A Campaign to Grow Solar and Protect Nature

Massachusetts needs to transition away from the dirty fossil fuels that are overheating our planet and destroying our ecosystems. To do that, we need to build a lot more clean energy—and quickly.  

Unfortunately, some of the solar energy developed in Massachusetts has been built at the expense of forests, wetlands, and top-quality farmland. This pattern isn’t good for the planet. Natural lands absorb heat-trapping pollution out of the atmosphere. When we convert them to clean energy projects, we’re using one weapon against climate change to eliminate our best defense.  

Mass Audubon is advocating for a strategy that will allow us to build the clean energy infrastructure we need while protecting the nature we have. To succeed, we need your support. Sign up to help today.

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Massachusetts Needs More Clean Energy 

Climate change is already causing flooding, extreme heat, and major threats to wildlife in Massachusetts. To combat it, we need to shift away from the fossil fuels that are trapping heat in our atmosphere.  

As of 2023, about half of Massachusetts' electricity supply came from dirty fossil fuel generators. In addition, most of our buildings, cars, buses, and trains still run on natural gas, oil, and gasoline. To clean up these sources of pollution, we’ll need to switch them to electric power. That means that in the decades ahead, we’ll need to generate a lot more electricity, and it will need to come from clean sources like solar, wind, and geothermal. 

Forest, Farmlands, and Wetlands are at Risk 

Clean energy developers seek to build solar and other energy projects where land is less expensive —often forests or farmlands. Since 2010, over 5,000 acres of forest, wetlands, and farmlands have been destroyed for solar development in Massachusetts, resulting in the emission of over half a million metric tons of CO₂— more than the annual emissions of 100,000 passenger cars.  

Not only is this bad for the climate, it’s devastating to the plants and wildlife that call Massachusetts home. Bobcats, bears, and countless bird species face major threats from habitat destruction. Additionally, Massachusetts already has limited farmland, meaning every acre taken out of production takes a toll on our local food security.

Growing Solar, Protecting Nature Report 

To find a strategy for building the clean energy we need while protecting the nature we have, Mass Audubon teamed up with Harvard Forest to produce Growing Solar, Protecting Nature, an analysis of Massachusetts’ options for future solar energy development. This report shows that we can build most of the solar we need on existing rooftops, parking lots, and already developed lands, while leaving most of our forests and farmlands intact.  

How You Can Grow Solar and Protect Nature 

Mass Audubon is working to shape a clean energy strategy for Massachusetts that will allow us to generate the energy we need while protecting the nature we have.  

First, we’re pushing for stronger state incentives for solar projects on rooftops, parking lots, and already developed lands, while working to eliminate subsidies for projects on high-value forests and farmlands. Second, we’re working to influence the Massachusetts State Legislature to pass a climate bill that places equal importance on nature as a climate strategy alongside solar and other energy infrastructure.   

To achieve both goals, we’ll need to show that thousands of Massachusetts residents believe we need to protect nature and produce clean energy.