Residential

As part of the Patrick Administration’s support of the clean energy industry, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) CEO Alicia Barton and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) Commissioner Mark Sylvia today announced that 551 residents and businesses signed contracts to install solar electricity systems as part of the first round of the 2013 Solarize Massachusetts program (Solarize Mass®), which concluded October 31.

The systems contracted through this round of Solarize Mass constitute 3.8 megawatts of clean, renewable energy capacity that will generate enough electricity to power 570 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.

“For the third year in a row, we’ve seen tremendous response to the Solarize Mass model, with this year being the best yet,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan. “This program truly shows what can happen when you bring together government, industry and dedicated volunteers, united to tackle a challenging goal.”

Since it started as a pilot program in 2011, Solarize Mass has been responsible for more than 1,250 solar systems across the state with 9.4MW of electricity capacity. The communities participating in this round – Bourne, Brookline, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Lee, Medford, Medway, Newton, Northampton and Williamstown – averaged 383kw each, the highest average for any round of the program. Nine of the 10 communities reached Tier 5, which represents the greatest savings in the program.

“We’re positively beaming at the results of this year’s Solarize Mass program,” said Barton. “It once again shows that when residents and business owners learn about the economic and environmental benefits of clean energy, they can’t wait to sign up.”

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

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

Bourne:                                               21 systems                  137 kilowatts

Brookline:                                            63 systems                  346 kilowatts

Chelmsford-Carlisle:                           96 systems                  612 kilowatts

Lee:                                                     36 systems                  294 kilowatts

Medford:                                             48 systems                  388 kilowatts

Medway:                                             39 systems                  489 kilowatts

Newton:                                               64 systems                  309 kilowatts

Northampton:                                      108 systems                706 kilowatts

Williamstown:                                      76 systems                  559 kilowatts

Among the projects contracted as part of Solarize Mass this year is a 99 kilowatt solar electricity system on the roof of seven-story Dowling Hall, which houses a parking garage and a variety of student and administrative services at Tufts University in Medford.

"As a university, we have a special role  in helping address important global issues such as climate change and resource depletion and a responsibility to use our campus as a learning laboratory,” Tufts President Anthony P. Monaco. We are proud to work with the City of Medford, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center and the Department of Energy Resources in support of sustainability."

"Medford started the Solarize program with 50 solar systems already installed; to practically double that number far exceeded our expectations,” said Medford Mayor Michael J. McGlynn “We are thrilled that Tufts is installing roof-top solar through this program. Medford and Tufts have a long, mutually beneficial relationship and we are excited to take this next step to a clean energy future together."

“SunBug Solar is ecstatic to be able to work with Tufts University as part of the Solarize Mass program in Medford,” said Lisa Raffin, the solar installation company’s vice president for corporate business. “This is the true definition of community solar when we see a prominent university and 47 Medford residents linked together to share the benefits of solar electricity.”

Other installers participating in this round of the program were Cotuit Solar, E2 Solar, Real Goods Solar, Second Generation Energy and SolarFlair

MassCEC and DOER are currently reviewing community applications for the second round of the 2013 Solarize Mass program.

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 – 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 solar capacity by 2020, which is enough electricity to power 240,000 average Massachusetts homes.

In addition to the success of Solarize Mass, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) this week announced $1.5 million in SunShot Rooftop Solar Challenge II funding for a regional effort to lower solar costs and increase regional collaboration for solar electricity across New England. As the program seeks to reduce barriers to solar development, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont and New Hampshire will collectively work together to develop solutions to permitting, interconnection, financing, planning and zoning challenges. The national nonprofit organization Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) will coordinate the initiatives. Led by DOER in partnership with MassCEC, the Massachusetts-based program will feature the participation of the cities of Boston and Cambridge and the town of Winchester.

More than 8,400 Massachusetts workers spend at least half of their time on solar activities in the Commonwealth, according to the 2013 Massachusetts Clean Energy Industry Report.

The report found that the clean energy industry as a whole grew by 11.8 percent between 2012 and 2013, and there are now more than 5,550 clean energy firms and 80,000 clean energy workers in the Commonwealth.

Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) CEO Alicia Barton and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) Commissioner Mark Sylvia today announced extending the deadline of Round 1 of the Solarize Massachusetts Program (Solarize Mass®) to Oct. 31, citing high demand for the solar group buying program.

The program, originally scheduled to end Sept. 30, is designed to increase the adoption of solar energy and further reduce the overall cost of solar power by offering residents and businesses discounted pricing for solar.

The more people who sign up, the greater the savings are for everyone.

“For the third year in a row, we’re seeing residents and business owners flock to the Solarize Mass program, responding to the economic and environmental benefits solar electricity provide,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan.

To date, residents and businesses in the 10 participating communities – Bourne, Brookline, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Lee, Medford, Medway, Newton, Northampton and Williamstown – have signed 269 contracts for solar electricity systems with a capacity of 1.9 MW of clean, renewable energy.

“Extending the deadline will ensure everyone in these communities has the opportunity to take advantage of this program, which serves as a national model,” said Barton. “We’re pleased with the response so far and expect the number of signed contracts to increase dramatically during October.”

“This solar incentive program has driven the rapid growth of solar generation in Massachusetts. Programs like Solarize Mass bring that growth to the local level and make it more affordable for residents and businesses to adopt clean energy,” said Commissioner Sylvia. “This extension will allow more residents in these communities to get on board and join the tremendously successful clean energy revolution in Massachusetts.”

