Massachusetts is working hard to produce clean energy from innovative sources and technologies to meet net-zero emissions targets by 2050. At the same time, we must also build new infrastructure to transport and store energy from these new sources. Our current infrastructure is simply not equipped to handle the increased demand for electricity and other energy. And, unfortunately, the existing process for siting and permitting new clean energy infrastructure is too complex and slow. Current law does not set any hard deadlines for permitting clean energy projects, forcing some deliberations to stretch past 10 years as developers work to acquire an array of different approvals.
The Massachusetts House took up H.4876, An Act accelerating a responsible, innovative and equitable clean energy transition, and deliberated more than 100 amendments before voting to pass the clean energy reform bill that will streamline Massachusetts’ process for determining where to build clean energy infrastructure.
The legislation will simplify the process for selecting where new clean energy infrastructure will be built and speed up decisions on permits. It also helps the Commonwealth meet long-term emission reduction goals by:
– calling for a new procurement of 9.45 million megawatt-hours of clean energy
– seeking procurement of 5,000 megawatts of energy storage
– harnessing innovative technologies to power our green transition, such as advanced metering, fusion energy, battery storage, grid enhancing technologies and the buildout of fast-charging infrastructure and meter socket adapters to support widescale adoption of electric vehicles and heat pumps. This involves generating and procuring more clean power, solving interconnection issues, and incentivizing consumers and businesses to adopt green technologies.
Rep. Hogan thanks Speaker Mariano, House Ways & Means Chair Michlewitz, Energy Committee Chair Roy, and her House colleagues for their efforts to modernize the Commonwealth’s energy grid and to combat the climate crisis.
