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Download Project Sunroof Data

The data in the Project Sunroof data explorer is available for download, making it easy to compare different areas, incorporate the data into other analyses, or include it in reports and communications. Data in the .CSV format can be used in spreadsheet applications and other analytical tools. For a description of each field, see metadata.csv.

Alternatively, data is available in Google BigQuery by U.S. postal code.

The use of this data is subject to Google's Terms of Service. Feel free to include this data from Project Sunroof in other analyses, materials, reports, and communications with the following attribution:

Source: Google Project Sunroof data explorer (January 2025).
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Estimated rooftop solar potential of Massachusetts

Last updated: {{ $ctrl.details.getDateUpdatedMillis() | date:'MM/yyyy' }}
Sunlight on rooftops visibility
Shady Sunny
Existing solar arrays visibility_off
Median household income visibility_off
Buildings
74%
solar-viable
12.3K
existing solar installations

Based on 91% data coverage over buildings in this geographic area. All estimates are based on buildings viable for solar panels. Included panels receive at least 75% of the maximum annual sun in the county. For Massachusetts, the average value of the threshold is 971 kWh/kW. Read about Project Sunroof’s methodology for defining solar viability below.

Estimated solar installation potential

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Overall

Total estimated size and solar electricity production of viable roofs for Massachusetts

Roofs
74%
Roofs
1.8M
Roof space
1.6B
sq ft
Capacity
36.3K
MW DC
Electricity
40.7M
MWh AC per yr

Total installation size (MW DC)

Total yearly energy generation potential (MWh AC)

Per roof

Median estimated system size and solar electricity production per viable roof for Massachusetts

Roof space
405
sq ft
Capacity
9.4
kW DC
Electricity
10.1K
kWh AC per yr

Rooftop solar capacity distribution (number of roofs, < 50kW)

Rooftop solar capacity distribution (number of roofs, > 50kW)

Potential impact

If all the viable solar installations were implemented, the amount of avoided CO2 emissions from the electricity sector in Massachusetts would be:

Carbon dioxide
18.1M
metric tons
=
Passenger cars
3.9M
taken off the road for 1 yr
=
Tree seedlings
302M
grown for 10 yrs

Solar incentives

Sector
Type
External link
Federal ITC Full Rate Base Credit
COMMERCIAL
FEDERAL TAX CREDIT
Federal PTC Base Rate Base Credit
COMMERCIAL
PRODUCTION
Reading MLP PV Rebate
RESIDENTIAL
BUYDOWN
Federal PTC Base Rate Energy Community Bonus
COMMERCIAL
PRODUCTION
National Grid RE Growth Program
COMMERCIAL
PRODUCTION
Ipswich PV Rebate
COMMERCIAL
BUYDOWN
NYSERDA PV EPBB
COMMERCIAL
BUYDOWN
Hudson PV rebate
COMMERCIAL
BUYDOWN
Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) Program (SREC)
RESIDENTIAL
PRODUCTION
Federal ITC Base Rate Domestic Content bonus (Com
COMMERCIAL
FEDERAL TAX CREDIT
NY PV Tax Credit
RESIDENTIAL
STATE TAX CREDIT
Hingham Municipal Lighting Plant PV Rebate
RESIDENTIAL
BUYDOWN
RI REF Commercial Carport Adder
COMMERCIAL
STATE TAX CREDIT
Federal ITC Full Rate Domestic Content bonus
COMMERCIAL
FEDERAL TAX CREDIT
MA PV Tax Credit
RESIDENTIAL
STATE TAX CREDIT
Federal ITC Tax Credit
RESIDENTIAL
FEDERAL TAX CREDIT
Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) Program (SREC)
COMMERCIAL
PRODUCTION
Wakefield MGLD PV Rebate
RESIDENTIAL
BUYDOWN
Federal PTC Full Rate Base Credit
COMMERCIAL
PRODUCTION
Federal ITC Base Rate Energy Community bonus
COMMERCIAL
FEDERAL TAX CREDIT
Federal ITC Base Rate Domestic Content bonus
COMMERCIAL
FEDERAL TAX CREDIT
Hudson PV rebate
RESIDENTIAL
BUYDOWN
Federal PTC Base Rate Domestic Content Bonus
COMMERCIAL
PRODUCTION
Ipswich PV Rebate
RESIDENTIAL
BUYDOWN
Federal ITC Base Rate Energy Community bonus (Com
COMMERCIAL
FEDERAL TAX CREDIT
National Grid RE Growth Program
PRODUCTION
RI REF Commercial
COMMERCIAL
STATE TAX CREDIT
RI REF Small Scale
RESIDENTIAL
STATE TAX CREDIT
Federal PTC Full Rate Energy Community Bonus
COMMERCIAL
PRODUCTION
NH PV Rebate
COMMERCIAL
BUYDOWN
Wakefield MGLD PV Rebate
COMMERCIAL
BUYDOWN
Taunton PV Rebate
RESIDENTIAL
BUYDOWN
Taunton PV Rebate
COMMERCIAL
BUYDOWN
Concord CMLP DOER rebate
BUYDOWN
Reading MLP PV Rebate
COMMERCIAL
BUYDOWN
Federal ITC Base Rate Base Credit
COMMERCIAL
FEDERAL TAX CREDIT
Federal PTC Full Rate Domestic Content Bonus
COMMERCIAL
PRODUCTION
NYSERDA PV EPBB
RESIDENTIAL
BUYDOWN
Federal ITC Full Rate Domestic Content bonus (Com
COMMERCIAL
FEDERAL TAX CREDIT
Federal ITC Full Rate Energy Community bonus
COMMERCIAL
FEDERAL TAX CREDIT

Estimate methodology

This tool estimates the technical solar potential of all buildings in a region. Technical potential includes electricity generated by the rooftop area suitable for solar panels assuming economics and grid integration are not a constraint. There are many definitions of technical potential, and other definitions may affect results by 25% or more. Based on Project Sunroof’s definition of technical potential, installations meet the following criteria:

Sunlight
Every included panel receives at least 75% of the maximum annual sun in the county. For Massachusetts, the average value of the threshold is 971 kWh/kW.
Installation size
Every included roof has a total potential installation size of at least 2kW.
Space & obstacles
Only areas of the roof with enough space to install 4 adjacent solar panels are included. Obstacles like chimneys are taken into account.
Read more methodology

Attribution

Feel free to include data from Project Sunroof in other materials, reports, and communications with the following attribution:

Source: Project Sunroof data explorer ({{ $ctrl.details.getDateUpdatedMillis() | date:'MMMM y' }}).
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