Massachusetts Officials Award $850,000 To Renewable Energy Program Applicants

BOSTON, MA (October 1, 2001)  The Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust (the Trust) recently approved up to $850,000 in funding for nine projects designed to increase consumer demand for electricity generated from wind, solar and other renewable resources.  The awardees are the first in the state to be approved for grants under the $1.5 million "Consumer Aggregation" program initiated last March by the Trust.

By joining an aggregation, Massachusetts ratepayers will be able to collectively purchase electricity generated from renewable energy resources and technologies.  Aggregations lower costs for consumers and create markets for companies that sell electricity from renewables.  Under this solicitation, not-for-profit organizations and municipalities were eligible to apply for the grants.  The proposals selected by the Trust to receive grants will aggregate electric customers within a specific geographic region or customer class.

"Many Massachusetts businesses and consumers are interested in purchasing green power," said Greg Watson, Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust director.  "This initiative will allow grant recipients to use the collective buying power of a consumer aggregation to ensure that a portion of the electricity they use is generated from renewable resources."  Seeding the proposed consumer aggregations will help stimulate market demand for electricity from renewable resources.

"Funding these groups is an important step towards stimulating consumer activity in the electricity market," said Massachusetts Division of Energy Resources Commissioner David O'Connor.  "These activities will give more consumers the knowledge to make energy decisions that can lower their costs and help the environment at the same time," O'Connor continued.

In addition to the grants, which are subject to final discussions between the Trust and the awardees, the Trust will also sponsor a statewide survey designed to gauge public awareness of and willingness to pay for renewable energy.  Grant recipients will use the survey results in their efforts to build aggregation membership.  The Trust will also establish a "Consumer Aggregation Collaborative" to provide a forum for grant recipients to communicate and share their findings and to help others understand what it takes to aggregate consumer demand for green power.

The Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust was established by the State Legislature in 1997 to promote the development and use of renewable energy in the Commonwealth.  During its first phase of operation, the Trust has earmarked $47 million in grants, loans, and other financial support for renewable energy projects and programs through fiscal 2002.  The Trust is an essential part of the state’s energy strategy to shift toward greater reliance to renewable resources.  The Trust is managed by the Massachusetts Technology Park Corporation, a state economic development authority based in Westborough, MA.

A brief summary of the awarded projects follows: