Massachusetts Moves To Make Energy Data More Transparent

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

What Happened:The Rocky Mountain Institute reports Massachusetts might be on the verge of starting another American Revolution, at least when it comes to promoting transparency in its citizens’ energy use.

Governor Charlie Baker has proposed An Act Relative to Consumer Access to Residential Energy Information, which would create energy-use certificates that would be used to record energy-use evaluations for the state’s homes.
It would give Massachusetts homeowners information that would allow them to do a serious evaluation of their home’s energy use.
And starting in 2021, people trying to sell their homes would be required to make that information available to potential buyers (great quotation on that later).

Could this home of British sedition lead another American Revolution when it comes to getting more energy usage information about your home (or your future home)? That’s a definite maybe.

SolarWakeup’s View: Could Boston be ground zero for the American Energy Revolution? According to the Rocky Mountain Institute’s Jacob Corvidae, it just might.

In a post on the Institute’s site, Corvidae discusses the potential importance of Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker’s initiative, called An Act Relative to Consumer Access to Residential Energy Information, as a potential model for the rest of the country when it comes to helping citizens become more informed about their energy usage.

First, it will allow homeowners to have a better understanding of what home improvements are the best investment. For example, if you have older windows or poor insulation, making that investment before, say, adding an outdoor pool or grill pit might bring the best ROI for your home. And after 2021, homeowners would be required to disclose their energy-use certificate to potential buyers.

Here I’m going to quote Corvidae because, as I look out my Ohio-based office to watch snowflakes flutter to the ground – on April 9, mind you – his comment struck a particular chord:

For buyers comparing two similar homes—such as different three-bedroom, two-bath, 1,800-square-foot two-story homes—knowing which one is already cozy and inexpensive to heat and which one will take some investment to get there is important information to have. You don’t want to wait until you’re ready to sign the closing documents, or until your first winter in the house, to find out which one you got!

With the rapidly changing energy market in the United States, the information Baker wants homeowners to know and understand about their own dwellings could be the first step in creating an educated energy consumer – and that would be another revolution worth celebrating.

More:

Can Massachusetts Correct a Market Failure by Making Home Energy Use More Transparent?

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EnergyWakeup – Danny Kennedy From CALCEF On Cleantech Startup Investing and Innovating Utilities

This episode is sponsored by Conductive Capital, a distributed generation platform with tax efficient capital.

In this episode we speak to Danny Kennedy, managing director of CALCEF (calcef.org) and President of CalCharge. Danny has gone from activist to entrepreneur and now investor, fighting for a clean energy future for many decades.

CALCEF is the fund that is deploying early stage dollars into clean energy startups in a time when working with early stage companies could not be more important. We talk about the most pressing issues in the space and what kind of companies they are looking to fund.

In a partnership, Danny is working with global utilities in a program called Free Electrons (freeelectrons.co) that are looking to fund capital for companies innovating in the electric utility space. The leaders in this fund understand the problems facing their business model and want to work with the next generation of companies to remain competitive.

Don’t miss this episode filled with knowledge about startups, innovation and the market. Danny knows the market and shares his insights with you.

Find the episode on SolarWakeup.com, iTunes, SoundCloud and Stitcher radio. Please subscribe and share with your friends how much EnergyWakeup is helping you!

EnergyWakeup – Episode 5 – EnergyWakeup With Senator Wiener Of CA And Assemblyman Brooks Of NV

This episode is sponsored by NEI Energy Services, an EPC contractor delivering solar projects done right the first time across the East Coast.

In this episode of EnergyWakeup, Bryan and I dig into the type of leadership that needs to happen on the left. Pushing the goal posts on energy policy agenda can be done. We look at two examples and speak with the sponsors of California SB 71, Senator Wiener (CA-11), and Nevada AB 206, Assemblyman Chris Brooks.

Senator Wiener joined the California Senate after being a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He is the sponsor of SB 71 which would put solar on the roof of every new home and commercial building in California. This is similar to an initiative that he passed in San Francisco. Senator Wiener gives us some insight about politics in California in a Trump World and the possibility of passing the 100% RPS that the California Senate is pushing for and how the oil lobby is trying hard to stop it.

The legislative agenda for Senator Wiener can be found here.

Making news in Nevada is Assemblyman Chris Brooks. Brooks comes from a career in energy and has worked in the solar industry for over 15 years. We talk about the current NEM proceedings and how it may impact his bill, AB 206. AB 206 is an RPS increase to 80% by 2040 with a 50% hurdle by 2030. Assemblyman Brooks also made some news in the interview letting us know that several solar bills will be put forth this session regarding the rooftop solar policies and net metering. With a democratic Assembly and Senate, he does see the need to work with the Governor’s office to solve this and thinks it will be possible with a moderate Governor Sandoval.

In the biggest news, he does make a prediction about the rooftop solar industry in Nevada during the show that everyone will want to hear. Follow the legislation and other solar bills in Nevada’s bill tracker.

Find the episode on SolarWakeup.com, iTunes, SoundCloud and Stitcher radio. Please subscribe and share with your friends how much EnergyWakeup is helping you!

EnergyWakeup – Episode 4 – Interview With Conor McKenna From CohnReznick Capital Markets

This episode is sponsored by Conductive Capital, a distributed generation platform with tax efficient capital.

In this episode we speak with Conor McKenna, Managing Director at CohnReznick Capital Market Securities. Conor advised a $78 million tax equity investment for the Crescent Dunes Solar Project by SolarReserve. The innovation here is that the Crescent Dunes solar project uses molten salt energy storage technology from the SolarReserve concentrating solar tower site.

Conor gives us some details on the deal structure, how tax equity got comfortable with the risk of the technology and sponsor. The investors also used a tax equity structure becoming more common than the fixed time flip that many investors have used in the past.

We couldn’t leave the interview without asking Conor about his thoughts on tax reform and how it could impact the markets. What would happen if tax rates are lowered and how investors view that potential risk in their model.

At the end, he shares some thoughts about what gets him most excited in 2017, and it has to do with lowering the cost of capital. Listen now!