In a previous article, we wrote about two Massachusetts solar policy proposals introduced in the Statehouse: Bill SD.2488 by State Senator Jamie Elbridge and Bill HD.4155 by State Representative Jack Lewis. We were lucky enough for Senator Eldridge to have generously lent us his time for an interview:
Streamlining Solar Permitting
Dan: Your bill aims to significantly speed up the solar permitting process in Massachusetts. What is the biggest challenge in getting municipalities to adopt an automated permitting system by 2027, and how do you plan to ensure compliance? Was this inspired by how permitting is done in places like Australia or Germany?
Senator Eldridge: The biggest challenge is probably a reliance on the status quo. Reaching our rooftop solar potential will mean a very large increase in the number of permit applications, and jurisdictions will need to make adjustments. Not every municipality may lack the technical infrastructure or personnel to implement or pursue this. There could be cost concerns with bringing tech up to current standards and resources required to continue with an automated permit system, which is why our legislation limits adoption to larger municipalities for the time being.
In recent years, hundreds of jurisdictions across the country have signed up for automated permitting, constituting approximately one-third of the market. However, not a single jurisdiction in Massachusetts employs automated permitting that I know of. In California, which passed an automated permitting mandate in 2022, compliance is very high due to a robust compliance campaign run by the state energy office and community organizations. If the legislation were to pass in Massachusetts, we hope similar compliance efforts could be replicated here. Yes, in countries like Australia and Germany that have largely eliminated permitting barriers, the cost of solar is less than half the cost here.
Impact on Homeowners
Dan: How do you expect the streamlined permitting and interconnection processes to affect homeowners in cities like New Bedford?
Senator Eldridge: In the case of New Bedford, permitting is very slow. It takes the typical home 26 business days to receive a solar permit. They don’t offer same-day in-person permitting and haven’t committed to SolSmart’s standard for processing permits within three days. Automated permitting would allow homes to receive solar permits instantly, allowing for more solar to be installed faster and at a lower cost. This data on New Bedford comes from SolarTRACE.
Future of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs)
Dan: Beyond permitting, what other legislative initiatives would you like to see to promote the adoption of small-scale solar and battery storage across Massachusetts?
Senator Eldridge: Our Facilitating DER and MOSAIC bills lay out several essential provisions that we need to secure a reliable, affordable, distributed clean energy future. In addition to the measures we are working to advance (such as making the tax credit refundable for low-income households and enabling microgrids), the Commonwealth can consider policies to advance workforce development specific for distributed solar and storage and working to overcome barriers to adoption, specifically in frontline and EJ communities. Incentives should also be structured to benefit non-residential customers like small businesses, nonprofits, and houses of worship.
Equity Considerations
Dan: Your bill includes tax incentives for low-to-moderate-income households. How do you see this bill helping historically underserved communities benefit from the clean energy transition?
Senator Eldridge: DERs are a tool for energy justice. DERs are the best way to drive clean energy benefits to frontline and low-wealth households. They bring immediate bill savings, local jobs, grid resilience, and cleaner air to neighborhoods hit first and worst by the climate crisis and pollution. Vote Solar is concurrently working on a Clean Energy Equity provision which, if passed, would provide an additional lens for this measure- it would require that a proportional percentage of our Commonwealth’s clean energy benefits be driven to environmental justice populations.
Virtual Power Plants & Homeowner Participation
Dan: Your bill requires utilities to establish Virtual Power Plants (VPPs). How do you envision homeowners participating in these programs, and what are the most significant incentives for them to join?
Senator Eldridge: In other jurisdictions with robust VPP offerings, monetary compensation is a major incentive. Participants should be fairly compensated for discharging their batteries to the grid when needed, save on electricity bills, and be protected against the volatility of electric rates. Not to mention being a major environmental and grid-stability steward!
Grid Resilience & Cost Savings
Dan: Your bill includes a key component of using VPPs to reduce peak electricity demand. How do you see this benefiting Massachusetts residents, both in terms of reliability and electricity costs?
Senator Eldridge: Costs: Reducing the strain on transmission infrastructure leads to deferred costs and a reduced need for utility capital investments – major cost-savers for ratepayers. Reliability: VPPs mean a decreased likelihood of brownouts or blackouts and better responsiveness to sudden demand spikes. VPPs also lower wholesale electric prices, meaning that reducing peak demand mitigates the expensive emergency generation costs (think: polar vortex happens in year one, and in year two, rates will increase for cushion system expenses in case it happens again). There are also major climate and environmental health benefits because VPPs mean less reliance on polluting infrastructure (specifically, peaker plants).
Role of Utilities
Dan: Your bill ensures utilities cannot own or control VPP resources. Why was this provision important, and how do you see third-party aggregators and customers taking the lead in energy management?
Senator Eldridge: Investor-owned utilities (IOUs) have historically made it challenging to install DERs because it subverts their business model, which is that they earn a return for building new infrastructure. Part of this bill’s orientation is to allow ratepayers to direct their energy futures. VPPs disrupt the standard utility business and monopoly model. We want to ensure that the benefits flow to participants, not utilities (which are currently earning record-breaking profits for shareholders when energy burdens are skyrocketing).
Long-Term Vision for Massachusetts Solar Policy
Dan: Your bill sets a target for distributed energy resources (DERs) to make up 20% of the state’s electric load by 2035. What steps will need to be taken beyond this legislation to achieve that goal, and are there any future policies in the pipeline?
Senator Eldridge: DOER’s proposed changes to the SMART program, specifically related to siting and low-income solar access, will be beneficial if adopted. Several other pieces of legislation have been introduced this session that can advance our vision, specifically Rep. Vitolo’s SPARK Act (facilitating solar on new construction when installation costs are lowest) and Rep. Sabadosa / Senator Mark’s solar on disturbed lands bill, which would directly benefit distributed projects.
Thank you again to Senator Jamie Eldridge. We are always excited to see new bills for renewable energy introduced in Massachusetts.
Interested in going solar? Contact us or call 508-203-6966 for a free consultation today!
