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Under state law, utilities can invest in renewable generation of up to 6 percent of their total distribution peak load, meaning Unitil can develop as much as 18 megawatts of renewable generation.

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No one in the U.S. builds more solar and wind farms than NextEra Energy. It’s waging ferocious battles to keep the crown.

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"PITTSFIELD — When city councilors approved an ordinance last week regulating battery energy storage systems, they did so with the intention of setting the rules for how future developers would bring the growing technology to the city.

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"PROVIDENCE — Should Rhode Island install solar panels along highway medians and other places? A state panel studying the issue says yes.

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"Legislation is progressing quickly in Massachusetts: Representative Roy touted two new pieces of legislation that came out of the last session and a third that they’re working on currently.

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"The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced that Massachusetts agencies have requested clean energy investments for up to 78,500 low-income and affordable homes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, the largest single emissions reduction initiative in United States history."

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"A new analysis from Harvard Forest and Mass Audubon finds that forest loss [from solar farm creation] alone resulted in more than 500,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions overall — the same as the annual emissions from 112,000 passenger cars. But that same analysis argues that it doesn't need to be this way."

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"Governor Maura Healey signed an Executive Order creating the Commission on Clean Energy Infrastructure Siting and Permitting (CEISP) and swore in Commission members. To meet the emissions limits outlined in the Clean Energy and Climate Plans (CECP), Massachusetts will need to site a significant amount of new energy infrastructure, including new solar and wind generation, storage, transmission, and distribution infrastructure. The CEISP brings together stakeholders to swiftly remove barriers to responsible clean energy infrastructure development."

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The third Western Massachusetts Solar Forum, held remotely by UMass Clean Energy Extension, "included a panel of industry, academic, nonprofit, and government representatives, all with expert insights into solar equity and community-owned solar."

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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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