SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1671        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

James B. Eldridge

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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 a feasibility report on solar rooftop energy on new buildings.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1671        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act relative to a feasibility report on solar rooftop energy on new buildings.

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.  (a) There shall be established pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws, a special legislative commission on solar rooftop energy on new buildings.

(b)  The commission shall consist of 12 members: the commissioner of energy resources or a designee, and the following members to be appointed by the secretary of energy and environmental affairs: a representative of the commercial real estate sector; a representative of the residential real estate sector; a representative of the organized labor industry; a representative of the solar energy industry; a representative of an environmental group concerned with energy; a representative of the construction industry; a representative of an electric utility or organization representing electric utilities; a representative of local government; a person with expertise in energy siting; and a person with expertise in solar energy and energy efficiency.

(c)  The commission shall conduct a thorough review of the policies and procedures related to solar energy systems, battery storage systems, and building construction pursuant to the base energy code, stretch energy code, and specialized stretch energy code established under section 6 of chapter 25A and sections 93 through 100 of chapter 143. The goals of the special commission shall be to submit a feasibility report on the requirement of solar energy system installations systems on new buildings.  The report shall include, but not be limited to:  (i) the feasibility of allowing the installation of a rooftop solar energy system in new buildings (ii)  the feasibility of an energy storage system in conjunction with solar energy systems (iii) how the the department of public utilities can provide services to advance the commonwealth’s goals under chapter 298 of the acts of 2008 and the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits under chapter 21N of the General Laws; and (iv) recommendations, including, but not limited to, policy or legislative changes, related to solar energy system installations and battery storage systems on new buildings.    

(d)  The commission shall submit its report and recommendations, together with drafts of legislation to carry its recommendations into effect, by filing the same with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate not later than January 1, 2026.