❝ In case you missed the news, the Massachusetts House and Senate…did something big that we should all celebrate. By passing major energy bills, they have set the Bay State on a path of reduced reliance on fossil fuels while propelling our state towards a clean, affordable, and reliable energy future in which up to 50 percent of our electricity will come from hydropower, onshore and offshore wind turbines, and solar arrays. These actions will also drive investment in energy storage and continued gains in energy efficiency.
❝ The two bills share some important features. Both seek to have Massachusetts tap into abundant renewable energy sources available in the region — mainly hydropower and land-based wind power — through long-term contracts that will stabilize energy costs and capture added benefits for Massachusetts. Both look to kick-start offshore wind, a potential job creator. And both address the issue of leaky natural gas pipes under the streets of our cities and towns…
❝ These requirements have many benefits, starting with saving residents money on their electric bills. In fact, a recent study by the Massachusetts Clean Electricity Partnership—a coalition of hydropower, wind, and transmission companies—showed that expanded hydro and wind power could save Massachusetts homes and businesses more than $170 million annually by lowering wholesale energy costs and reducing demand for natural gas…
❝ These bills move the state in the right direction at a faster pace by diversifying our energy supply, cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and creating jobs and careers in new industries. By combining the most ambitious parts of the Senate and House bills, Massachusetts can blaze a trail to a clean energy future that others across the country and the world will follow.
I’m not surprised that Massachusetts demonstrates leadership in reforming energy use and abuse, generation and alternatives. They did the same in healthcare. They did the same for decades in disciplines as far afield as fighting slavery and, yes, kicking-off a certain revolution against colonial masters.
The equivalent of those colonial masters now have names like the Koch Brothers instead of King George. They still consider the working people of this land to be nothing more than wage slaves to be “guided” to producing the greatest profits in return for the least return needed to sustain life.
States like Massachusetts – with sufficient courage and ingenuity – can move the whole nation forward by example. As they have done in the past.
