Today, State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex), Senate Chair of the Energy & Technology Committee, led the Senate’s passage of a bill expanding two clean energy tariff programs which raise the megawatt capacity for zero-emissions non-residential projects such as solar facilities and shared cleaner energy facilities. These changes will support the state’s expansion of clean energy and will benefit low-income customers, among other changes.
“As our state seeks to diversify its energy sources, specifically supporting clean energy, this legislation will allow for increased production of zero-emission energy,” said Sen. Needleman. “I’m excited by the prospects of these programs, especially the increased solar installation capacity for non-residential installation and the benefits these changes will provide for low-income customers.”
Senate Bill 176, “An Act Concerning Clean Energy Tariff Programs,” increases the yearly capacity in megawatts that Non-Residential Energy Solutions (NRES), such as solar facility installations by commercial and industrial customers, and Shared Cleaner Energy Facilities (SCEF), which allow customers to subscribe for energy from a facility not on the customer’s premises, meaning wind or solar. It increases yearly capacity for the projects, respectively, from 50 to 100 megawatts and from 25 to 50 megawatts.
The bill also increases project size for those projects, increases NRES capacity by allowing use of entire rooftop space for commercial and industrial customers, and increases the proportion of SCEF sold, given or provided to low-income customers from 10% to 20%. The amount that must go to low- or moderate-income customers or low-income service organizations through those programs rise from 10% to 60%.
Public Utilities Regulation Authority Chairman Marissa P. Gillett testified in support of the bill, noting its impactful changes to lowering barriers to deployment of clean energy facilities while also expanding project eligibility in a way that lowers ratepayer costs, increases value to customers and better utilizes existing available project locations.