Residential

Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) today announced the end of the successful Commonwealth Solar II program, which will have provided rebates for more than 13,000 solar electric systems at homes, public buildings, and small businesses across the Commonwealth since 2010.

“The Commonwealth Solar II program has enabled thousands of individuals the ability to produce their own electricity while taking control of their energy futures, and I commend the homeowners and small businesses that were able to take advantage of this rebate program,” said Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton.

Under the life of the Commonwealth Solar II program, installation prices for small-scale solar systems have dropped dramatically, falling nearly 30 percent since the program’s inception.

“This program was launched to help drive down the price of small solar electric systems in Massachusetts, and with prices dropping significantly over the past several years, the time is right to phase out this successful program,” said Barton. “This program has met its ambitious goals of increasing the adoption of solar electricity and creating high-quality local jobs.”

Created to stimulate adoption of small-scale solar systems, the rebate program was funded by MassCEC and the Department of Energy Resources (DOER).  Small scale solar systems have stimulated expansion of the Massachusetts solar industry, creating high-quality jobs.  The Massachusetts solar industry now employs more than 12,000 workers, including installers, salespeople and innovators. 

“Thanks to programs like this and DOER’s Solar Carve-out Program, we have experienced significant growth in solar installations across Massachusetts,” said Acting DOER Commissioner Dan Burgess. “Residents and businesses in every corner of the Commonwealth are taking their energy future into their own hands by investing in solar, reducing emissions and creating jobs along the way.”

Solar prices have been shown to drop an additional nearly 20 percent in communities that have participated in another MassCEC and DOER program, Solarize Mass, a coordinated outreach and group purchasing program in which the savings go up as more people sign contracts for solar electric systems.

Corresponding to these falling prices, MassCEC has scaled back rebate levels over time, from an average of 20 percent of project costs in the program’s first funding block to an average of 5 percent of project costs in the program’s last funding block. The Commonwealth Solar II program will have provided $36 million in rebates, helping to facilitate an investment of more than $407 million in in solar electric systems across Massachusetts.

Through efforts like the rebate program and Solarize Mass, more and more homeowners in Massachusetts have installed solar. Today there are over 10,500 residential solar systems installed in the state.  There are 715 megawatts of installed solar capacity, enough to power more than 100,000 Massachusetts homes.

“The residential solar sector has seen remarkable growth in Massachusetts due to smart policies and programs like the Commonwealth Solar II,” said New England Clean Energy Council (NECEC) President Peter Rothstein. “This program and others have allowed the Massachusetts solar industry to grow and thrive into one that supports thousands of jobs and is helping lower energy bills for thousands of residents and businesses in Massachusetts.”

“This program has been a huge success driving down the cost of residential solar in Massachusetts and should serve as a model for other states to follow,” said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).  “Solar continues to thrive in Massachusetts because innovative programs like this one are delivering on the promise to bring down the price of solar systems, benefitting homeowners, businesses and government entities.  They are also allowing the solar industry in the Commonwealth to grow quickly, creating thousands of good-paying jobs and providing a big boost to the state and local economies.”

MassCEC is partnering with DOER to launch Mass Solar Loan, a new program set to open this spring and focused on connecting homeowners who install solar electric systems with low-interest loans to help finance the projects. 

The Patrick Administration today announced the final design of a $30 million residential solar loan program to complement the nation-leading solar market in Massachusetts.  The Mass Solar Loan program, designed to make it easier for homeowners to finance solar electric projects on their homes, will work with banks and credit unions to expand borrowing options through lower interest rate loans and encourage loans for homeowners with lower income or lower credit scores.

“Solar installations provide important economic and environmental benefits to Massachusetts,” said Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Maeve Bartlett. “The Mass Solar Loan will provide opportunities for homeowners to control and reduce their energy costs and for local banks and credit unions to offer a new business product”.

The Mass Solar Loan program, which has been in development since early 2014, follows a Department of Energy Resources (DOER) study that demonstrates lifetime net benefits to homeowners ten times greater for direct solar ownership relative to third-party ownership. Beginning in early 2015, local lenders will be able to sign up to participate in the program, which is scheduled to begin providing loans in the spring of 2015.

“Massachusetts has seen incredible growth in the solar market, with installations in 350 of the Commonwealth’s 351 cities and towns,” said DOER Commissioner Meg Lusardi. “The Mass Solar Loan program will ensure that this growth continues at the local level, increasing opportunities for homeowners to take their energy future into their own hands.”

