The Energy Consumer's Bulletin- a New England energy news blog

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Renewable energy (6)

Great feedback about Mass Solar Connect

Our members and friends are surprised at how easy it is to get the information you need to consider solar on the Mass Solar Connect web platform (powered by EnergySage), without a big sales pitch or a big demand for research or study. More than 300 people have now signed up for Mass Solar Connect information and we're getting great feedback.  (Rhode Islanders, we'll soon be offering you a similar program, but until then you can use EnergySage for great information and solar shopping.)

Loie Hayes

Why Massachusetts needs both a Clean Energy Standard (CES) and an increase in the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)

On August 11th, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) finalized several long-awaited regulations intended to help Massachusetts comply with the 2020 GHG emission reductions mandated by the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA). The regulations, which were supposed to take effect on January 1, 2013, are several years overdue. That they come now is the result of a May 2016 decision by the state’s Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) and Executive Order 569 signed by Governor Baker last September.  

Larry Chretien and Eugenia Gibbons

This online solar comparison platform is what you’ve been looking for: Mass Solar Connect is back

Mass Solar Connect is going to simplify your solar shopping. This statewide initiative, directed by the Mass Clean Energy Center (Mass CEC), pairs Mass Energy’s strong social network with the rich on-line resources of our new partner, EnergySage. (Note: Rhode Island readers can also use EnergySage, but do not have access to the Mass Solar Connect program).

Loie Hayes

New study confirms benefits to strengthening the Massachusetts’ Renewable Portfolio Standard

 An Analysis of the Massachusetts Renewable Portfolio Standard, prepared by Synapse Energy Economics and Sustainable Energy Advantage, demonstrates that increasing the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard by 2% to 3% per year better positions the state to comply with the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA), while reducing costs to consumers and creating jobs.

Press Release and full report are available online.

Picture of Eugenia T. Gibbons Eugenia T. Gibbons

Energy More Affordable Now than Ever, Greener Too

Americans are now spending less on energy as a percentage of income than ever recorded. That’s a finding from a recent study by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. On average, consumers spend just four percent of their incomes on electricity, heat, and transportation. This statistic is a clear pushback against those who would say that “we cannot afford clean energy.” It also points out that our economy has changed over the years in such a way that we don’t need to burn as much stuff in order to make a living.

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien

Community-Scale Wind power: A Case Study for the Holidays

The 600-kilowatt wind turbine at Holy Name Central Catholic Junior/Senior High School is one of the wind turbines in our green power portfolio. The driving force behind the project was Mary E. Riordan, the school’s former biology teacher and headmaster, and now its Director of Institutional Advancement. According to Kevin Schulte of Sustainable Energy Developments Inc., who consulted on the development of this and many other turbine installations, “For a project to succeed, it needs a real champion; for the Holy Name wind turbine project, that champion is Mary Riordan.”

Loie Hayes

They knocked on my door! The competitive electricity supplier conundrum

Have you recently received salespeople at your door or offers in the mail from competitive electricity suppliers? They lay the pitch on thick with too-good-to be true rates and feel-good energy mixes. It may seem hard to poke holes in the pitch, but under the smiling surface, many of these suppliers use smoke and mirror marketing to get their foot in the door and your signature on a contract.

Picture of Katy Kidwell Katy Kidwell