Boston, MA – Yesterday the Massachusetts Senate passed An Act to
Generate Renewable Energy and Efficiency Now, the latest iteration of
Speaker DiMasi’s original Green Communities Act. This bill prioritizes
energy efficiency and renewable energy as solutions to Massachusetts’
energy woes and has received broad support from environmental and
industry groups alike.
“The Senate has made history by passing
new energy policy that will make Massachusetts a national leader in
energy conservation and will position us as an authority in the clean
energy economy,” said Diana Connett, energy associate with Environment
Massachusetts.
The bill curtails energy waste in several ways.
It requires electric and gas utilities to procure energy efficiency
before they buy more power, and it adopts more efficient energy codes
for buildings across the state. One section of the bill sets up a home
energy scoring program, which brings the efficiency of a building into
the equation of when buying or selling a home.
“Wasting less
energy and using clean, homegrown sources of power reduces global
warming pollution and cuts energy bills,” added Connett. “This bill
puts forth a comprehensive set of solutions to our energy problems.”
The
bill also incentivizes renewable energy is numerous ways. It promotes
local generation of renewable energy, like solar panels and wind
turbines, by making them more cost-effective for individuals,
communities, and municipalities. It creates a framework for utilities
to offer long term contracts to renewable energy developers, and it
offers resources to help communities plan and implement energy saving
or renewable energy projects.
From here, the bill with go
to conference committee, where delegates from the House and Senate will
compromise on a final version of the energy bill to be voted on by both
chambers.
“We look forward to working with House and Senate
leaders to finalize an energy bill that will put Massachusetts on a
path to a new energy future,” concluded Connett.
