The document discusses programs from the Massachusetts Green Communities Division and Mass Clean Energy Center that help municipalities create clean, affordable, and resilient energy futures. It summarizes the Green Communities designation and grant program, which provides funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. It also outlines initiatives like Solarize Mass, HeatSmart Mass, and LED streetlight programs that encourage renewable adoption. Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness planning grants and action grants are described which help communities assess climate risks and implement adaptation solutions.

1. Helping municipalities create a
Clean, Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Charles D. Baker, Governor
Karyn E. Polito, Lt. Governor
Matthew A. Beaton, Secretary
Judith F. Judson, Commissioner
Program Update – MA Green
Communities Program
Joanne Bissetta, Deputy Director
Green Communities Division
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MA Sustainable
Communities
4/27/2018

2. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth !2
• Reduce and stabilize the rising
cost of energy for consumers
• Continue the Commonwealth’s
commitment to a clean energy
future
• GWSA GHG reductions: 25%
by 2020 and 80% by 2050
(1990 baseline)
• Ensure that we have a safe,
reliable, and resilient energy
infrastructure
Massachusetts Energy Approach

3. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
Today’s Presentation…the latest from
● Green Communities/DOER
● Mass Clean Energy Center initiatives of
interest to municipalities
● Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness
● Commercial PACE
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4. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
The energy hub for all Massachusetts cities and towns,
not just designated “Green Communities.”
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Green Communities Division
Energy
Efficiency
Municipal
Buildings
Street
Lights
Renewable
Sch
Technic

5. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
Green Communities Division
• Green Communities Designation and Grant Program
• MassEnergyInsight energy tracking and analysis tool
• Municipal Energy Efficiency Program
• Website filled with tools & resources
www.mass.gov/orgs/green-communities-division-
massdoer
• Email updates via e-blasts – Sign up by sending an
email to: join-ene-
greencommunities@listserv.state.ma.us
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6. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
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Qualification Criteria - Designation
1. Adopt as-of-right siting for RE/AE generation, R&D, or
manufacturing
2. Adopt expedited permitting process
3. Create an Energy Reduction Plan to reduce energy
use by 20% in 5 years
4. Purchase only fuel-efficient vehicles
5. Minimize life cycle cost in new construction à
adopt the Stretch Code
Grant Funding
1. Energy Efficiency Projects
2. Renewable Energy Projects on municipal land
Designation and Grant Program

7. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
The energy hub for all Massachusetts cities and towns,
not just designated “Green Communities.”
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Green Communities Division
Energy
Efficiency
Municipal
Buildings
Street
Lights
Renewable
Sch
Technic

8. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
● Grants based on $125K base plus a population/per capita income
formula
• Range $130,725 in Hatfield to $1M (max award) for Boston
● Over $85M awarded in designation and competitive grants
● Projects include building EE measures, LED streetlights, solar
PV, incremental costs for Electric vehicles, and more
● 284 grants complete to date (126 designation, 158 competitive)
•Total Project Costs - $100.4M
•Total GC grant funds used - $62.4M
•Total Utility incentives - $17.1M
•Projected annual cost savings - $13.1M
•Projected annual savings –362,071 MMBTU (=3,303 MA homes)
•Projected annual GHG savings – 28,091 metric tonnes (=7,000 cars)
Designation and Grant Program
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9. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
Technical Assistance
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• Municipal Energy Technical
Assistance (META) grants for
communities, water/waste water
districts, regional school districts
• Up to $12,500:
• ASHRAE Level 2 audits of oil/propane
heated buildings
• Solar PV assistance
• Bid specifications
• Process audits of water/wastewater
treatment facilities
• Will be posted soon – mid-July
deadline

10. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
So How Are We Doing?
● Annual Reporting requirements
for grant eligibility
● Status of each criterion is
updated
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11. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
FY 2016 Energy Reduction
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12. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
FY 2016 Reduction by Sector
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13. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
FY16 Percent Reduction by Fuel Type
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0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Electric Natural
Gas
Oil Gasoline Propane Diesel
PercentEnergyReductions

14. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
LED Streetlight Accelerator Grant
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• $11.4 million
committed to bring
down cost to towns
• LEDs use @60%
less energy
• Save $$ on energy
and maintenance c

15. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
LED Streetlight Retrofits
0
100000
200000
300000
400000
Municipally-owned Municipal Light Plants (MLPs)
Total Converted or In Process
Not converted
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16. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
MassCEC Resources
Solarize Mass & Plus
● Resources for communities for
enhanced outreach, coupled
with a competitive installer
selection process that offers
reduced pricing to community
members
● Anticipated Award Amount: up
to $5,000 per community.
● Solarize Mass Plus: Pairs solar
PV with complementary
technologies
● See www.solarizemass.com
HeatSmart Mass
● Pilot based off Solarize Mass to
increase the adoption of small-scale
clean heating and cooling
technologies
● Solar hot water, air source heat
pump, ground source heat pump,
and high efficiency wood pellet
boilers
● Launch a second round in Summer/
Fall 2018
● See www.masscec.com/heatsmart-
mass for more information

17. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
Solarize Mass Strategy
● Savings found by driving down the cost stack for small-
scale solar PV
Equipment
Costs
“Soft” Costs
Customer
Acquisition
Installation
Average
Equipment
Costs
“Soft” Costs
Installation
Savings
Solarize Mass

18. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
Program Differences
Solarize Mass Solarize Mass Plus HeatSmart Mass
Technologies Solar PV Solar PV, and one or
more complementary
technologies (solar hot
water, air source heat
pump, ground source
heat pump, electric
vehicles, etc.)
Solar hot water, air
source heat pump,
ground source heat
pump, high efficiency
wood pellet boiler
Community
Application
Process
Rolling Limited application
timeline per program
round
Who can apply Municipalities in investor owned utilities
(Eversource, National Grid, Unitil), or
Municipal Lighting Plant communities
(MLP’s): Ashburnham, Holden, Holyoke,
Russell, Templeton
All municipalities in
Massachusetts*
*HeatSmart Mass is funded through Alternative Compliance Payment (ACP) funds

19. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
Clean Heating & Cooling
$30 million Committed
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Techologies Supported
● Cold-Climate Air Source
Heat Pumps
● Ground Source Heat
Pumps
● Solar Hot Water
● Modern Wood Heating

20. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
Estimated Annual GHG Emissions – Example Small Building
CO2TonsPer
Year
0
2
5
7
9
Electric ResistanceFuel OilFuel Oil/SHWPropaneNatural GasFuel Oil/Solar HeatAir Source Heat PumpBiomass PelletsGround Source Heat PumpBiomass Pellets/SHWBiomass Pellets/Solar HeatHeat Pump w/ Solar PV
Renewable Heating & GHG
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Clean Heating & Cooling
Technologies

21. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
Geography of high cost heating fuels

22. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
MassCEC Clean Heating &
Cooling Incentives
Technology Maximum Incentive
VRF Air-Source Heat Pumps $250,000
Other Air-Source Heat Pumps $225,000
Ground-Source Heat Pumps $250,000
Central Wood Heating $250,000
Solar Hot Water $101,500
Details:
www.masscec.com/business/clean-heating-and-cooling

23. Municipal Vulnerability
Preparedness(MVP)
2017-2018
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1. Engage
Community
2. Identify CC
impacts and
hazards
3. Complete
assessment of
vulnerabilities &
strengths
4. Develop and
prioritize
actions
5. Take Action
State and local partnership to build resiliency to climate change

24. Two Grant Opportunities
RFR 1: MVP Action Grant RFR 2: MVP Action Grant
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https://www.mass.gov/municipal-vulnerability-preparedness-mvp-
program

25. RFR #1: MVP Planning Grant
● Complete a climate change vulnerability assessment workshop
process, develop prioritized actions, and submit final report
● Applications due May 11th at 5pm, must submit 5 paper
copies & 1 electronic
● Grants from $10K-$75K depending on scope, community
size, EJ communities, need, and other factors
● Upon completion community receives MVP designation
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26. RFR #2: MVP Action Grant
● To implement priority climate adaptation actions identified by MVP
Communities
● Preference for nature-based solutions
● Applications due May 18th, 5pm
● Municipalities with MVP designation and municipalities completing
2017 MVP process who have completed workshop(s) and have
identified prioritized actions
● Funding: $10,000 - $400,000 per project with 25% match
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27. RFR 1 Planning: Due May 11th, 5pm
RFR 2 Action: Due May 18th, 5pm
Kathleen.theoharides@state.ma.us
Margot.Mansfield@state.ma.us
https://www.mass.gov/municipal-vulnerability-
preparedness-program
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28. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
Commercial PACE
● Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE)
allows commercial/industrial property owners
finance clean energy projects by placing a lien
on property.
● Requires Board of Selectmen/City Council
approval
● Properties eligible for financing through PACE
include:
– Commercial buildings
– Industrial buildings
– Multi-family buildings with five or more units
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29. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
PACE
● Improvements eligible for financing through
PACE must be permanently fixed to the
property. Eligible improvements include:
– Energy efficiency upgrades
– Renewable energy
– Extension of existing natural gas distribution to a
property
● For more information contact:
– pace@massdevelopment.com
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30. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
Outreach - Regional Coordinators
● Regional Coordinators act as direct liaisons with cities and
towns on energy efficiency and renewable energy activities
● Located at each of the DEP Regional Offices:
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SERO – LAKEVILLE: Seth Pickering
Seth.Pickering@state.ma.us
NERO – WILMINGTON: Neal Duffy
Neal.Duffy@state.ma.us
CERO – WORCESTER: Kelly Brown
Kelly.Brown@state.ma.us
WERO – SPRINGFIELD: Jim Barry
Jim.Barry@state.ma.us

31. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
Thanks to all the Green Communities!
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32. Helping Massachusetts Municipalities Create a Clean,
Affordable and Resilient Energy Future for the Commonwealth
Contact Information
Joanne Bissetta, Deputy Director
Joanne.Bissetta@state.ma.us
www.mass.gov/orgs/green-communities-division
Email updates via listserv – Sign up by sending an email to:
join-ene-greencommunities@listserv.state.ma.us
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