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California has two active shared renewables programs: Virtual Net Metering and Enhanced Community Renewables. Launched in 2011, the Virtual Net Metering (VNEM) program allows customers of multi-tenant and multi-meter buildings to participate in a common distributed generation system. Notably, California has a dedicated shared renewables program geared toward affordable housing and low-income consumers: the Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) program (it replaced the Multifamily Affordable Solar Housing, or MASH, program which is now closed to new applicants). For the purposes of the Scorecard, we evaluated SOMAH as the low- to moderate-income component of the VNEM program since it is designed to support solar installations on multi-family affordable housing for low-income tenants and relies on virtual net metering.

Launched in 2015, the Enhanced Community Renewables program, which is a program under the Green Tariff Shared Renewables Program, allows multiple customers to participate in a third-party common distributed generation system.

In June 2018, California adopted its Community Solar-Green Tariff program to provide access to community solar for customers living in disadvantaged communities. As of December 2019, the program had not been launched and therefore has not yet been evaluated by the Scorecard.

Connecticut has two active shared renewables programs: Virtual Net Metering and the Shared Clean Energy Facility Pilot Program. Launched in 2013, the state’s Virtual Net Metering program allows state, municipal, or agricultural customers of investor-owned utilities to participate in a common distributed generation system.

Authorized by legislation in 2015, the Shared Clean Energy Facility Pilot Program is a two-year pilot program that will support the development of common distributed generation systems. The Pilot Program is now closed to new applicants.

A new non-pilot program – also called the Shared Clean Energy Facility program – is expected to launch in 2020 and has not yet been evaluated by the Scorecard. The new program will allow residential, commercial, state and municipal customers to participate in common distributed generation systems. More information about the program can be found in IREC’s Shared Renewables Policy Catalog.

Authorized by legislation in 2015, Hawaii’s Community-Based Renewable Energy Program allows multiple customers to participate in a common distributed generation system. This program applies to investor-owned utilities and Kauai Island Utility Cooperative.

Launched in 2012, Maine’s Net Energy Billing program allows multiple customers to participate in a common distributed generation system. The program applies to investor-owned utilities, municipal utilities, and electric co-ops.

Authorized by legislation in 2019, the Net Energy Billing Tariff Rate program will allow commercial and industrial customers to participate in a common distributed generation system. This program has not yet been evaluated by the Scorecard but more details on the program can be found in IREC’s Shared Renewables Policy Catalog.

Overview

Massachusetts has two shared renewables programs which both launched in 2009: Neighborhood Net Metering and Community Shared Solar/Virtual Net Metering. Both programs allow multiple customers to participate in a common distributed generation system and apply to investor-owned utilities. A key difference between the programs is that the Neighborhood Net Metering program requires that the facility and subscribers be located in the same “neighborhood” (i.e. a geographic area including and limited to a unique community of interests) whereas the Community Shared Solar/Virtual Net Metering program just requires the facility and subscribers be located in the same load zone and utility distribution territory.

In September 2018, Massachusetts adopted the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) program which is an incentive program aimed at increasing solar energy deployment. If a customer chooses Alternative On-Bill Credits (AOBCs) through the SMART program rather than net metering credits as the bill-credit mechanism, the net metering program capacity limit does not apply.

Authorized by legislation in 2013, New Hampshire’s Group Net Metering program allows multiple customers to participate in a common distributed generation system. The program applies to all investor-owned utilities and certain other utilities subject to regulatory agency jurisdiction.

Launched in 2019, New Jersey’s Community Solar Energy Pilot program allows multiple customers to participate in a common distributed generation system. The three-year program applies to all investor-owned utilities and certain other utilities subject to regulatory agency jurisdiction.

Authorized by legislation in 2016, Oregon’s Community Solar program allows multiple customers to participate in a common solar distributed generation system. The program applies to all investor-owned utilities.

Launched in 2009, Vermont’s Group Net Metering program allows multiple customers to participate in a common distributed generation system. The program applies to all investor-owned utilities.