Mass Save Business Energy Efficiency Incentives
Mass Save (Massachusetts electric and gas utilities — Eversource, National Grid, Unitil, Cape Light Compact, Berkshire Gas, Liberty)
Up to 70–100% of project cost
Massachusetts pays for efficiency upgrades
Mass Save is the statewide collaborative of Massachusetts electric and gas utilities that funds one of the most generous business energy-efficiency programs in the country, distributing hundreds of millions of dollars in incentives annually. Business customers get a no-cost energy assessment, then prescriptive rebates (fixed amounts per measure, such as LED lighting and controls) and custom incentives (paid on measured kWh/therm savings) for lighting, HVAC, refrigeration, weatherization, compressed air, and commercial kitchen equipment. For qualifying small businesses, a turnkey Small Business offering covers a large share of project cost — often 70–100% depending on the customer segment — and the same vendor that performs the assessment installs the upgrades, with incentive payments going directly to the contractor so the business avoids fronting the full cost. Zero-percent / low-cost financing (e.g., the HEAT Loan and Eversource direct financing) can cover the remainder.
- Funding type
- Program
- Level
- Private
- Amount range
- Up to 70–100% of project cost
- Realistic amount
- A typical small business doing a lighting and/or refrigeration retrofit sees 70–100% of the …
- Deadline
- Rolling — assessments and incentive applications accepted year-round.
- Status
- active
- States
- Massachusetts
- Payment model
- reimbursement
Who qualifies
- Must be an active commercial/industrial electric or gas customer of a Mass Save sponsor (Eversource, National Grid, Unitil, Cape Light Compact, Berkshire Gas, or Liberty)
- Small Business turnkey path targets smaller commercial accounts (e.g., retailers, offices, restaurants, independent grocers) below the program's small-business demand/usage threshold
- Equipment must meet program efficiency specifications
- Facility lighting projects must average a minimum number of operating hours (e.g., ~2,000 hours/year for instant lighting incentives)
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- LED lighting and lighting controls
- HVAC equipment and controls
- Commercial refrigeration
- Weatherization (insulation, air sealing)
- Compressed air systems
- Commercial kitchen / food-service equipment
- Water heating systems
- Custom measures paid on measured energy savings
Ineligible expenses
- Equipment below program efficiency specifications
- Measures at facilities not served by a Mass Save sponsor
- Lighting that does not meet minimum operating-hour or sensor requirements
How to apply
-
1
Request a no-cost business energy assessment
Schedule a free Mass Save assessment through your utility or a participating vendor. An auditor surveys your facility and produces a customized list of recommended efficiency upgrades with incentive amounts.
~1.5 hrs
-
2
Review the proposal and incentive coverage
The vendor presents recommended measures, the incentive that Mass Save will cover (often 70–100% for small business), your net cost, and 0%/low-cost financing options for the remainder.
~1 hrs
-
3
Approve installation (turnkey)
For the small-business path, the same vendor installs the upgrades. Incentive payments go directly to the contractor, so you only pay your net share.
~0.5 hrs
-
4
Submit prescriptive/custom applications for larger measures
For larger HVAC, refrigeration, or custom projects outside the turnkey path, file the prescriptive or custom incentive application (with pre-approval for custom) and submit documentation of installed equipment and savings.
~3 hrs
Use the Small Business turnkey path rather than chasing rebates yourself — the assessment vendor installs the work and takes the incentive directly off your invoice, so you never front the full cost. Ask specifically whether your account qualifies for the enhanced (up to 100%) coverage tier for nonprofits, income-eligible, or tenant/landlord cases.
Deadline & timing
No annual deadline. Process starts with a no-cost assessment; the turnkey small-business path schedules installation directly. Incentive program terms and measure eligibility are refreshed annually (e.g., lighting sensor requirements tightened effective Jan 1, 2025).
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.