HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2498        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2600

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Thomas A. Golden, Jr.

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to promote energy storage systems.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2498        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2600

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

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An Act relative to promote energy storage systems.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 5 of chapter 59 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after clause forty-fifth A the following clause:

Forty-fifth B: Any energy storage system, as defined in Chapter 188 of the Acts of 2016, which is being utilized for the energy needs of property taxable under this chapter; provided, however, that the exemption under this clause shall be allowed only for a period of twenty years from the date of the installation of such system or device. 

Section 5 of chapter 59 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking the word “Forty-fifth” in line 13 and inserting therein the following language:-

“Forty-fifth; provided, however, that the exemption listed in clause Forty-fifth B shall be implemented at the sole discretion of a municipality, and nothing in section 5 or clause Forty-fifth B shall be construed to require a municipality to provide said exemption.”

SECTION 2. On or before January 1, 2018, the department of energy resources shall establish a rebate for Massachusetts-based companies installing and manufacturing energy storage systems, as defined in Chapter 188 of the Acts of 2016. The department may consider the following funding sources for said rebate, including but not limited to: the use of alternative compliance payments and the use of energy efficiency funds under section 19 of chapter 25 of the General Laws if the department determines that the energy storage system installed at a customer’s premises provides sustainable peak load reductions on either the electric or gas distribution systems and is otherwise consistent with section 11G of chapter 25A of the General Laws.  The department shall promulgate regulations consistent with this section.

SECTION 3. Section 6 of Chapter 64H of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after subsection (xx) the following subsection:-

(yy) Sales of energy storage systems, as defined in Chapter 188 of the Acts of 2016, until the date of December 31, 2025, at which time energy storage systems shall not be exempt under this section.