The Solar Carve-Out Program administered by DOER has, in partnership with other programs, led to solar installations growing from just 3 MW to 715 MW during the Patrick Administration.  There are nearly 20,000 systems installed in the Commonwealth, with the vast majority of these installed on homes.  DOER anticipates Mass Solar Loan will support $135 million of loans to 6,000 homeowners and 30 MW of new capacity, and launch a loan product that lenders will continue to offer after the DOER credit enhancements expire.

Mass Solar Loan will be launched in partnership with the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) which will serve as the program’s central administrator.  

The launch of Mass Solar Loan coincides with the planned sunset of MassCEC’s successful Commonwealth Solar II rebate program, which has provided rebates for more than 10,500 small-scale solar electric projects at homes and businesses across Massachusetts since 2010.

“With the price of residential solar dropping steadily over the past few years, there has never been a better time to adopt solar energy,” said MassCEC CEO Alicia Barton. ”The launch of Mass Solar Loan will make it even easier for even more residents to tap into the economic and environmental benefits of solar electricity, while creating more local jobs.”

Mass Solar Loan will be available for solar installations on single family homes and on residential buildings up to three units, as well as for participants with an ownership stake in community shared solar projects.  It will provide greater credit enhancement for moderate income customers and those with lower credit scores to encourage lenders to serve these customers. 

"This program will help homeowners maximize the economic benefits of going solar. I am thrilled to see it move forward and look forward to it working in tandem with private programs to advance our shared goals," said State Senator Benjamin B. Downing.

“Consumer energy efficiency and renewable energy investments are an excellent choice for our members and their customers. The Massachusetts Bankers Association believes that the DOER residential solar loan program is a helpful support mechanism for these investments. We are happy to promote participation in solar lending to Massachusetts banks that have a lot to gain from this new program and its related business opportunities,” said David Floreen, Senior Vice President, Massachusetts Bankers Association.

“Credit Unions around Massachusetts are very excited about this program and the opportunity to work in their local communities to bring this exciting technology and loan product to their members,” said Paul Gentile, President of the Massachusetts Credit Union League. “We and our member credit unions have worked as stakeholders with DOER to establish an attractive program design.  We look forward to working with our members to encourage participation.”

The funding committed to the program comes from Alternative Compliance Payments (ACP). ACP funds are paid by electric retail suppliers if they have insufficient Renewable or Alternative Energy Certificates to meet their compliance obligations under the Renewable and Alternative Portfolio Standard programs.

Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Maeve Vallely Bartlett today announced that the communities of Provincetown, Quincy, Plainfield, Ashfield and Buckland will participate in the latest round of Solarize Massachusetts (Solarize Mass®), a grassroots solar energy marketing, education and group-buying program.

Secretary Bartlett also announced that Mass Energy, a non-profit group comprised of 20,000 members, will participate in the inaugural round of Mass Solar Connect, a program similar to Solarize Mass, but focused on driving solar adoption among members of non-profit organizations.

“The more people learn about the economic and environmental benefits of solar energy, the more excited they are to adopt the technology at their homes and businesses,” said Secretary Bartlett. “Governor Patrick’s policies are driving clean energy adoption and creating local jobs across the Commonwealth, these programs are helping more communities and organizations to participate.”

Solarize Mass – administered by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) – is designed to increase the adoption of solar energy across the state, while reducing the overall cost of solar power and offering residents and businesses discounted pricing for solar systems. The program lowers energy costs by offering residents a five-tiered pricing structure, where the savings increase as more people sign contracts.

The five communities participating in this round of Solarize Mass are Provincetown, Quincy, Plainfield, Ashfield and Buckland, with the latter three participating as a group.

“Solarize Mass has been a driving force for solar adoption in participating communities over the years,” said MassCEC CEO Alicia Barton. “I’m sure these five communities will add to this history of success.”

“Thanks to the Governor Patrick’s leadership, Massachusetts is leading the nation in solar energy. With more than 16,000 solar installations – a more than twenty-fold increase from 2008 – every corner of the Commonwealth is taking their energy future into their own hands by investing in solar, creating jobs and reducing emissions along the way,” said DOER Commissioner Meg Lusardi.

