Community Energy Strategies Pilot Program

Overview
Under a new pilot program, MassCEC, in partnership with the Department of Energy Resources (“DOER”) Green Communities Division, will help communities identify and enable local opportunities for clean energy development. The Community Energy Strategies Pilot Program will assist up to five municipalities and/or Regional Planning Agencies to identify and develop strategies for implementing the mix of clean energy projects and incentives best suited to address local interests, needs, and opportunities for clean energy development.

The Community Energy Strategies Pilot Program is based on the principle that the ideal approach to clean energy comprises a combination of energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy generation. A wide variety of existing programs administered by MassCEC and DOER provide financial and technical assistance to support multiple renewable energy generation and energy efficiency technologies.  The potential for individual technologies varies from community to community and depends on a number of factors including municipal budgets, geography, age of housing stock and other buildings, and feasible renewable energy siting locations. The Pilot Program supports a planning process that combines resource assessment with broad stakeholder involvement to align the community’s clean energy needs and priorities with its available clean energy resources and potential.

New From MassCEC

• Community Energy Strategies GIS Consultant RFP (Posted 2/19/2013)

How it Works

The process is expected to last for one year and will be implemented in the following stages:

1.    Assess Clean Energy Potential - Assist communities to assess opportunities for clean energy development based on locally available clean energy resources and community clean energy goals. In this stage, the program will engage a facilitator and the community will convene a stakeholder group to help set goals. Meanwhile, MassCEC will engage a technical consultant, with expertise in energy efficiency and renewable energy, to assess and analyze the resource potential of a variety of technologies on behalf of the stakeholder group.

2.    Enable Clean Energy Potential – With the assessment information in hand, the stakeholder group will identify the steps required to enable all options based on technology and siting-specific requirements. Such steps might include the development or revision of zoning bylaws to “set the stage” for future project development, or guidance on developing and/or evaluating Requests for Proposals from potential project developers.

3.    Deliver Clean Energy Potential – Introduce and facilitate applications to appropriate MassCEC, DOER, and utility-based clean energy incentive programs such as Commonwealth Solar II, Green Communities Designation and Grant Program, etc.
 

Schedule

Community Application Process
MassCEC and the Department of Energy Resources (“DOER”) Green Communities Division are soliciting applications beginning on Nov. 9th from Massachusetts cities, towns and regional planning agencies interested in participating in the Community Energy Strategies Pilot Program.

MassCEC and DOER plan to select up to five communities, including both those that have and have not been designated Green Communities by DOER, as well as at least one Regional Planning Agency (RPA).  Through each award, MassCEC will provide a combination of cash grants (no match required) and grants of services, (i.e. specialized firms under contract to MassCEC that provide services directly to the selected applicant.)

Applications will be evaluated competitively; however, applicants that demonstrate a commitment to providing municipal planning resources, engaging in a broad stakeholder process, and working collaboratively with MassCEC and DOER to fulfill the objectives of the Community Energy Strategies Pilot Program will be most competitive. 

Follow this link to download the Community Energy Strategies - Pilot Community Solicitation.

• Letters of Intent which briefly describe the applicant’s interest must be received by MassCEC no later than 5:00pm on November 30^th. Letters of Intent will not be evaluated during the review of final proposals and Communities or RPAs who do not submit Letters are still eligible to submit Final Applications.
• Final Proposals must be received by MassCEC no later than 5:00pm on December 21^st.  Only complete, timely responses will be considered.  MassCEC, at its sole discretion, may determine whether an application is complete.

For More Information

• Community Energy Strategies Webinar Slides
• FAQ