Massachusetts has long been a national leader in solar adoption, thanks in large part to an innovative incentive program that drove early developments. But now, it’s a different narrative: there’s very little room on the electric grid for new projects to connect.
As Massachusetts tries to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 — necessitating seven to 10 times its current solar capacity — contentious cases like Shutesbury illuminate a complex interplay of federal and state policy, grid infrastructure, and economics. Such factors can lead to seemingly counterintuitive proposals that threaten to pit activist against activist, like cutting down forestland to reduce the state’s carbon emissions.