Baker-Polito Administration Announces Six Communities to Participate in State Clean Heating and Cooling Program

The Baker-Polito Administration today announced that Arlington, Belmont, Hudson, Marshfield, Stow, and Winchester have been selected to participate in the 2019 HeatSmart Mass Program. A partnership between the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), HeatSmart Mass is a community-based education and group purchasing program for clean heating and cooling technologies.

“Massachusetts is committed to increasing access to cost-saving technologies for residents across the Commonwealth, and HeatSmart Mass Program provides a terrific opportunity for homeowners to improve their energy efficiency and save on monthly bills,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “Massachusetts’ Comprehensive Energy Plan calls for increasing the adoption of new thermal technologies, and this program will help the Commonwealth meet its ambitious climate goals set forth under the Global Warming Solutions Act.”

HeatSmart Mass uses a group purchasing model to help drive down the cost of installation and increase deployment of residential and small-scale commercial installations of clean heating and cooling technologies including air-source heat pumps, ground-source heat pumps, modern wood heating, and solar hot water.

“HeatSmart Mass will support our efforts to not only change how we supply energy, but how we use energy as we shift our focus to strategic electrification and create a cleaner electric grid,” said Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Judith Judson. “Our goals in the 2019-2021 Mass Save® Energy Efficiency Plan include significant increases in incentives for air source heat pumps, which offers a clean, cost-effective option to heating and cooling our homes and businesses.”

Energy used for heating contributes to over a quarter of the Commonwealth’s greenhouse gas emissions. In the average Massachusetts home, 75% of the energy used is for space and water heating. These costs are a significant burden for the half of the homes in Massachusetts that heat with high-cost heating sources such as oil, electricity, and propane.

“By working closely with these communities to raise awareness about the benefits of these technologies, we can drive higher rates of adoption among Massachusetts residents and businesses,” said MassCEC CEO Steve Pike. “Clean heating and cooling technologies offer numerous benefits including lower monthly energy bills and improved air quality, and this program will help unlock these benefits for Massachusetts residents.”

The participating communities will offer the following technologies:

·         Arlington and Winchester: Air-source heat pumps, ground-source heat pumps, modern wood heating, and solar hot water;

·         Belmont: Air-source heat pumps;

·         Hudson and Stow: Air-source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps; and

·         Marshfield: Air-source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, solar hot water, and modern wood heat.

HeatSmart Mass was piloted in 2018 in the towns of Bolton, Carlisle, Concord, Great Barrington, Harvard, Lincoln, and Nantucket, resulting in 117 clean heating and cooling systems to date.

"I’m proud to represent communities who are dedicated to combating the dangerous impact of climate change, and I want to thank the Baker-Polito administration and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center for recognizing Hudson and Stow’s smart work on clean energy solutions,” said State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton). “Our best chance at reversing global warming is to commit to a future powered entirely by clean energy, and programs like HeatSmart, which help communities lower their energy costs, will make sure that we systematically reach a 100% clean energy future.”

“I’m excited to hear that the Town of Arlington has been selected to participate in the HeatSmart Mass Program,” said State Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington). “This program is a great opportunity for the town to increase access to clean heating and cooling technologies for our residents at a lower cost.”

“Our municipal officials and residents in Stow and Hudson have once again demonstrated their leadership on climate change,” said State Representative Kate Hogan (D-Stow). “It is no surprise that these towns have tapped into the HeatSmart program to drive practical energy-solutions here in our community. When state and local officials work together to increase the accessibility of energy-efficient technology for our residents, meaningful progress on climate change happens neighborhood by neighborhood and town by town.”

“I am very appreciative of the Baker Administration’s inclusion of Winchester in this program, which recognizes the town’s proactive approach to energy efficiency and savings,” said State Representative Michael S. Day (D-Stoneham).  “I am especially happy to see Winchester partnering with our neighbors in Arlington, bringing more bargaining power to the table in our effort to save our residents more money while also improving our clean energy profile.”

HeatSmart Mass is a partnership between DOER and MassCEC, funded by Alternative Compliance Payments from retail electricity suppliers that do not otherwise meet their full Massachusetts Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS) and Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (APS) obligations.