SECTION 1. Section 3 of chapter 25A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the definition “State Agency” the following new definition:-

“Useful thermal energy”, energy in the form of direct heat, steam, hot water, or other thermal form that is used in production and beneficial measures for heating, cooling, humidity control, process use, or other valid thermal end use energy requirements and for which fuel or electricity would otherwise be consumed.

SECTION 2. Section 11F½ of said chapter 25A, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking, in line 12, the following word:- “electricity” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- “energy”;

and by striking, in line 21, the following:- “or (6)” and inserting in place thereof the following:-

(6) any facility that generates useful thermal energy using sunlight, biomass, bio-gas, liquid bio-fuel or naturally occurring temperature differences in ground, air or water, whereby one megawatt-hour of alternative energy credit shall be earned for every 3,412,000 British thermal units of useful thermal energy produced and verified through an on-site utility grade meter or other means satisfactory to the department; or (7)