Cambridge City Council promotes solar power in MA

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City of Cambridge becomes 14th MA community to sign coalition letter

Environment Massachusetts

BOSTON- Fourteen Massachusetts communities have all endorsed a bill that would expand the use of solar energy in the Commonwealth.  Cambridge is the most recent community to sign on this week, joining  Greenfield, North Adams, Otis, Williamstown, Egremont, Cummington, Ashfield, Charlemont, Conway, Heath, Monterey, Great Barrington, and Salem.  These fourteen communities have all signed onto a coalition letter in support of the bill. 

 The letter is in support of Senate Bill 1664, and its counterpart in the House of Representatives, HB1776, two bills that would expand effective solar programs in Massachusetts by increasing the net-metering cap.  Net-metering is a program that allows consumers to sell excess electricity produced via solar panels back to the electricity grid for a profit.  By making it more affordable to install solar panels on homes, businesses, and government buildings, Massachusetts’ net-metering program has encouraged renewable energy investment and has created new clean energy jobs. 

Unfortunately, the net-metering program is capped, and developers are beginning to bump up against this cap. As a result, developers are wary of taking on new and worthwhile solar projects.  

“Increasing Massachusetts’ net-metering cap will restore financial certainty to the solar market and reaffirm the state’s commitment to clean and renewable energy,” said Environment Massachusetts Field Associate MacKenzie Clark, “and the support of the 14 cities and towns that have endorsed the bill send a clear message: solar energy is good for our communities.”

 Statewide, 56 renewable energy businesses have also signed on to the letter in support of raising the net-metering cap.