Four of the five communities are Green Communities (Ashfield, Buckland, Provincetown and Quincy) – a designation made by DOER to cities and towns that meet five clean energy requirements, including a commitment to reduce energy use by 20 percent within five years as well as a streamlined process of responsible siting of renewable energy such as solar electricity.

MassCEC and DOER will work with community volunteers and municipal representatives from each community to select a designated solar installer through a competitive bidding process.

Since the program’s inception in 2011, Solarize Mass has been responsible for more than 2,400 solar contracts in 46 communities across the state which amounts to 16 total megawatts of electricity capacity.

A new program administered by MassCEC, Mass Solar Connect, will capitalize on the success of Solarize Mass by bringing the education and group-buying benefits to members of non-profit organizations, regardless of the members’ geographic location. MassCEC will work with the non-profit to select a designated installer or group of installers through a competitive bidding process.

“Mass Energy Consumers Alliance really believes in the group purchasing model.  We used it successfully on solar energy over 10 years ago, but the Solar Connect program has many great features and now is a perfect time to go solar,” said Larry Chretien, Executive Director of Mass Energy. “We are excited to be working with the Mass Clean Energy Center and solar companies to deliver an excellent deal for our members.”

The solar industry is booming in Massachusetts, with the Commonwealth meeting Governor Patrick’s ambitious goal of installing 250 megawatts of solar electricity capacity by 2017 four years early. Governor Patrick set a new goal of 1,600 megawatts of installed solar capacity by 2020, and the Commonwealth is well on its way to meeting this mark, with more than 680 megawatts already installed – enough to power more than 100,000 average Massachusetts homes.

In addition to reducing the Commonwealth’s dependence on dirty fossil fuels, the solar industry is also creating thousands of local jobs, with more than 12,000 people already employed in the growing sector, according to the 2014 Massachusetts Clean Energy Industry Report.

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) today announced that 932 residents and businesses signed contracts to install solar electricity systems as part of the latest round of Solarize Massachusetts (Solarize Mass®), which concluded June 30.

The systems contracted through this round of Solarize Mass constitute 6.1 megawatts of homegrown, clean, renewable energy capacity that will generate enough electricity to power more than 900 average Massachusetts homes annually.

The program lowers costs by offering consumers a five-tiered pricing structure, where the savings increase as more people sign contacts in a community or partnership of communities.

“Since its inception, the Solarize Mass model has been a huge hit with residents and business owners across the state, with this round being the best yet,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Maeve Vallely Bartlett. “This program is a testament to what can happen when government, industry and dedicated volunteers work together.”

Started as a pilot program in 2011, Solarize Mass has been responsible for adding nearly than 2,450 solar systems across the state with 16 MW of electricity capacity, which represents enough greenhouse gas emission reductions to offset pollution from more than 1,500 cars.

The 15 communities participating in this round – Adams, Amherst, Andover, Bedford, Chesterfield, Egremont, Great Barrington, Lexington, Needham, Salem, Swampscott, Watertown, Wellfleet, Whately, Williamsburg – averaged 401 kW each, the highest average for any round of the program. Thirteen of the 15 communities reached Tier 5, which represents the greatest savings in the program.

“The sun is truly shining on these Solarize communities,” said MassCEC CEO Alicia Barton. “This program proves time and time again that sharing the environmental and economic benefits of solar electricity will truly drive adoption.”

“The success of Solarize Mass is further evidence that homeowners and businesses across Massachusetts are eager to embrace solar electricity. We will continue to work with individuals, cities, towns and businesses to make local, clean power accessible,” said DOER Acting Commissioner Meg Lusardi.

Preliminary results for contracts signed and capacity for participating communities are:

Adams:                                                18 systems                  100 kilowatts

Amherst                                              174 systems                1,195 kilowatts

Andover                                              78 systems                  654 kilowatts

Great Barrington-Egremont:               84 systems                  546 kilowatts

Lexington-Bedford:                             162 systems                1,136 kilowatts

Needham:                                           99 systems                  729 kilowatts

Salem-Swampscott:                           71 systems                  401 kilowatts

Watertown:                                          28 systems                  136 kilowatts

Wellfleet:                                             133 systems                656 kilowatts

Williamsburg/Whately/Chesterfield:    85 systems                  589 kilowatts

Installers participating in this round of the program were RGS Energy, Northeast Solar Design Associates, Astrum Solar, Next Step Living, Cotuit Solar, E2 Solar and Blue Selenium Solar.

