Where the Sun Does and Doesn't Shine

Above, part of a 'slope and aspect' map for solar potential in part of Franklin.

Massachusetts has more than enough solar energy potential to support the decarbonization requirements enshrined in state laws, according to a report released Thursday by the state, though it is unclear whether all factors, including average cloud cover and short days in the winter were fully considered.

The report found the state's land parcels possess about 15 to 18 times the solar energy potential needed to meet the decarbonization requirements.

State climate action plans released in 2022 estimate that between 27 and 34 gigawatts of solar energy would be required in 2050 to reach decarbonization goals, or more than 10 times the amount of solar currently installed in Massachusetts.

The state's best rated parcels alone add up to double the amount of solar called for in the 2050 plan, researchers found.  In contrast, a recent report on solar in Forbes gave states like Massachusetts and California high rankings based on pro-solar programs, availability of suppliers and existing electrical infrastructure but also showed the the Bay State, like most of the US, has less than 100 days per year, on average, with less than 30 percent cloud coverage.

"Because of the amount of suitable solar potential identified, we can be aggressive with our solar policy while balancing land use priorities and protecting our natural resource," the Department of Energy Resources concluded in its report.

The report was prepared for the state by Cambridge-based Synapse Energy Economics Inc.

Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper and Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Elizabeth Mahony plan to discuss the study and a new interactive mapping tool Thursday morning during a press conference at the Massachusetts Army National Guard Readiness Center at 149 Speen St. in Natick. - Michael P. Norton/SHNS, Franklin Observer