Governor Charlie Baker and Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito
were joined by a bipartisan group of legislators to sign solar legislation into
law to continue the expansion of the Commonwealth’s solar industry and
establish a long-term framework for sustainable solar development in our state.
The bill, An Act Relative to Solar Energy, passed both
legislative chambers with overwhelming support and achieves the Baker-Polito
Administration’s goal of reducing costs to ratepayers while strengthening the
state’s clean energy economy and progressing towards the greenhouse gas
reduction requirements set forth under the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA).
“This legislation builds upon the continued success of the
Commonwealth’s solar industry and ensures a viable, sustainable and affordable
solar market at a lower cost to ratepayers,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “As
our administration continues its balanced approach to diversifying
Massachusetts’ energy portfolio, solar development will be an integral
component of our state’s clean energy future.”
“Cities and towns across the Commonwealth continue to
realize the economic and environmental benefits of solar development,” said
Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “The legislation signed into law will
preserve the assistance provided to municipalities seeking to deploy solar
energy, while positioning Massachusetts to meet our state’s goals under the
Global Warming Solutions Act.”
“This legislation recognizes the maturity of Massachusetts’
vibrant solar industry, and will facilitate long-term growth beyond 1,600
megawatts at a reduced cost to ratepayers,” said Energy and Environmental
Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “The increase of net-metering cap space for
public and private entities, and the lower cost next generation incentive
program, will simultaneously allow for further solar development and investment
in other renewable technologies in the Commonwealth.”
Consistent with the Baker-Polito Administration’s energy
agenda, the legislation provides immediate relief to the solar industry by
raising the public and private net metering caps from 5% of utilities’ peak
load to 8% and from 4% of utilities’ peak load to 7%, respectively.
Additionally, the bill allows the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and the
Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to gradually transition the solar industry
to a more self-sustaining model. This approach includes robust stakeholder
outreach, and will establish the next generation solar incentive program at a
reduced cost.
“This legislation is an important step forward in the Commonwealth’s
clean energy future,” said Brian S. Dempsey (D-Haverhill), Chair House
Committee on Ways and Means and lead House conferee of the Solar Conference
Committee. “It represents a balanced approach that will not only allow solar
energy to remain a key piece of the state’s energy portfolio, but it will also
reduce costs borne by ratepayers by 40%. The compromises reached in this bill
recognize the important role that the development of solar energy plays in
contributing to the clean energy goals of the commonwealth as well as fostering
green jobs and community development while ensuring that incentives are more
closely aligned with costs to achieve affordability and sustainability.”
“Solar is a key piece of our strategy to combat climate
change and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels,” said State Senator Benjamin
Downing (D – Pittsfield). “I appreciate the Governor’s quick action in signing
this into law to ensure continued solar development.”
“Our climate is changing and we must work towards an energy
future that reduces our reliance on fossil fuels while promoting the use of
clean energy alternatives,” said Senate President Stan Rosenberg (D-Amherst).
“I am pleased we have found a path forward which ensures we will remain a
leader in green energy and continue building a sustainable future for our
Commonwealth.”
“This bill advances our efforts to strike a balanced
approach that will serve our state’s environmental and economic needs both now
and far into the future,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop). “I
thank my colleagues in the Legislature for their hard work and foresight, and
look forward to the House’s energy bill later in the session.”
“Today’s bill signing marks an important milestone in the
Commonwealth’s ongoing efforts to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and
promote the expanded use of alternative clean energy sources,” said House
Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading). “The provisions
contained in this bill will result in important economic and environmental benefits
for the Commonwealth.”
“I am very pleased with the passage of this legislation,”
said Representative Thomas A. Golden, Jr. (D-Lowell), House Chairman of the
Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy.
“This bill
strikes a true balance between keeping our thriving solar industry moving
forward while remaining cognizant of our ratepayers.”
In an effort to lower the cost of net metering for
non-participant ratepayers, the bi-partisan legislation sets the new credit
value for all solar projects, except residential, small commercial, municipal
and government-owned, to 60% of the full retail rate. To facilitate continued
solar growth within communities around the Commonwealth, the bill preserves
retail rate credits for municipal and government-owned projects and continues
to exempt residential and small commercial projects from the net metering cap
and any net metering credit reductions.
“With the passage of this legislation, the Commonwealth is
furthering its commitment to renewable energy,” said DOER Commissioner Judith
Judson. “This legislation provides DOER with a path towards our next incentive
program which will create a long-term, cost effective, sustainable framework.”
Recognizing that a long-term sustainable solution will take
time to develop and that many projects are in advanced stages of development,
DOER recently filed an emergency regulation which will address market
uncertainty and establish a smooth transition from SREC II to the next
incentive program.
“Solar energy generation is a critical component of our
overall energy portfolio,” said Senate
Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R –
Gloucester). “This bill reflects a careful attempt to provide sufficient
incentives to move solar energy production forward while controlling them to prevent
ratepayers from shouldering too great a cost burden for this worthwhile policy
goal.”
“Most importantly, this legislation will continue to deploy
solar throughout our state,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Marc R. Pacheco
(D-Taunton), chair of the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change
and member of the Solar Conference Committee. “In order to fulfill the
requirements of the Global Warming Solutions Act, the state needs a diverse,
clean energy mix.
Although we must do more to ensure a healthy energy policy
for our state, this solar legislation is an imperative step in the right
direction.”
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