Skip to content Skip to navigation
UMass Collegiate M The University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • Visit
  • Apply
  • Give
  • Search UMass.edu
Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment
Clean Energy Extension
  • Clean Energy Home
  • About
    • About Clean Energy Extension
    • Working with Us
    • Our Team
    • UMass Collaborators
    • Strategic Plan
    • Statement on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice
    • Contact
    • State Partner & Quarterly Progress Reports
  • Services
    • Municipal Assistance
    • Business Technical Assistance
    • Institution and Non-Profit Technical Assistance
    • Pollinator-Friendly Solar Certification
  • Research & Initiatives
    • Research Overview
    • Solar & Agriculture
    • Energy Storage
    • Solar Siting & Financing
    • Vehicle Telematics Pilot Project for Municipal Fleets
    • Past Projects
  • Student Engagement
    • Internship Opportunities
    • Clean Energy Corps
    • Clean Energy Interns
    • Mt. Ida GHG & Clean Energy Planning
  • Resources
    • Greening Municipal Fleets
    • Solar
    • For Residents
    • For Municipalities
    • For Farms, Businesses, and Institutions
    • Clean Heating and Cooling
  • News & Events
    • News
    • Events
    • Western Massachusetts Solar Forum
  • Offshore Wind Certificate

Introduction to Solar PV on Farms under the SMART Program

solar pv on farms

The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources’ (MA DOER) Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) program serves as a successor to the state’s Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC II) program. SMART regulations took effect on November 26, 2018 and were updated via an Emergency Regulation in April 2020.  The regulation and guidelines which govern the program are available on the MA DOER website.

The SMART program promotes installation of certain types of grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays through incentives based on a fixed price per kWh.  These incentives appear as a “tariff” payment provided to the solar array owner.  Solar thermal systems and off-grid solar PV do not qualify for incentives under this program. 

The SMART program provides incentives for a variety of different types of solar installations which might be built on farms, including:

  • Roof-mounted solar arrays installed on barns, farmhouses, greenhouses, or other farm buildings
  • Canopy solar arrays installed over parking lots, pedestrian walkways, or similar areas
  • Agricultural dual-use solar arrays designed to allow productive agricultural activities to continue under and between rows of solar panels
  • Ground-mounted solar arrays designed to meet on-farm electricity needs or serve the larger community

UMass Clean Energy Extension (CEE) works with UMass Agricultural Extension, MA DOER, Massachusetts Department of Agriculture Resources (MDAR), farming organizations and communities, solar developers, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to gather and communicate the latest information on how solar and agriculture can best work together to help support farms and farmers, while also producing clean energy.

SMART Solar and Farming Fact Sheets

The following fact sheets describe various aspects of integrating solar development on farms under the SMART program:

  • Fact sheets outlining general considerations for solar PV on farms and other properties:
    • Solar PV Options for Your Farm: An Overview
    • Location Considerations for Ground-Mounted Solar Photovoltaic Arrays
    • Legal and Financial Considerations for Solar PV Arrays
    • Contract Negotiations for Solar PV Facility Agreements
    • Site Information to Gather When Calculating SMART Incentives
    • Worksheet: Using the SMART Solar Incentive Calculator
  • Fact sheets relating specifically to dual-use solar PV and agriculture:
    • Dual-Use:  Agriculture and Solar Photovoltaics
    • Dual-Use:  Farm Operations Considerations
    • Dual-Use:  Crop and Livestock Considerations

Research & Initiatives

  • Research Overview
  • Solar & Agriculture
    • Solar PV and Agriculture Information
    • Dual-Use Solar PV and Cranberry Production
    • Researching the Agricultural and Economic Impacts of Dual-Use Solar
  • Energy Storage
  • Solar Siting & Financing
  • Vehicle Telematics Pilot Project for Municipal Fleets
  • Past Projects

Connect with UMass Clean Energy Extension Program:

Facebook  Twitter

Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment

 

Stockbridge Hall,
80 Campus Center Way
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, MA 01003-9246
Phone: (413) 545-4800
Fax: (413) 545-6555
ag [at] cns [dot] umass [dot] edu (ag[at]cns[dot]umass[dot]edu)

 

Civil Rights and Non-Discrimination Information

College of Natural Sciences

Login for faculty and staff

CAFE Units

Mass. Agricultural Experiment Station

UMass Extension

UMass Research and Education Center Farms

UMass Cranberry Station

Water Resources Research Center

Interest Areas

Agriculture

Commercial Horticulture

Energy

Environmental Conservation

Food Science

Nutrition

Water

Youth Development & 4-H

Services

Pesticide Education

Plant Diagnostics Laboratory

Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory

Hot Water Seed Treatment

Water Testing / Environmental Analysis Laboratory

Projects

Conservation Assessment Prioritization System (CAPS)

Extension Risk Management/Crop Insurance Education

Mass. Envirothon

Mass. Herp Atlas

Mass. Keystone

MassWoods

North American Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative

RiverSmart

UMass Design Center in Springfield

Resources

Extension Sales Portal

Agriculture & Commercial Horticulture Resources

Community & Economic Vitality

Disaster Preparedness

Food Safety

Home Lawn & Garden

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Land Conservation Tools

Pollinators

Tick testing

Resources for Faculty and Staff

Extension Programs

4-H Youth Development

Agriculture

Crops, Dairy, Livestock and Equine

Fruit

Greenhouse Crops and Floriculture

Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry

Pesticide Education

Turf

Vegetable

Clean Energy

Climate Change

Food Science

Nutrition Education

Value-Added Food

Seal of The University of Massachusetts Amherst - 1863
©2025 University of Massachusetts Amherst · Site Policies · Accessibility