2024 Policy Priorities

SMART Review:

The Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) incentive program was established to support the development of solar in Massachusetts, and is currently undergoing review by the MA Department of Energy Resources (DOER). SEBANE will continue to participate in this effort as follows:

• Conduct meetings with DOER officials to advocate for our key priorities;
• Evaluate DOER’s straw proposal regarding SMART program updates (anticipated summer 2024) and submit SEBANE feedback and recommendations during the public comment period;
• Advocate for the rapid adoption of the revised program.

SEBANE’s desired outcome is a SMART program that ensures the economic viability of solar projects both in the built environment and on available land.

Electric Sector Modification Plans:

The Electric Distribution Companies (EDCs) in Massachusetts were directed by the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to furnish Electric Sector Modification Plans (ESMPs) that indicate how they intend to modify the electric grid to accommodate increased levels of solar energy and other distributed generation in the years ahead. These ESMPs are now under review by the DPU, and SEBANE is directly collaborating with other solar leaders and trade associations to intervene in three ESMP-related DPU dockets (24-10, 24-11, and 24-12). The intervention at the DPU involves the hiring of legal counsel, providing feedback to counsel and expert witnesses and offering direct public comments.

SEBANE is advocating for the inclusion of three critical priorities within the ESMPs:

• Long-term planning of distributed generation interconnection;
• Development of a long-term cost allocation methodology; and
• Continued interconnection of distributed generation projects while long-term strategies are implemented.

SEBANE’s desired outcome is to have the DPU recognize, address, and procedurally implement the above priorities.

Interconnection Implementation Review Group:

The Interconnection Implementation Review Group (IIRG) was established by the DPU in June 2023 to generate recommendations for distributed generation (DG) interconnection process improvements. Technical topics intersecting with policy are discussed in collaboration with the Technical Standards Review Group (TSRG).

• Membership includes utility and non-utility representatives, with an advisory panel offering additional expertise.
• Substantive topics include process revisions, distribution impact studies, technological innovation utilization, expedited process enhancements, queue management, and alignment of operating procedures with the TSRG.
• SEBANE members are very active in the IIRG with 6 representatives acting as non-utility members (out of a total of 9 including the AGO, DOER and MassCEC).

SEBANE’s desired outcome is an improved DG interconnection process that optimizes the predictability, visibility and flow of DG interconnection applications in Massachusetts.

Commission on Energy Infrastructure Siting and Permitting:

The Commission on Energy Infrastructure Siting and Permitting (CEISP), established by MA Governor Maura Healey via Executive Order in 2023, was tasked with reducing permitting timelines and ensuring community input and equity in the siting process. The Commission provided its final report with recommendations to Governor Healey on March 29, 2024.

SEBANE has and will support this effort as follows:

• SEBANE past president and member, Mark Sylvia, served on the Commission and played a significant role in forming its conclusions and recommendations;
• SEBANE will review all recommendations of the Commission and advocate for their advancement, where aligned with SEBANE’s priorities, with appropriate legislators.

The desired outcome is the passage of a siting bill in the legislature resulting in an improved and predictable permitting process.

Single Parcel Rule:

The Single Parcel Rule (SPR) was created in 2012 during the MA Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC) program. In 2021, SEBANE helped draft legislative language that added blanket exemptions to the SPR, allowing deserving solar projects to move forward without expensive and lengthy consideration by the DPU. This language was included in the MA 2022 Climate Bill and signed into law in August of 2022. A DPU proposal regarding the SPR blanket exemptions was issued in February of 2024. While all the desired exemptions remain, the proposal contains provisions that SEBANE believes will hinder advancement of many of the projects that the original legislative language was intended to serve. SEBANE will continue to engage in SPR-related efforts as follows:

• Prepare public comments on the proposal, working closely with SEBANE members who have been negatively impacted by the SPR in the past;
• Work with target legislators to garner support for our comments and seek to ensure that key changes are made prior to final rule implementation.

Our desired outcome is an SPR that allows deserving solar projects to move forward expeditiously without costly petitioning of the DPU.

2024 Omnibus Energy Bill:

It is anticipated that Massachusetts legislators will consider another omnibus energy bill in 2024. To ensure that such a bill contains provisions that enable the continued development of the solar industry, SEBANE will take the following action:

• Advocate for inclusion of policy provisions in the omnibus bill that enable the development of solar energy throughout the Commonwealth, with a focus on solar issues that may not be addressed through other policy vehicles;
• Specifically, directly engage the leadership of the Telecom, Utilities, and Energy Committee (TUE), Senator Barrett and Representative Roy, to advocate for key priorities;
• Garner the support of other solar organizations for any emerging bill, and advocate collectively for its passage.

Mass Solar Loan Program:

One of the most successful programs advancing residential solar in the Commonwealth has been the Mass Solar Loan program, which was introduced in 2015 but exhausted available funding in 2020. SEBANE believes that a successor program would be extremely valuable to residents of Massachusetts interested in going solar but who might not have the means or credit to do so. SEBANE is taking the following action:

• Engage with DOER to convey the potential value of a new solar loan program and gather data as necessary to support its consideration;
• Should Massachusetts be awarded substantial funds under the federal Solar for All program, SEBANE will advocate strongly for a meaningful percentage of those funds to be directed to a solar loan successor program.

The desired outcome is to make low interest or no interest loans available to Massachusetts residents so that solar can be enjoyed by those representing all economic sectors.

Policy Documents

• Policy Update (September 24, 2024)
• SEBANE Single Parcel Rule Comments (April 25th, 2024)
  

• SEBANE ESMP Comments (March 12th, 2024)

• Net Metering Bill Summary (February 20th, 2024)

• SEBANE SMART Review Comments (February 9th, 2024)