Milton has received a $20,000 state grant to design a solar power and battery-storage system, alongside a Climate Leader Community certification that makes the town eligible for up to $1.15 million in additional grants.
The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources announced both developments Oct. 21. Milton was one of nine newly certified communities, bringing the statewide total to 44, according to the state announcement.
The $20,000 Municipal Energy Technical Assistance grant will support design work for a solar photovoltaic system paired with battery energy storage. The announcement does not identify the proposed site.
Certification gives Milton access to two other funding opportunities: up to $150,000 for technical support and up to $1 million for projects that reduce emissions from municipal operations. The town must apply, and each community can receive each grant type only once.
The technical-support program pays for assessments, recommendations and engineering designs. Accelerator grants can support solar installations, heat pumps, energy storage and other upgrades that reduce fossil fuel use. Projects must align with the community’s municipal decarbonization roadmap, according to DOER guidance.
To qualify for certification, municipalities must be Green Communities in good standing, maintain a local clean energy committee and commit to eliminating on-site municipal fossil fuel use by 2050. They must also develop a decarbonization roadmap, adopt a zero-emission-vehicle-first purchasing policy and adopt the Specialized Energy Code.
Milton’s Select Board established its Climate Action Planning Committee in 2023. The committee, which has 11 seats, reviews town policies and recommends ways to reduce emissions, improve energy efficiency and address climate risks. A draft Climate Action Plan dated June 20, 2025, is posted on the town’s website.
The latest award follows a separate $114,850 Green Communities Competitive Grant announced in August. That funding was part of a statewide round supporting energy improvements in 57 municipalities.
The Climate Leader program builds on the broader Green Communities initiative, which DOER says has helped municipalities save more than $30 million annually in energy costs.
Accelerator grant applications are accepted twice a year, with deadlines on the first Fridays of February and August.