The installers participating in the Solarize Mass program –Cotuit Solar, E2 Solar, Real Goods Solar, Second Generation Energy, SolarFlair and SunBug Solar– have agreed to extend the program deadline by one month in all 10 communities.

Residents and businesses interested in participating should visit their community’s page at www.solarizemass.com for details on their local program.

In the first two years of the Solarize Mass program, 21 cities and towns participated in the program, contracting more than 900 solar electricity systems with more than 5.5 megawatts of solar energy capacity.

MassCEC and DOER recently announced they will be accepting applications from communities interested in participating in the next round of the Solarize Mass program. Communities looking for an application or more information can visit the program website.

Through programs like Solarize Mass, Massachusetts reached Governor Patrick’s ambitious goal of installing 250 megawatts of solar electricity capacity four years earlier than the 2017 deadline.

At an April event commemorating the achievement, Gov. Patrick announced a new goal of installing 1,600 megawatts of solar capacity by 2020. Once the goal is reached, solar electricity systems across the Commonwealth will generate enough electricity to power 240,000 average Massachusetts homes.

Clean energy jobs in Massachusetts have grown by 11.8 percent from 2012 to 2013, according to the 2013 Massachusetts Clean Energy Industry Report.

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) today announced the second round of the 2013 Solarize Massachusetts (Solarize Mass®) program is now accepting applications from cities and towns interested in participating.

“This bulk purchasing program has saved residents and businesses money, while aiding in the Patrick Administration’s goal of creating local jobs and expanding our use of home-grown energy sources,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan. “We’re excited to find the next round of Solarize Mass communities.”

The program – designed to increase the adoption of solar energy and further reduce the overall cost of solar power – offers residents and businesses discounted pricing for solar. The more people who sign up, the greater the savings are for everyone.

“The momentum around this program has been building since it was launched in 2011,” said MassCEC CEO Alicia Barton. “Community-by-community, we’re working with local leaders and volunteers to spread the word on the economic and environmental benefits of solar power.”

The program is open to all Massachusetts communities, including those designated by DOER as Green Communities, a designation made by DOER to cities and towns that meet five clean energy requirements, including a commitment to reduce their energy use by 20 percent.

“Solarize Mass continues to fulfill the desire of so many individuals, businesses and communities to be part of Massachusetts’ clean energy revolution,” said DOER Commissioner Mark Sylvia. “This program provides the pathway to do that in a smart, engaging way that benefits them and future generations at the same time.”

The program is open to all Massachusetts communities, including those designated by DOER as Green Communities, a designation made by DOER to cities and towns that meet five clean energy requirements. By statute, those requirements include adoption by the municipality of "as-of-right" siting and expedited permitting for renewable energy projects."

The first round of the 2013 Solarize Mass program is underway now in 10 communities: Bourne, Brookline, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Lee, Medford, Medway, Newton, Northampton and Williamstown.

Individual cities, towns and groups of contiguous municipalities can apply for the second round by downloading a request for proposals and applying by Oct. 22.

MassCEC and DOER expect to select at least eight communities or groups of communities to participate in this round of the program.

In the first two years of the Solarize Mass program, 21 cities and towns participated in the program, contracting more than 900 solar electricity systems with more than 5.5 megawatts of solar energy capacity.

Through programs like Solarize Mass, Massachusetts reached Governor Patrick’s ambitious goal of installing 250 megawatts of solar electricity capacity four years earlier than the 2017 deadline.

At an April event commemorating the achievement, Gov. Patrick announced a new goal of installing 1,600 megawatts of solar capacity by 2020. Once the goal is reached, solar electricity systems across the Commonwealth will generate enough electricity to power 240,000 average Massachusetts homes.

Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) CEO Alicia Barton today announced $1 million to support energy-efficient retrofits for affordable multi-family housing developments across the Commonwealth with a focus on Gateway Cities.

The MassCEC funding will leverage federal grant money and support Boston-based WinnDevelopment’s Open Market Energy Services Company in completing weatherization and energy-efficient upgrades. Projects will include replacing hot water systems, installing solar arrays, and LED lighting, with the goal of reducing energy costs at selected properties by at least 20 percent.

“With more than 100,000 privately-owned affordable housing units in Massachusetts, it makes sense that we do whatever we can to make these developments as efficient and reliant on renewable energy as possible,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan, who chairs the MassCEC Board of Directors.

The first-of-its-kind financing model will allow owners and developers of affordable, multifamily housing the opportunity to make their facilities more energy-efficient and install renewable energy projects without taking on new debt or incurring significant upfront costs. Instead, project costs are covered by savings in energy expenses.

“This program creates an entirely new model to finance these cost-effective projects, allowing low- and moderate-income families across the Commonwealth to enjoy the benefits of clean energy and energy-efficiency,” said Barton.

The program will focus on developments in communities designated by the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development as Gateway Communities.

“This is an exciting new initiative that will advance energy efficiency efforts in affordable housing across the state and will provide tremendous benefits for low- and moderate- income tenants at the same time,” said Aaron Gornstein, Undersecretary for the Department of Housing and Community Development.

In 2012, WinnDevelopment received a $5.25 million grant from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Multifamily Housing Programs to promote the Open Market ESCO program in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York City.

“We are looking forward to spearheading a program that is the first-of-its-kind in the industry and also for us as a company,” said Darien Crimmin, vice president of energy and sustainability at WinnDevelopment. “Winn has long been committed to improving the energy efficiency of affordable housing communities and this grant provides us with an incredible opportunity to take our work a step further.”