2023-Sierran-digital - Flipbook - Page 8
Solar Where We Want It
By Paul Dale
There is tension within environmental groups (and the public at large) about solar deployment. On one side is
the recognition that we need to build solar energy much more rapidly than we have so far. The goal for 2030 in
Massachusetts is 10GW. Our cumulative solar to date is 4GW. From a clean energy standpoint, we want all the
solar we can get, as fast as we can get it, but we really want to be protecting our natural lands from being destroyed
by a mad dash to solar. Chopping down forests to install solar panels is particularly egregious.
In January, the Massachusetts Sierra Club 昀椀led H.3225 /
S.2150, An Act to encourage solar development on buildings and
disturbed land. This Act provides permanent incentives for
siting solar projects where they have the least environmental
impact (on buildings and disturbed lands) and by doing so
fosters a stable Massachusetts solar industry working to
achieve our climate goals.
The focus of solar development is sites for which developers
can get 昀椀nancing and property owners can see a reasonable
昀椀nancial return. (Residential solar is attractive to homeowners
because the incentives, primarily 100% net metering and the
30% federal tax credit, meaning the payback period is only
6 to 8 years.) The situation is different for commercial and
industrial sites and buildings. Currently the least expensive
sites are large ground mount deployments, and hence a lot of
Photo: Aeon Solar, National Renewable Energy
solar development is focused on forests, farmlands and 昀椀elds.
Laboratory
A different framework is needed to drive solar development
in top priority locations such as commercial buildings, parking lot canopies, brown昀椀elds and roadway cuts.
Every megawatt of solar on buildings or disturbed land is one less megawatt that needs to be on natural land.
This bill encourages solar development on the most environmentally desirable locations by removing caps on
incentives, providing 100% net metering credits for disturbed sites (as homeowners get), requiring special attention
to equity, and creating a grant program for roof repair or replacement as part of a solar project, with priority for
marginalized communities.
The bill enjoys wide support so far. There are 32 cosponsors, and support from the solar industry such as the national
Vote Solar organization, Resonant Energy and other solar developers, and wide support from Massachusetts
environmental groups including Mass Audubon, Environmental League of Massachusetts, Massachusetts
Association. of Conservation Commissions, The Nature Conservancy, Climate Action Network, Appalachian
Mountain Club, and The Trustees of Reservations.
But many more voices and advocacy are needed to make the provisions of this bill a reality.
Your Call to Action
Please see if your state representative and senator are
cosponsoring the bill. If they are, call or write them and
ask that they actively advocate for the bill by talking
with either Rep. Jeff Roy or Sen. Mike Barrett, the cochairs of the TUE committee. Otherwise please ask your
representative and senator to cosponsor the bill. For
more information about the bill please go to https://bit.
ly/h3225.
Photo: Dennis Schroeder, National Renewable Energy
Laboratory
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