level. Municipal bylaws govern ≤25 MW; EFSB review for >25 MW.

Municipal Planning Board: Special Permit or variance (≤25 MW). EFSB master permit for >25 MW.

Generally receptive — diverse community; active solar in rural portions; EFSB reduces barriers

C MA; Worcester (Clark/WPI/Holy Cross) area; mixed urban/suburban/rural; active solar in rural areas; EFSB >25 MW; growing

Improving

2024 Massachusetts Climate Act (signed Nov 21, 2024): historic reform of siting and permitting. Large projects (>25 MW generation or >100 MWh storage): Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) consolidates state and local review into single master permit; 15-month deadline for EFSB decision. Small projects (≤25 MW / ≤100 MWh): municipalities retain permitting authority under new streamlined process (225 CMR 29.00 promulgated Feb 27, 2026; effective immediately). 12-month deadline for municipal decisions on small clean energy projects. MGL Ch.40A §3 (Massachusetts Zoning Act): zoning ordinances cannot prohibit or unreasonably regulate solar energy systems — long-standing solar protection for sub-threshold projects. DOER site suitability scoring framework; community benefit plan requirements for larger projects. ISO-NE interconnection required statewide.

MA SMART Program (Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target): production incentive paid per kWh generated for 10 years for projects ≤5 MW; administered by DOER/utilities. Adder rates for low-income housing, brownfields, rooftops, and agrivoltaic projects. Net metering: available statewide (up to 5 MW for behind-the-meter); MA expanded net metering cap via DPU. MA RPS: 40% renewable by 2030 (Class I); Class I solar carve-out drives SREC value. MA Clean Energy Center MassSave: rebates for commercial/industrial efficiency and solar. Utility: Eversource (NSTAR/WMECo) and National Grid serve most counties; Cape Light Compact serves Barnstable and Dukes; various municipal aggregations active.

14 SMART Program projects totaling 90 MW in Worcester County (CCSA 2020). Sterling Solar | ~500 kW | Sterling, Worcester County | Community Energy Solar / groSolar | operational since January 2013 | PPA: Sterling Municipal Light Department (SMLD) | 15 acres. Worcester County in highest-quartile MW/capita ground-mount (DOER Dec 2024). Eversource (NSTAR / WMECo) and National Grid serve Worcester County.

Worcester County had one SMART project at risk of $1M in lost tax revenue (CCSA 2020). SMART 3.0 Jun 2025 new siting framework applies.