By Cherie Ching, Advocacy Fellow
August 11, 2015
An Act Relative to a Long-Term, Sustainable Solar Industry (Docket number HD4090)
Governor Charlie Baker is making heat waves in the solar fight to allow the expansion of net metering in Massachusetts. On August 7, 2015, Governor Baker filed legislation, An Act relative to a long-term, sustainable solar industry to encourage the increasing solar development recently halted due to the net metering caps. This is a significant time for Massachusetts because solar is booming and net metering allows homeowners, business, and local governments to sell their excess generation of power to the grid in exchange for credit on their bill. The Net Metering and Solar Task Force emphasized that the Baker-Polito Administration does not support raising the net metering caps in the short-term absent a long-term sustainable solution to effectively balance promoting clean energy and lowering costs to ratepayers. Therefore, Governor Baker’s recent legislation attempts at addressing net metering beyond short-term solutions.
The legislation will raise the net metering caps, currently at 4% for private and 5% for public, to 6% for the private cap and 7% for the public cap. In addition, it will also provide authority for the Department of Public Utilities to raise the caps above that, which is probably necessary for such demanding territories. The net metering program will continue with its current structure until 1,600 MW is reached, then will continue with full retail rate net metering for small projects and creates a new incentive program.
This legislation comes at a significant time, right after Senator Downing proposed an amendment to S.1973 and the Senate voted to lift the net metering cap in order to meet the state’s goal of developing 1,600 MW of solar power by 2018. As a signatory to the Next Generation Solar Policy Framework for Massachusetts, we are continually supporting the advancement of net metering improvements alongside the Acadia Center and other allied organizations.
Please find more information on Net Metering on our Advocacy Page!
Global Head of Sustainability, Superior Essex
Sustainability Director, Steven Winter Associates
PE | Associate, LeMessurier
Vice President, AEW’s Architecture & Engineering group
Interior Designer, Jacobs, Boston
Senior Vice President, Market Transformation and Development U.S. Green Building Council
AIA LEED AP BD+C | Senior Associate, Gensler Boston 
LEED Fellow, WELL AP | Founder and Principal, Ecoworks Studio
AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP
LEED AP BD+C | Environmental Sustainability Manager, Armstrong World Industries
Assistant Professor of Exposure Science | Director of the Healthy Buildings program
Managing Director, Harvard University Office for Sustainability
Principal & Director of Certifications and Consulting, Epsten Group, Inc.
Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, Jamestown
Director of Sustainability Programs, DASNY | LEED AP BD+C
Associate Principal, BuroHappold Engineering
Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy Realty Corporation
Co-Founder, Facilitator at The Laurentia Project | LEED AP BD+C, LFA
Vice President of Sustainable Development, Shaw
Founder and President, Board of the Healthy Building Network
Building Technology Director, Kingspan North America
LEED® AP ID+C, BD+C, USGBC Faculty, WELL® AP, WELL Faculty and Fitwel Ambassador
Workplace Strategy Expert and Researcher, EYP
Principal, Integrated Ecostrategy
Senior Vice President, International WELL Building Institute
Principal, Bruner/Cott
Architect, Associate, and Sustainability Design Leader, Stantec Architecture and Engineering
FAIA, LEED Fellow, Long Green Specs
Products & Materials Specialist, BuildingGreen
Director of Acquisitions and Development
Director of Restorative Enterprise, Interface
Sustainability Manager, Consigli Construction Company