April 22, 2025, 1:00-2:00 pm
ONLINE
Load Growth and Electric System Reliability
Load growth and electricity system reliability are currently key topics of interest for state energy policymakers. This webinar will help state officials—and other stakeholders—understand the context for policymaking and state programs related to load growth. It will present information from the 2024 Long-Term Reliability Assessment that was published in December 2024 by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). Mark Olson, NERC’s Manager of Reliability Assessments, will give an overview of highlights from a Reliability Leadership Summit that was held on February 27, 2025. NERC is a not-for-profit international regulatory authority with a mission to reduce risks related to the reliability and security of the grid.
The webinar will include time for audience questions and comments. It will be moderated by Warren Leon, executive director of the Clean Energy States Alliance.
April 22, 2025, 12:00-12:30 pm
ONLINE
The Inside Scoop: Covering Politics and Energy in 2025
Featuring:
Marianne Lavelle, Washington bureau chief
Dan Gearino, Clean energy reporter
Hosted by Vernon Loeb, Executive Editor
Listen in as Marianne and Dan take questions on what it’s like to cover their beats during this time of rapid-fire breaking news and the dismantling of environmental protections.
April 29, 2025, 1:00-2:00 pm
ONLINE
A Climate Resilient Energy Code for Multifamily Affordable Housing
In this webinar, panelists from Clean Energy Group and New Buildings Institute will detail the why, how, and what of the draft Connecticut Climate Resilient Energy Code, a voluntary stretch building code developed to cover the installation of climate resilient energy systems, such as solar and energy storage, to power essential services during grid outages at multifamily affordable housing properties. This code will enhance the ability of a multifamily affordable housing building to maintain livable conditions for residents by requiring minimum levels of onsite backup power and by requiring building envelope standards and other measures that maintain habitable indoor temperatures without the active use of heating and cooling systems. Presenters will also discuss the results of preliminary impact analyses assessing the cost, energy, and resilience impacts of implementing the code.
April 29, 2025, 7:00-8:00 pm
ONLINE
Truth to Power: Debunking energy disinformation
Clean energy makes society better. It’s affordable. It’s healthy. It creates good-paying jobs and choices for consumers. But increasingly, we’re seeing misinformation and disinformation about clean energy, originating from the fossil fuel industry. This is dangerous for our health and climate. So, we’re speaking out through our Truth to Power campaign. In this webinar, we’ll call out the disinformation and examine the truth about 3 important energy topics, with an all-star panel from our staff:
- Offshore wind myths
- The truth about what is causing rising energy costs
- Electric vehicle myths.
April 30, 2025, 8:00 am – 4 pm
Bentley University, Waltham, MA
MassEnergize Community Climate Leaders Conference 2025
- Be inspired by expert speakers—hear from MA Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer, Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, Rewiring America, and other climate leaders driving real change.
- Engage in dynamic breakout sessions—explore topics such as The Power of 1:1 Conversations, Funding Residential Decarbonization Projects, and Engaging Youth Voices to empower you with resources for action.
- Connect with peers—network with municipal leaders, grassroots organizers, and sustainability advocates tackling similar challenges in their communities.
- Discover innovative strategies—learn from sessions on Energy Coaching Programs, Engaging Diverse Constituencies, and Municipal Sustainability Roundtable, designed to accelerate local climate solutions.
We’ll have a Non-Profit Exhibitor Fair from 4-5pm, giving you a chance to meet organizations showcasing their work and learn how they can help you.
Whether you’re a seasoned leader or just starting your journey, this conference will empower and inspire you to create real, lasting change in your community.
April 30, 2025, 8:00 am – 4 pm
Bentley University, Waltham, MA
Municipal Aggregation Working Group Meeting: Low Income Community Solar
On March 20, 2025, the Department issued its Order on Municipal Aggregation
Low Income Community Shared Solar Projects Under The Smart Regulations, D.P.U. 23-67-C.
In that Order, the Department stated that, considering the success of the Municipal Aggregation
Working Group (“Working Group”) in eliciting support from a broad group of stakeholders on
issues related to Low-Income Community Shared Solar (“LICSS”) Programs during the
transition from the Department of Energy Resources’ (“DOER”) existing Solar Massachusetts
Renewable Target (“SMART”) 2.0 regulation to its upcoming SMART 3.0 regulation, it would
continue to convene the Working Group to develop LICSS-related recommendations for DOER
in its SMART 3.0 rulemaking proceeding. D.P.U. 23-67-C at 13-14.
The Department will convene the next meeting of the Working Group on Wednesday,
April 30, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The Department requests that stakeholders
distribute to the D.P.U. 23-67 distribution list the issues and proposals they seek to discuss with
the Working Group no later than close of business on Friday, April 25, 2025. The Department
will distribute an agenda for the meeting at a later date. Please contact Hearing Officers Lauren
Morris or Timothy Federico with any questions.
May 5, 2025, 5:30-8:30 pm
Holyoke Heritage State Park, 221 Appleton Street, Holyoke, MA 01040 and ONLINE
Cumulative Impacts Analysis and Site Suitability Criteria
The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (“EEA”) Office of Environmental Justice and Equity (“OEJE”), Energy Facilities Siting Board (“EFSB”), Department of Public Utilities (“DPU”), and Department of Energy Resources (“DOER”) invite you to attend stakeholder sessions to learn about implementing the siting and permitting changes required by law for energy facilities, provide written and/or oral comments, and ask questions on numerous straw proposals (topics below). An Act promoting a clean energy grid, advancing equity and protecting ratepayers” (“2024 Grid Equity Act”) requires several agencies to propose regulations for comments. Staff from EEA, EFSB, and DPU prepared the straw proposals to elicit input from the public, public officials, other agencies, community-based organizations, and potential project applicants ahead of issuing proposed regulations later this year. Each straw proposal will be available on this website approximately one week prior to the specified stakeholder meeting on that topic. There will not be an opportunity to discuss any pending or future proposals about specific projects.
EFSB, DPU, DOER, and OEJE also welcome written comments on the straw proposals. Written comments on each topic will be most useful if submitted two weeks after the relevant stakeholder session (i.e., latest by May 19, 2025 for the topics from Stakeholder Session 4). Any person seeking to comment must file their comments by email or email attachment sent to the following email addresses: sitingboard.filing@mass.gov.