Press Release: 12/11/2025
REPORT: Solar and Storage Could Provide More than $313 Million per Year in Consumer Savings by 2030, Cut Gas Use, and Strengthen Winter Reliability
As energy costs and demand increases, study shows significant consumer savings and broader benefits from continued clean energy investment in Massachusetts
BOSTON and WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new report released today from Synapse Energy Economics for the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) finds that continued growth of solar and energy storage in Massachusetts would deliver more than $313 million per year in consumer savings by 2030, along with significant winter reliability improvements and broader environmental benefits. The analysis comes as Massachusetts officials consider legislation and policy changes to manage an escalating energy affordability crisis.
The study compares a future where Massachusetts continues adding new solar and storage capacity as planned through 2030 with a future where no new projects are built after 2025. The results show that staying on the Commonwealth’s clean energy path dramatically reduces energy costs for consumers, lowers exposure to unpredictable and volatile swings in gas prices, and strengthens grid reliability.
Key findings include:
- Massachusetts customers would save $313 million on electricity costs in 2030 alone if the state continues planned solar and storage expansion.
- Across New England, the regional benefits reach $684 million.
- Solar and storage provide 44% of their avoided energy-cost benefits during winter months when reliability challenges are greatest.
- New solar and storage would avoid 29 billion cubic feet of natural gas, equal to 25% of today’s electric-sector gas use in Massachusetts.
- It would also avoid 1.6 million metric tons of CO₂ in 2030—equivalent to removing approximately 350,000 cars from the road for a year.
“As SEIA and Synapse’s analysis demonstrates, solar and energy storage are incredible levers that the Commonwealth can pull to deliver utility bill savings, winter reliability, and climate benefits to the state’s residents,” said Representative Mark J. Cusack, House Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy. “To help realize these benefits, we are prioritizing legislation this session that will eliminate barriers blocking these cost-competitive resources. We look forward to collaborating with our state government, clean energy industry, and environmental partners to pass meaningful legislation.”
“As SEIA’s analysis shows, solar and energy storage are key to lowering energy costs and provide vast economic benefits for all customers,” said Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Elizabeth Mahony. “Adding more solar energy and energy storage in Massachusetts will also add needed reliability to our electric grid and is an opportunity to support local clean energy companies and jobs.”
Solar and storage are the fastest and most cost-effective way to add new capacity to the grid. As New England’s peak demand shifts from summer to winter, these resources become even more important. Nearly half of all avoided energy-cost benefits (44%) occur between November and March, when the grid is most stressed and gas supply constraints are most severe. In the highest-load winter hours in 2030, solar and storage would serve roughly 11% of demand, reducing the need for expensive and vulnerable gas-fired generation.
“This study validates the fact that solar and storage is fundamental to Massachusetts’ energy landscape,” said Sara Birmingham, SEIA’s vice president of state affairs. “As families and businesses grapple with some of the highest electricity costs in the country, going big on solar is one of the fastest, most cost-effective ways to deliver power and put real savings back into communities across the Commonwealth.”
The analysis also finds that continued clean-energy deployment would deliver significant environmental and public-health benefits. New solar and storage in Massachusetts would avoid 1.6 million metric tons of CO₂ in 2030—equivalent to removing approximately 350,000 cars from the road for a year.
“Solar and storage resources reduce wholesale energy prices. This report quantifies the economic and reliability benefits of solar and storage additions in Massachusetts at a time when electricity affordability is of increasing concern,” said Selma Sharaf, Associate, Synapse Energy Economics. “Our analysis underscores that relying on gas to meet this demand is risky, and that continued deployment of solar and storage is a key strategy to support a more affordable, reliable, clean energy future.”
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About SEIA®:
The Solar Energy Industries Association® (SEIA) is leading the transformation to a clean energy economy. SEIA works with its 1,200 member companies and other strategic partners to fight for policies that create jobs in every community and shape fair market rules that promote competition and the growth of reliable, low-cost solar power. Founded in 1974, SEIA is the national trade association for the solar and solar + storage industries, building a comprehensive vision for the Solar+ Decade through research, education and advocacy. Visit SEIA online at www.seia.org and follow @SEIA on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.