Legislation Guides Massachusetts Toward a More Equitable and Clean Energy Future
Bills Prioritize Access to Clean Energy and Reduce Energy Costs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 21, 2025
Boston, MA— As Massachusetts continues to make progress on its climate commitments, Vote Solar, together with coalition partners, Senator Eldridge, and Representative Lewis, has proposed two new bills that will prioritize access to local solar projects and distributed energy resources (DERs), ensuring that the Commonwealth’s grid can flexibly and affordably meet the demands of the clean energy transition.
Taken together, the two bills, the Maximizing and Optimizing Small-scale Assets in Communities (MOSAIC) Act and the Facilitating Distributed Energy Resources in the Commonwealth (Facilitating DERs) Act, can transform the electric grid using proven clean energy solutions that save ratepayers money. The bills set the Commonwealth on a path toward a distributed clean energy future. The MOSAIC Act (SD2553 / HD4155) sets the ambitious goals that Massachusetts needs to ensure a flexible, reliable, and affordable grid, while the Facilitating DERs Act (SD2488 / HD4154) proposes the common-sense fixes that get us there feasibly and efficiently.
“With Massachusetts’ record-high utility bills and growing electricity demands, we must turn our sights to solutions that lower costs and provide for grid flexibility. Distributed energy resources are key ingredients in that vision,” said Lindsay Griffin, Vote Solar’s Northeast Regional Director. “We know that DERs, such as local solar solutions, are the surest way to ensure the benefits of our clean energy transition are felt tangibly by all communities.”
The Facilitating DERs bill focuses on short-term fixes including streamlining permitting and interconnection processes for small solar projects. The MOSAIC Act lays the groundwork for the distributed grid of the future, and longer-term solutions like integrating virtual power plants (VPPs) as a central force in reducing peak demand and realigning utility incentives to foster greater adoption of distributed resources.
“A clean, flexible, and affordable electric grid is not just a goal – it’s a necessity for a sustainable future,” said Vote Solar’s Northeast Regional Director Elena Weissmann. “By enacting common-sense and visionary changes to the way we deploy DERs, we can help guide Massachusetts toward the future it deserves. State-level action is more important than ever in light of President Trump’s plans to derail our Commonwealth and nation’s paths to net zero.”
“I am proud to sponsor SD.2488 and SD2553 which prioritize equitable access to local solar projects and distributed energy resources,” said State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Marlborough). “These pieces of legislation build upon the progress of the last session in making it easier to build solar across the Commonwealth, by making a more flexible electric grid, while ensuring that working families also benefit from clean energy policies and reduce their energy costs.”
“I am honored to be working with Sen. Jamie Eldridge on this important piece of legislation,” added Representative Jack Patrick Lewis (Framingham). “It is imperative that we continue to accelerate our transition to renewable resources. This legislation is a vital step to decrease carbon emissions, meet our climate goals, and save consumers money.“
“As acknowledged by the Healey Administration in the 2024 Massachusetts Climate Report Card, additional policy interventions are necessary to meet the Commonwealth’s emissions limits,” said Tim Snyder, VP of Public Policy and Government Affairs at the Alliance for Climate Transition (ACT). “Improving the grid and enabling distributed energy resources are some of the most impactful things we can do as a state to accelerate the just transition to a clean energy future.”
“Families who want to install home solar and batteries shouldn’t have to deal with unnecessary costs, wait times, and red tape,” said Hannah Birnbaum, Chief of Advocacy at Permit Power. “Through common sense solutions like smart permitting, remote inspections, and streamlined interconnection, these bills will make it faster and cheaper for Massachusetts residents to power their lives with clean electricity.”
About Vote Solar
Vote Solar is an energy justice non-profit working towards a 100% clean energy future by bringing solar to the mainstream. Founded in 2002, Vote Solar advocates for clean energy in legislative and regulatory arenas at the state level, where most decisions about electricity are made. Despite powerful opposition, we use a winning combination of deep policy expertise, coalition building, and public engagement to get the job done.