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DPU's Delay of the Net Metering Cap Increases

May 4, 2016
Governor Baker signed into law Chapter 75 of the Acts of 2016 on April 11, 2016.  The act included an emergency preamble that was adopted through separate, unanimous votes of the members present and voting in both the House and Senate on April 7th. This was confirmed through Clerks' offices and the journals of both houses.

Sections 5 & 6 of the Act, which clearly specify that the net metering capacity limits should be raised, should have taken immediate effect on April 11, 2016.

Massachusetts Should Boost Renewable Targets

April 26, 2016

Massachusetts House Leaders are currently drafting an omnibus energy bill to secure new supplies of electricity as much of the region’s fleet of aging nuclear, coal, and oil power plants are now set to retire. Any proposed energy legislation should achieve three key goals.

Does net metering shift costs?

April 17, 2016

Utilities and other anti-solar forces are fond of the claim that net metering shifts costs between solar users and non-solar users.  The gist of this claim is that solar users are freeriding and not paying their fair share of distribution system costs, relying on non-solar electricity users to pick up their tab.  Is there any turth to this claim?  

Solar Legislation Signed

April 14, 2016
  • Governor Charlie Baker (R) on Monday signed into law a compromise bill lifting Massachusetts' solar net metering cap and lowering remuneration rates for large-scale systems.
  • Baker's approval comes after months of contention over solar policy, including two competing bills from each house of the state legislature. The compromise bill was passed out of a joint legislative committee last week set up to reconcile differences between seperate proposals from the House and Senate. 

Can We Save Boston and Cambridge?

April 3, 2016

Can we save Boston and Cambridge?

This is an important question to be asking our legislators.  

What is it going to cost to have huge amounts of Boston and Cambridge underwater?

What are the implications for Massachusetts if Logan Airport is unusable? If Storrow Drive and our T stations are submerged? 

What happens to our educational legacy if Harvard and MIT have to move? 

What does good solar policy look like?

March 31, 2016

Net metering caps have been hit in National Grid, Unitil and NStar territories.  SRECs have run out for all but the smallest solar projects and are about to run out completely.

Low income advocates ask legislature to preserve retail net metering

March 30, 2016

Low income advocates sent a letter to the conference committee negotiating solar legislation earlier this week asking that retail net metering be maintained for projects serving low income communities.

NSTAR Solar Projects now on hold

March 30, 2016

As of today, solar projects are on hold in NSTAR's territory. 

Almost exactly one year after solar projects went on hold in National Grid territory - MassACA's net metering allocation report indicates that there are now 2 MW of solar projects on hold in the Eversource / NSTAR territory. 
That means solar projects are now on hold in Boston, Cambridge, most of the surrounding Metro Boston area and on Cape Cod. 

Rooftop solar could generate 47% of Massachusetts' electricity

March 29, 2016

According to a report released by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), rooftop solar could meet almost half of Massachusetts' electricity demand.  For the country as a whole, NREL estimates a suitable rooftop potential for solar of 1,118GW.

Solar Lobby Day - Truth About Solar

March 29, 2016

These slides provide the latest updates on solar status in the Commonwealth - and our future energy options for Solar Lobby Day on March 29, 2016. 

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