News

New Englanders are facing high energy costs and energy insecurity, which will result in painful winter seasons. While developing offshore wind and hydropower is essential to address these issues, it will take years to develop, so expanding distributed solar programs is necessary. Community-scale solar and storage facilities can keep the grid running through extreme weather events, and solar power is still valuable in the winter. Community solar projects can help reduce electricity costs for low-income and rural communities. State policymakers have an opportunity to expand their existing solar programs while incorporating more ambitious equity requirements and advancing energy justice through tax credits and competitive grants. The need for action is urgent.
 
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 “iSun inc. has picked up three contracts with a total value of $9.7 million to implement solar energy solutions in communities in northern New England. The new projects result from a new partnership that iSun has formed with an integrated nationwide solar developer. The new awards of 9 MW in total will add to iSun’s already completed portfolio of projects in northern New England.”
 
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“Late last year, the Department of Energy Resources issued draft and final rules that promote electrification of space and water heat. The draft rule, released for public comment on Dec. 23, outlines conditions for participation in a first-of-its-kind demonstration program where up to 10 Massachusetts towns and cities can ban fossil fuels in new buildings.”

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Westford, MA – (July 19, 2022) Today, Solar Energy Business Association of New England (SEBANE) has released the Massachusetts Solar Consumer Protection Best Practices Guide for companies engaged in residential solar projects. This guide is one of the first of its kind and marks SEBANE’s continued commitment to the solar industry and community.

“We at SEBANE are so proud of the work that our members have done in conjunction with other solar organizations to create this guide.” said Mark Sylvia, President of SEBANE. “Part of SEBANE’s mission is to educate people who use, produce, and sell solar energy materials. This guide is just one way that we are fulfilling that mission.”

The Massachusetts Solar Consumer Protection Best Practices Guide covers all aspects of the consumer experience and suggests ways to protect consumers and grow the demand for solar energy. The guide is specifically for companies that are engaged in the sales, construction, and management of residential solar projects. It covers the entire consumer experience – from marketing to maintenance – under the three available models: customer ownership, third-party ownership, and community solar subscription. 

“This guide demonstrates that the Massachusetts solar industry can work together for the greater good. Understanding consumer protection issues and being proactive in addressing and preventing them is key for the long-term success of the overall industry. SEBANE is proud to have worked with a wide range of stakeholders to produce this valuable guide,” said Daniel Mello Guimaraes, Vice President of SEBANE.

This guide is the result of multiple roundtable discussions with leaders in the solar industry with decades of experience. These professionals have come together and produced a comprehensive guide for Massachusetts solar companies to implement consumer protection measures. Access the guide (here).

ABOUT SEBANE

SEBANE is a non-profit organization founded in 2001 whose mission is to promote the New England solar industry through education, programming, and policy intervention. SEBANE aims to help create a sustainable solar economy through engaging key stakeholders and coalition building.

For more information about SEBANE, visit https://www.sebane.org/ or email operations@sebane.org.

SEBANE delivered testimony on May 12th at the Legislature’s Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy (TUE) Committee hearing on the RPS regulations refiled by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER). SEBANE reiterated comments from the December 23 joint letter submitted to the TUE Committee from NECEC, MassSolar, SEBANE, and CCSA. Specifically, SEBANE’s comments raise concerns regarding curtailment of credits under the SREC I program and harmful changes to the Class I Alternative Compliance Payment Rate. The TUE Committee has until May 28th to provide a letter with feedback to DOER on the refiled RPS regulations.

Boston, Massachusetts – The Solar Energy Business Association of New England (SEBANE) applauds Governor Baker for signing S-9, An Act Creating a Next Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy. The Climate Bill removes net metering caps on 25kW-2MW systems and increases the Renewable Portfolio Standard by 3 percent each year from 2025-2029 resulting in 40 percent renewable energy by 2030. It also prioritizes equitable access to the state’s solar programs by low income communities and sets benchmarks for the adoption of clean energy technologies.   

“SEBANE applauds Governor Baker for signing the Climate Bill which continues Massachusetts’ nation-leading fight to combat climate change head on,” said Mark Sylvia, president of the Solar Energy Business Association of New England (SEBANE). “SEBANE and our members look forward to working with the Legislature and Department of Public Utilities to address critical issues like interconnection and rate design that inhibit solar resources from making a greater contribution to our clean energy future."

Boston, Massachusetts – The Solar Energy Business Association of New England (SEBANE) applauds the Legislature and the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy for their historic leadership on Bill S.9, An Act Creating a Next Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy. SEBANE celebrates the first major update to the 2008 Global Warming Solutions Act, and the expansion of equitable access to renewable energy.

“S.9 is an important step forward for the Commonwealth, and sets us on the right path to address climate change head-on,” said Mark Sylvia, president of the Solar Energy Business Association of New England (SEBANE). “SEBANE and our members urge the passage of S.9. We also look forward to working with the legislature to address critical issues like interconnection and rate design that inhibit solar resources from making a greater contribution to our clean energy future."

Boston, Massachusetts – The Solar Energy Business Association of New England (SEBANE) commends the Biden-Harris Administration for acting quickly to advance clean energy policies through several executive orders designed to combat climate change and drive clean energy jobs growth, while ensuring an equitable transition to a clean energy future.  

“The President went right to work delivering on campaign pledges to support clean energy jobs and infrastructure investments,” said Mark Sylvia, president of the Solar Energy Business Association of New England (SEBANE). “These actions are a critical first step to build back our country and our economy. As the business voice for solar in New England, SEBANE applauds President Biden and his Administration’s embrace of clean energy, innovation, and justice”.  

While the country continues to recover from COVID-19 disruptions, the President’s actions ensure that the ongoing energy transition leaves no American behind. Massachusetts and the country more broadly are presented with an opportunity to utilize solar resources, large and small, to deliver good paying jobs to those hit hardest by not only economic upheaval but also the lingering environmental crisis.

With a clear directive from the President, SEBANE calls on Massachusetts leaders in the Baker Administration, the Massachusetts Legislature and the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation to harness this generational opportunity and deliver the economic promise of a clean energy revolution – led by solar. Enacting ambitious clean energy policies could reinforce  the role of Massachusetts and the Northeast as clean energy and climate justice leaders for decades to come. SEBANE stands ready to work alongside the President to deliver on his vision to address the climate crisis, while driving economic growth and building a more sustainable energy system.