Amherst’s 174 systems and 1.2 MW of contracted capacity are both Solarize Mass records for an individual community.

“This is beyond our wildest expectations,” said Amherst Solar Coach Jeanette Tokarz, who organized outreach efforts among the town’s volunteers. “The Amherst residents have a very deep commitment to and enthusiasm toward green energy.”

“I am pleased, but frankly, not surprised that Amherst is among the leaders in our ongoing effort to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and imported energy,” State Senator Stan Rosenberg (D-Amherst) said. “All the communities participating in this outstanding program are blessed with what I like to call the gift of the environmentalist. That gift is a hopeful vision for a cleaner, more sustainable future for our children.”

“I’m not surprised that Amherst is at the top of the list in this effort. I am proud of the efforts of Amherst and the entire Solarize Mass program for these achievements,” said State Rep. Ellen Story, (D-Amherst). “I will continue to support bold expansions of renewable energy in the future.”

Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan today announced a new round of the Commonwealth’s Woodstove Change-out Program, committing up to $1 million to assist residents in replacing their inefficient woodstoves for healthier, higher-efficiency models.

“The Patrick Administration is committed to supporting programs that allow everyone - from residents to businesses to municipalities - to get involved in our clean energy initiatives,” said Secretary Sullivan. “These newer stoves save families money every month and lead to cleaner air for all citizens of the Commonwealth.”

The program, first launched as a pilot last winter, provides vouchers of $750 or $2,000 to Massachusetts residents looking to trade in their existing non-U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-certified stoves for models that use less wood and release less pollution into the air.

Secretary Sullivan made the announcement at The Fire Place in Whately, which redeemed the most vouchers of any retailer in the Commonwealth under the pilot program. In total, last year’s pilot program assisted in the replacement of more than 450 old, inefficient stoves.

The Commonwealth Woodstove Change-out Program is administered by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), and funded jointly by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and MassCEC.

“Clean energy adoption comes in many shapes and sizes, and this program allows residents to participate in Massachusetts’ thriving clean energy economy by choosing to upgrade their woodstoves,” said MassCEC CEO Alicia Barton. “We’re excited to build upon the success of last year’s program and continue helping residents take control of their energy use right in their own homes.”

“It is always exciting when we can make cleaner energy more accessible to more of the Commonwealth’s residents,” said DOER Commissioner Mark Sylvia. “These vouchers will help residents save money on upfront costs and monthly wood costs, while helping the Commonwealth reduce air pollution.”

“One of our top environmental priorities is to greatly improve air quality across the Commonwealth, and this program will continue to retire older woodstoves and replace them with lower-emission models,” said MassDEP Commissioner Kenneth Kimmell. “Once installed, the new woodstoves will significantly reduce fine particle pollution that threatens the health of our citizens and our communities.”

Low-income residents who provide proof of enrollment in the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), MassHealth or Women, Infants and Children (WIC) are eligible for a $2,000 rebate, while other Massachusetts residents are eligible for a $750 rebate.

MassCEC is accepting applications until March 4, 2014, at which time properly-completed applications will be evaluated and qualified for vouchers.

To qualify, residents must have an existing woodstove to trade in and must receive approval for a rebate before purchasing the woodstove. Woodstoves purchased before a rebate is awarded are not eligible for the program. Residents can apply for a voucher by submitting a paper application or online application. Access the online application, and more information on the program, by visiting www.masscec.com/woodstove. Once an application is approved, MassCEC will issue a voucher which can be redeemed at any participating woodstove dealer in Massachusetts for a discount on the retail price of the stove. MassCEC will then reimburse retailers for the value of the voucher.

An independent analysis released today has found no statistically-significant evidence that proximity to a wind turbine affects home values.

The report, written by researchers from the University of Connecticut and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, examined 122,000 Massachusetts real estate transactions between 1998 and 2012. It compared transactions within a half-mile of constructed wind turbines to similar transactions between one half-mile and five miles away.

“Properly-sited renewable energy projects like wind turbines can deliver clean energy for our citizens and boost our local economy,” said Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) CEO Alicia Barton.  “This report is designed to provide fact-based research to inform decision-makers on potential impacts wind turbines could have on nearby property.”

The study, commissioned by MassCEC, was co-authored by Carol Atkinson-Palombo, assistant professor of geography at the University of Connecticut, and Ben Hoen, staff research associate of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and was peer-reviewed by a number of leading economists and appraisers before release.

