HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4198        FILED ON: 3/3/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3967

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Joan Meschino

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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 supporting solar energy deployment in the Commonwealth.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4198        FILED ON: 3/3/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3967

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act supporting solar energy deployment in the Commonwealth.

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. Chapter 25A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following section:

Section 18. The secretary of energy and environmental affairs, hereinafter and in sections 19 to 21, inclusive, “secretary”, shall establish programs to achieve a minimum goal of 10 gigawatts (GW) of solar measured in alternating current (AC) deployed in the Commonwealth by 2030 including an interim goal of 5 GW ac by 2025 and 7.5 GW ac by 2027. The programs established by the secretary shall ensure that annual solar deployment in the Commonwealth increases at a pace sufficient to meet the 2050 statewide emissions limit of net zero greenhouse gas emissions established by the secretary on April 22, as well as to achieve a 100% carbon-free electric sector by 2030.

SECTION 2. Section 10 of chapter 25A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended in subsection (d) by striking the figure “20,000,000” and inserting in place thereof “40,000,000 with not less than $10,000,000 going to green plus communities”.

SECTION 3. Chapter 25A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting a Section 10B:

(a) The division shall establish a Climate Leader designation to recognize municipalities certified as Green Communities that take additional measures to promote the development of clean energy, the electrification of buildings and transportation, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The purpose of the Climate Leader program shall be to align resources for municipalities with the Commonwealth’s climate and energy goals; to provide a framework for municipalities that seek to make a greater contribution to the Commonwealth’s decarbonization efforts; and to encourage and support municipalities in identifying the local actions that can have the greatest climate impact.

(b) To qualify as a Climate Leader, a municipality or other local governmental body shall: (1) file an application with the division in a form and manner to be prescribed by the division; (2) set a solar deployment goal of a certain number of megawatts (including rooftop, parking canopy, and ground-mounted) to be deployed or permitted within ten years from the date of application, such goal to be equal to no less than 50% of the amount of solar identified as technically feasible within that community by a technical potential of solar study published by the department of energy resources; (3) adopt zoning that allows renewable generation either by right or by special permit in at least 30% of the land in that municipality identified as suitable by a technical potential of solar study published by the department. Municipalities qualified as Climate Leaders by the department shall lose their designation if they pass a moratorium on solar or energy storage development. Municipalities must reapply to retain their Climate Leader designation every 3 years.

(c) The purpose of the program shall be to provide technical and financial assistance, in the form of grants and loans, to municipalities and other local governmental bodies that qualify as Climate Leaders under this section. These loans and grants shall be used to finance all or a portion of the costs of studying, designing, constructing, and implementing climate mitigation activities, including but not limited to, staff and consultant costs incurred in relation to updating land use plans, policies, and zoning to enable renewable energy and energy storage deployment; costs for implementing programs that encourage adoption of renewable energy and other greenhouse gas emissions reduction initiatives by residents and businesses within a municipality; design, procurement, and construction of renewable energy and energy storage projects on land owned by a local government body or a municipal light company; planning, design, and construction of capital projects that facilitate a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions either directly, for example, by electrifying heating systems in municipal buildings, or indirectly, for example, by encouraging the use of non-emitting forms of transportation.

(d) Municipalities designated as Climate Leaders shall be prioritized for grant funding allocated under Section 10 of Chapter 25A; and may be prioritized for grant funding allocated under Section 2A of Chapter 209 of the Acts of 2018; Section 63 of Chapter 23A; or any other non-formula funding.

(e) The division shall adopt rules, regulations, and guidelines for the administration and enforcement of this section, including, but not limited to, establishing applicant criteria, funding priority, and application forms and procedures.

SECTION 4: Section 82 of Chapter 179 of the acts of 2022 is hereby amended as follows:

Section 82.  The department of energy resources may coordinate with one or more New England states undertaking competitive solicitations to consider projects for long-term clean energy generation, transmission, or capacity for the benefit of residents of the Commonwealth and the region. If the department of energy resources, in consultation with the Attorney General, determines that a project would satisfy all of the benefits listed below, the electric distribution companies shall enter into cost-effective long-term contracts. In its determination, the department of energy resources shall determine if any proposals (i) provide cost-effective clean energy generation to electric ratepayers in the Commonwealth and the region over the term of the contract; (ii) provide the benefits of clean energy and associated transmission towards meeting the Commonwealth’s decarbonization goals; (iii) where possible, avoid, minimize, or mitigate, to the maximum extent practicable, environmental impacts, impacts on commercial and recreational fishing industries, and impacts to low-income populations; (iv) reduce ratepayer costs in winter months and improve energy security during winter months; (v) demonstrate progress toward obtaining required permit approvals and interconnection, and (vi) have credible project schedule and construction plans, including plans for financing and stakeholder engagement. For the purposes of this section, a long-term contract shall be a contract with a term of 10 to 20 years. Eligible clean energy generation resources must (i) have a commercial operation date on or after January 1, 2022; and (ii) be qualified by the department of energy resources as eligible to participate in the renewable energy portfolio standard program under section 11F of chapter 25A of the General Laws. Associated transmission costs must be incorporated into a proposal. All proposed contracts shall be subject to the review and approval of the department of public utilities. The department of public utilities shall consider both potential costs and benefits of such contracts and shall only approve a contract upon a finding that it is cost-effective, taking into account the factors outlined in this section.