IMPORTANT NEW STANDARDS
Massachusetts Climate Act of 2021
Signed into Law by Governor Baker on 3/26/2021
On March 26, 2021, Governor Baker signed into law the Climate Act of 2021 . These new standards will drastically change the way breweries will need to do business. We at Patriot Energy, a division of Mantis Innovation Group, want to help with these transitions by providing consultative strategies outlining items that your business will need to comply with along with when you will need to make these changes by.
*NOTE: A lot of the due dates are still unknown, but this should give you time to plan. As due dates become available we will continue to update the Mass Brewers Guild so you can plan and make modifications.
Ask yourself what your strategy will be and what will it take to get there.
Please feel free to reach out anytime with questions:
Tina Patnode-Fisher
Senior Account Executive
tpatnode@patriotenergygroup.com
T: 413 351 0273
M: 860 836 1763
I. Set New Statewide Greenhouse Gas Emission Goals
A. Achieve “net-zero” emissions by 2050
1. Interim benchmark of 50% lower by 2030
2. Interim benchmark of 75% lower by 2040
II. Requires Emission Reduction Targets for Sectors
A. High-priority sectors include electricity, transportation, commercial and industrial buildings, residential buildings, industrial processes, and natural gas distribution
1. Setting 5-year emission reduction goals
III. Environmental Justice (EJ) Language Becomes Law
A. Creates new standards for public participation in the decision-making process for all new projects
B. Required to now look at the total “cumulative impacts” a project has
1. How pollution from a proposed project will add to already-existing pollution
IV. New Municipal Stretch-Code
A. Putting in place a more efficient stretch-code for buildings to have “net-zero” emissions
1. Department of Energy Resources to announce new stretch-codes in 18 months
V. Public Utilities Priorities Updated
A. Added security, equity, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, to the existing priorities of safety, reliability, and affordability
VI. Renewable Energy Demand Increased
A. Increased amount of renewable energy required
1. Starting in 2025 the yearly increase of 2% will change to at least 3% yearly for their “renewable energy portfolio”
B. The utility companies must secure a total wind power procurement of 5,600 megawatts
(additional 2,400 megawatts)
VII. Natural Gas Utility Companies must utilize new technologies
A. Reduces regulatory burdens and financial risks for utility companies willing to experiment with innovative clean energy technologies – i.e. Geothermal heat pumps
VIII. Establishes Renewable Energy Goals for Municipalities
A. Requires the purchase of 50% of power from “non-carbon emitting” sources by 2030
B Requires net-zero emissions by 2050
IX. Change MassSave Priorities to now include the reduction of emissions in energy efficiencies
X. New Energy Efficiency Standards for most Appliances – new energy efficiency requirements
A. Adopting California’s strongest-in-the-nation efficiency standards for household appliances
B. “Commercial and Residential - manufacturing equipment, kitchen appliances, plumbing, lighting, computers, electric vehicle
supply equipment, faucets, ventilating fans, toilets, and water coolers”
XI. Create Electric Vehicle (EV) and Charging Station Targets
A. Governor to set numerical benchmarks for the number of EVs on the road by a given year, and the installation of EV chargers
B. Establish rebate or incentive programs to meet benchmark number
XII. Solar Power – new rules to make more use of solar power and encourage solar development
A. Community Solar Project ease
B. Grants for non-profits
C. Ease of selling excess energy back to the grid
XIII. Clean Energy Job Training Programs
A. Increases the annual budget by $12 million for the Mass Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) to spend on workforce development