It compares the relationship between wind turbines and residential home values to those of factors previously shown to affect home prices, like high-voltage transmission lines, landfills, highways, protected open space and proximity to beaches.

Of the impacts studied, landfills and transmission lines have the greatest negative impact (or disamenity) on home prices while beachfront and proximity to beaches were found to have the greatest positive impact (or amenity) on home prices.  The study found that operating turbines have a +0.5 percent amenity which falls within the study’s margin of error.

Massachusetts has expanded the number of wind energy projects in the state from just 3 MW and three turbines installed in 2007 to more than 100 MW and dozens of turbines installed now throughout the Commonwealth. This study builds upon the Patrick Administration’s focus on providing municipalities and developers with the research they need to make informed decisions on these types of projects.

To download the report, please visit www.masscec.com/content/relationship-between-wind-turbines-and-residential-property-values-massachusetts.

A webinar with the study’s authors will be held at 12:30 p.m. on January 22. For more information, or to register, visit https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/162511015.  

Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan today announced the 15 communities that will participate in the second round of the 2013 Solarize Massachusetts program (Solarize Mass®), a grassroots solar energy marketing, education and group-buying program.

The program – run by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) – is designed to increase the adoption of solar energy across the state, while reducing the overall cost of solar power and offering residents and businesses discounted pricing for solar systems. The program lowers energy costs by offering residents a five-tiered pricing structure, where the savings increase as more people sign contracts.

“The popularity of Solarize Mass highlights the growing interest in renewable energy across the state,” said Secretary Sullivan. “Programs like Solarize Mass allow people across Massachusetts to join the clean energy revolution right at their own homes and businesses, while creating local jobs here in the Commonwealth.”

Participating in the second round of the 2013 Solarize Mass program are Adams, Amherst, Andover, Bedford, Chesterfield, Egremont, Great Barrington, Lexington, Needham, Salem, Swampscott, Watertown, Wellfleet, Whately and Williamsburg. Great Barrington will be partnering with Egremont; Salem will be partnering with Swampscott; Lexington will be partnering with Bedford; and Williamsburg, Whately and Chesterfield will be working as a group during the program.

“Solarize Mass has been a rallying point for all the 31 communities that have participated so far, and I’m excited to see what these 15 new communities can do,” said MassCEC CEO Alicia Barton.

“Solarize Mass results have proven that the program is an effective model for bringing clean, cost-saving energy to residents and businesses in participating communities,” said Commissioner Sylvia. “I congratulate these 15 communities and look forward to continuing our support for all communities in the Commonwealth as they pursue renewable energy.”

MassCEC and DOER will work with community volunteers and municipal representatives from each community to select a designated solar installer through a competitive bidding process.

Ten of the communities participating in this round (Amherst, Andover, Bedford, Chesterfield, Great Barrington, Lexington, Salem, Swampscott, Watertown and Whatley) are Green Communities, a designation made by DOER to cities and towns that meet five clean energy requirements, including a commitment to reduce energy use by 20 percent within five years as well as a streamlined process of responsible siting of renewable energy such as solar photovoltaics.

Residents and businesses in the 10 communities that participated in the first round of the 2013 Solarize Mass program combined to sign 551 contracts to install solar electricity systems, constituting 3.8 megawatts of clean, renewable energy capacity – enough to power 570 homes annually. Since the program’s inception in 2011, Solarize Mass has been responsible for more than 1,250 solar installations across the state – a total of 9.4MW of electricity capacity.

Over the past five years, the Patrick Administration has created a suite of programs – like Solarize Mass, Commonwealth Solar rebates, and Massachusetts’ nation-leading solar carve-out, a market-based incentive program based on solar renewable energy certificates (SRECs) – to drive solar development and cultivate a robust solar marketplace.

As a result of these efforts, Massachusetts met Governor Patrick’s ambitious goal of installing 250 megawatts of solar electricity capacity by 2017 four years early. Governor Patrick set a new goal of 1,600 megawatts of installed solar capacity by 2020, which is enough electricity to power 240,000 average Massachusetts homes.

The solar industry in Massachusetts is a large part of the state’s clean energy economy. According to the 2013 Massachusetts Clean Energy Industry Report, nearly 60 percent of clean energy workers support solar technologies – more than 8,400 workers spend at least 50 percent of their time on the solar portion of their business.