Presentation at 2016 Massachusetts Sustainable Communities and Campuses Conference

1. 1
Decarbonizing Massachusetts & the Grid:
Local Solutions
Caitlin Peale Sloan, Staff Attorney, Conservation Law Foundation
Massachusetts Sustainable Communities Conference
April 16, 2016

2. ‘Fossil fuels’ has become a dirty word.
It keeps coming up in conversations,
but what are we actually doing to
enable and speed up the transition
from fossil fuels to renewables?
2

3. Where are we on the path to
decarbonization in Massachusetts?
3

4. 4
Source: MA Clean Energy & Climate Plan Update, 2015

5. New England Electricity
5
Source: ISO‐NE Electric Generator Air Emissions Report

6. What does that path actually look like?
6

7. MA Global Warming Solutions Act
Illustrative long term GHG reductions by sector
7MA Clean Energy & Climate Plan Update, 2015

8. The Gas Roadblock
8

9. 9
Source: Energy Information Administration

10. Some Critical Next Steps to
Decarbonization in Massachusetts
1. Prevent massive new natural gas infrastructure
2. Force our utilities to invest in large‐scale low‐ or no‐
carbon energy
3. Citizens continue to make the switch to clean
energy and increase energy efficiency at home
10

11. 11
Caitlin Peale Sloan
Staff Attorney
Conservation Law Foundation
cpeale@clf.org