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Meeting Massachusetts Requirements for Greenhouse Gas Reductions WHY MASS. MUST INCREASE RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO STANDARD
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Meeting Massachusetts Requirements for Greenhouse Gas ... › sites › ...GWSA & Kain Decision • GWSA “4. (a) The secretary shall adopt the 2020 statewide greenhouse gas emissions

Jan 31, 2021

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  • MeetingMassachusettsRequirementsforGreenhouseGasReductions

    WHYMASS.MUSTINCREASERENEWABLEPORTFOLIOSTANDARD

  • RenewablePortfolioStandard

    Todaywewill…• ProvidebroadoverviewofMass.energylegislation

    • ExplainRenewablePortfolioStandard(RPS)andwhyitisimportantforclimatechange• Touchonadditionalcleanenergybills:100%Renewable,CarbonPricing

  • Background:ImportantClimateLaws

    • MassachusettsElectricUtilityRestructuringAct1997– EstablishedRPS

    • GreenCommunitiesActof2008– AmendedRPS– ClassIdesignation,indefinite1%annualincrease

    • GlobalWarmingSolutionsAct– 2008– 25%reductionsinGHGby2020– 80%reductionsinGHGby2050– 2030&2040“emissionslimit”butnospecific%ordeadline

  • GWSA&Kain Decision• GWSA“4.(a)Thesecretaryshalladoptthe2020statewide

    greenhousegasemissionslimitpursuanttosubsection(b)ofsection3whichshallbebetween10percentand25percentbelowthe1990emissionslevelandaplanforachievingsaidreduction.”

    • 3(d)“Thedepartmentshallpromulgateregulationsestablishingadesiredlevelofdecliningannualaggregateemissionlimitsforsourcesorcategoriesofsourcesthatemitgreenhousegasemissions.”

    • May2016SJCunanimousdecision– MassDEPnotincompliancewith3(d).

  • WhatistheRenewablePortfolioStandard(RPS)?

    • Requirementthatelectricitysupplierssourceaminimumpercentageoftheirsupplyfromqualifyingrenewableresources

  • • “ClassI”=NEW(builtsince1998),“ClassII”=OLD(built1997orbefore)

    • Eligibleresources:wind,solar,anaerobicdigestion,smallhydro,others.

    • InMA,municipalelectricutilitiesareEXEMPTfromRPSrequirements.• 41muni’ssupply50towns,representing14%

    ofelectricityload

    WhatistheRenewablePortfolioStandard(RPS)?

  • • ElectricitysupplierswhofailtomeetRPSrequirementspayAlternativeCompliancePayments(ACP)

    • ACPpaymentsinMAareinvestedinprogramsandprojectsthatpromotethegrowthandadoptionofrenewableenergyresourcesandfossilfuelalternatives(e.g.,RenewableThermalrebatesissuedbyMassCEC)

    WhatistheRenewablePortfolioStandard(RPS)?

  • RPS:Climatestrategy,integraltoGWSACompliance

    Graphillustrates%renewablesupplyachievedundercurrentRPS(blue)andwithatleast2%increaseproposedinRep.Khanbill(red).

  • RPS:Climatestrategy,cont.

    • GWSAmandatesGHGemissionreductionsof25%by2020,80%by2050.

    • GWSAcompliancerequires:1) Electricgridtobepoweredbyrenewableenergyratherthan

    fossilfuels;2) Moreofoureconomytobepoweredbyelectricity,especially

    transportationandheating.• CARScanrunonelectricity!• HEATINGfuels(oil,“natural”gas)

    canbereplacedbyheatpumps

  • RPS:Driverofdemand,economiccontributor.

  • RPS:Driverofdemand,economiccontributor,cont.

    • Reducesdemandfornaturalgas• Sendsmarketsignalthat

    demandforrenewableenergyisconsistent,enduring

    • Sustaineddemandmakesprojectsfinanceable… investorsfeelmoresecureinvesting!

    • Newprojectscomingonlinebringlocalandregionaleconomicbenefits.

  • CleanEnergy=JOB$

  • 29stateshaveRenewablePortfolio/RenewableEnergyStandardsinPlace

    • Eachstate’sRenewablePortfolioStandardisdifferent,butMassachusettshasanespeciallyhighstandardforwhatconstitutesClassIeligiblecleanresource.

  • •Helpusmeetlegalmandateof25%by2020,80%by2050• Ideallyadditionalinterimgoals•Currentrateofincreasesimplynotenoughtomeetourgoals

    •HelpusmaintainclimateleadershipinageofTrump• Statesmustlead,andlooktoMass.inparticular

    15

    WhyRPSIncrease?

  • StateRPSs:Massfallingbehind

  • WhyRPSincrease,cont.•Morerenewableenergymeans….•moreJOBS!• BetterECONOMYasenergy$$stayshere!($22Bayear)• BetterHEALTH!• NoPIPELINEScostingbillionsandcuttingthroughconservationlands!

  • RPSBillsH.2700,Rep.KayKhan(D-Newton)◦ increaserateofincreaseto2%fromcurrent1%◦ EndmuniexemptionfromRPS

    H.1747– Rep.PatHaddad(D-Somerset)S.1880– Sen.MarcPacheco(D-Taunton)

    NEXTSTEP

    ◦ BillmustbevotedoutofTelecom,UtilitiesandEnergy(TUE)Committee

  • OtherImp.CleanEnergyBills

    S.1849- Sen.JamieEldridge(D-Acton)AnActtransitioningMassachusettsto100%RenewableEnergyH.1726– Rep.JenBenson(D-Lunenberg)AnActtoPromoteGreenInfrastructure,reducegreenhousegasemissions,andcreatejobs• Wouldintroduceapriceoncarbondioxidepollution,with20%oftherevenuesdedicatedtogreeninfrastructure,andtherestrebatedaccordingtoprogressiveformula.

    NEXTSTEP

    ◦ BillsmustbevotedoutofTelecom,UtilitiesandEnergy(TUE)Committee

  • AdditionalResources

    RPSProgramOverviews&HelpfulAnalysesEOEEA:http://www.mass.gov/eea/energy-utilities-clean-tech/renewable-energy/rps-aps/

    DSIRE(DatabaseofStateIncentivesforRenewables&Efficiency):http://programs.dsireusa.org/system/program/detail/479

    LawrenceBerkeleyNationalLab(LBNL): https://emp.lbl.gov/projects/renewables-portfolio

    Questions?EmilyNortonMassachusettsDirector617-423-5775emily.norton@sierraclub.org