Commonwealth Solar II

Governor Deval Patrick today joined representatives from three Massachusetts companies, The Vertex Companies, Inc., Panel Claw and Solectria, and two Mexican partners, Constructora e Inmobiliaria Zacatecana and Grupos Domos, to announce ZacSol, a 30-megawatt solar electric project that will be among the largest of its kind in Latin America.

"I congratulate VERTEX, Panel Claw and Solectria on this historic agreement that will bring economic growth to Massachusetts while fostering the global clean energy economy," said Governor Patrick. "We have opened up the doors of Massachusetts to the world, and today Massachusetts companies are competing on the international stage and winning."

Governor Patrick was joined by Zacatecas Governor Miguel Alonso Reyes in announcing the project during a reception held as part of the Massachusetts -- Mexico Innovation Partnership Mission.

The VERTEX Companies, Inc., of Weymouth, is leading the environmental permitting and construction management of the project, while North Andover-based Panel Claw is slated to supply the ground-mounting system and Lawrence-based Solectria Renewables the solar inverters. The Mexican partners for the project include Constructora e Inmobiliaria Zacatecana and Grupos Domos. After the final approval for the project, the Federal Electricity Commission of Mexico will purchase the electricity generated by the system, which will be one of the 10 largest in Latin America.

"I'm thrilled to see this collaboration between a trio of Massachusetts companies working together and with their partners on an international stage," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan.

"It's exciting to see these Massachusetts clean energy companies expanding into Latin America, truly solidifying the Commonwealth's spot on the global stage," said MassCEC CEO Alicia Barton.

"Today's announcement is further proof that Massachusetts' solar industry is booming and growing beyond our region," said Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Mark Sylvia. "I'm excited that this project will help Mexico enjoy the economic and environmental benefits of solar investments."

"VERTEX is excited to announce the ZacSol project together with its Massachusetts and Mexican partners," said Jeff Picard, President and COO of The Vertex Companies, Inc. "VERTEX has been working in Mexico for over a decade and this is one of the most exciting projects we've had the opportunity to work on. ZacSol will be an important project for Mexico and we are thrilled to be part of the team making it happen."

"Mexico's growing commitment to solar power generation creates an opportunity for it to become a greater part of PanelClaw's North American strategy," said Constantino Nicolaou, CEO of PanelClaw North America. "The ZacSol project is a perfect example of international collaboration needed to accelerate the adoption of PV."

Solar energy has been a major component of Governor Patrick's clean energy agenda since 2007. Massachusetts currently has 464 Megawatts of solar electric capacity, enough to power the equivalent of 70,000 average Massachusetts homes. More than 8,400 workers in Massachusetts spend at least 50 percent of their time on solar-related activities, according to the 2013 Massachusetts Clean Energy Industry Report.

"The Mexican solar market has the potential for explosive growth in the near term. As one of the first major solar projects in Mexico, ZacSol is going to help drive the growth of the solar market," said Javier Garza Buffington, Grupo Domos Director of Business Development. "Grupo Domos is excited to be a part of ZacSol with their partners from Mexico and Massachusetts."

"Constructora e Inmobliaria Zacatecana (CIZ) has extensive experience developing construction projects in Zacatecas," said Joaquin Leal Kirchbach CEO of Constructora e Inmobliaria Zacatecana, S.A. de C.V. "With our first solar project in the state, we are looking forward to continuing to help create jobs and now provide a clean source of energy in Zacatecas."

From March 19 -- 22, 2014, Governor Deval Patrick is leading the Massachusetts -- Mexico Innovation Partnership Mission, bringing together leaders in government and business to focus on strengthening existing relationships and building new ones with the emerging innovation economy of Mexico City.

Massachusetts and Mexico share a strong, established relationship that, with the proper cultivation, has the potential to develop significantly. In 2013, Mexico was Massachusetts' third ranked import partner, with Massachusetts importing approximately $3.37 billion worth of goods and services. Mexico was Massachusetts' third ranked export partner, with Massachusetts exporting approximately $1.86 billion worth of goods and services. Similar to the Patrick Administration, the Pena Nieto Administration has pursued a growth strategy that invests in education, innovation, and infrastructure.

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.