Adoption rates increase utility interest in renewable energy
As declines in the cost of renewable energy projects continue, opportunities for collaboration have grown. Last week, Bloomberg’s Julie Johnsson outlined a unique partnership between Ted Turner and Southern Co. to develop solar farms in the southwest region of the U.S. Five large solar projects have been jointly purchased since 2010 by the philanthropist and...
Gov. Patrick: MA Solar Target Reached 4 Years Early; New Goal Set
Governor Deval Patrick today announced that the solar goal set in 2007 of 250 megawatts of residential and commercial solar energy installed in the Commonwealth has been reached four years early, and set an ambitious new goal of 1,600 MW by 2020. Gov. Patrick was joined by Energy & Environmental Affair Secretary Rick Sullivan and...
Solar Industry Magazine Highlights NECEC CT RPS Position
The New England Clean Energy Council was featured in a recent Solar Industry article on the debate over the future of Connecticut’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS). The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has recommended changing the RPS to increase the Class I resource target from 20% by 2020 to 25% by 2025, and allowing...
MA Secretary Rick Sullivan Delivers Regional State of the Commonwealth
Today, Massachusetts Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs Rick Sullivan delivered a Regional State of the Commonwealth Address in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Secretary Sullivan focused on the growth of the clean energy industry in the region, and discussed the significance of the Port of New Bedford as a regional driver of clean energy industry investment...
“Kickstarting” Clean Energy
Financing can often be a barrier to project development. Creative financing mechanisms are often talked about, and it is refreshing to see examples being acted upon. Since the passage of the JOBS act in April of last year, online crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter have given entrepreneurs easier access to capital through non-traditional means. This...
Connecticut Benefits from Solar Company Expansion
Energy initiatives put in place by the state of Connecticut through the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Connecticut Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA) are paying off for jobseekers and ratepayers. In a press release today, Governor Malloy highlighted some of the advantages of his administration’s initiatives: “I am pleased...
Globe Editorial: “Solar-energy investments are paying off in Mass.”
This editorial originally appeared in the November 23, 2012 edition of the Boston Globe After decades of promise, solar energy is finally becoming more available in Massachusetts, through a wise use of government subsidies. The state is driving down costs by providing financial incentives for homeowners to install solar panels, and for utilities to buy back...
116 Boston Households to Install Solar with Solarize Mass Program
116 Boston households have signed contracts to install solar systems through Solarize Mass-Boston. The number of residential solar projects in the city will soon double, thanks to this hugely successful program. Boston residents and businesses were offered a group buying program because the systems were purchased in bulk; the more people who signed up, the...
Global Cleantech Meet-up: Clean Energy Tour of Fenway
One of many exciting events at this year’s Global Cleantech Meet-up was a tour of Fenway, with special attention paid to the energy savings and clean energy initiatives that the park has implemented in recent years. Updating the facilities at Fenway—the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use—has been challenging, as the building is...
Massachusetts’ Solar Market is Booming, Thanks in Part to Chain Retailers
The Boston Globe’s Erin Ailworth reports that the solar energy market in Massachusetts is growing rapidly, cutting both utility costs and carbon emissions across the Commonwealth. The growth is largely due to state incentives and other policies that encourage the adoption of renewables, as well as the region’s relatively high energy costs, which make solar...
Vote Now! Wall Street Journal Poll: “Should Solar and Wind Power be Subsidized?”
The Wall Street Journal is currently conducting a poll titled “Should Solar and Wind Power be Subsidized?” The New England Clean Energy Council and others dedicated to growing the clean energy economy strongly believe that some subsidies are necessary to place renewable forms of energy on an equal playing field with traditional forms of energy...
Mayor Menino to Install Solar Panels on his House with Solarize Mass Program
The Boston Globe reports on Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino’s plans to install solar panels on the roof of his family’s home. He made his announcement at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new solar farm—now the second largest solar array in Boston—at the Drydock Center in the Seaport District. “It’ll reduce cost of energy for...