Chambers Learn About Numerous Rebates for Electric Vehicles

Have you ever driven an electric vehicle (EV) or learned how affordable they can be? A growing number of our chamber peers have been doing just that.

Kathy Brady, Executive Director, South Windsor Chamber

At the recent annual meeting of the New England Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (NEACCE), more than 40 local chamber leaders had the opportunity to put their foot to the pedal of Chevy Bolts and Volts—marking the conference’s second annual EV Ride-and-Drive.

“I never knew how many rebates existed for electric vehicles at the state and federal level and now want to have a ride-and-drive at one of our upcoming chamber events,” said Kathy Brady, Executive Director of the South Windsor Chamber of Commerce.

Local chamber leaders attending the conference also had the opportunity to learn about other clean energy opportunities and policies that help chambers and their member businesses save money, attract investments, and grow jobs.

Among them:

• Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE): An innovative financing mechanism to help businesses finance renewable energy and energy efficiency upgrades at no up-front cost. (Learn more from PACENation.)

• The Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS): A policy designed to drive clean energy development, attract investments, and grow jobs.

• Energy Storage: a key component of 21st century energy systems that increases reliability and reduces energy costs by capturing energy produced through solar or wind power and making it available when it is later needed, such as during peak demand times.

In June 2018, Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy and NEACCE will partner on a boat tour to visit the offshore wind farm off Block Island, Rhode Island. Stay tuned for more information

Pictured at top: Tom O'Rourke, President & CEO, Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce; Chris Cooney, President & CEO, MetroSouth Chamber of Commerce; Roy Nascimento, President & CEO, North Central MA Chamber of Commerce.

Energy Storage Technology Gets Local Chamber Support

Massachusetts legislators are calling energy storage facilities like the one that broke ground in Sterling, Mass., last month a “game changer” in the effort to modernize the electric grid.

Energy storage, or the capture of energy produced through solar or wind power that will be used at a later time, is a key component of a 21st century energy systems. The Sterling facility will be the largest energy storage installation of its kind in New England.

“The Wachusett Area Chamber of Commerce supports Sterling’s energy storage facility,” said Jen Stanovich, the Chamber’s Executive Director. “We salute the town of Sterling for being a leader in the Commonwealth and see great economic benefit for area residents and local businesses.”

The new facility:

• Increases overall utility efficiency, offers continual savings, and helps the utility integrate clean, more affordable power into Sterling’s electric grid.

• Will provide up to 12 days of emergency back-up power to the Sterling Police Department station and dispatch center in the event of a power outage.

• Is being developed by a local company, which helps create local jobs.

Read more about the Sterling facility in the Worcester Telegram.

Read more about how energy storage could save MA ratepayers $800 million.

MA Lawmakers Discuss New Energy Legislation with Local Chambers

Massachusetts chambers and their member companies had an engaging dialogue with Rep. Golden (D – Lowell) and Sen. Pacheco (D – Taunton) on a Sept. 20th briefing call to learn more about the recently passed energy legislation, An Act to Promote Energy Diversity (H4568). Both legislators played key roles in the new legislation and are preparing for additional steps in 2017.

The major takeaways from the call were:

• The legislation aims to create a new offshore-wind industry in MA. The bill calls for 1600 MG of offshore wind energy and positions the Bay State to attract the investment and jobs associated with this new industry. Job growth is expected in the construction of the wind energy sites as well as in the manufacturing supply chain.  States along the eastern seaboard are vying to attract these investments.

• The energy storage provision in the legislation is a “game changer.”  Storing energy in batteries and other innovative technologies will help to lower energy costs and increase the reliability of the grid.

• The pairing of hydro and wind energy will result in the efficient utilization of transmission lines, which will help to lower costs.

• The legislation allows for Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (CPACE), a 100% voluntary finance mechanism that covers the up-front cost of energy improvements on commercial properties.

• This bill is just a first step and sets the framework for future legislation.

Both legislators said they will work on clean energy legislation in 2017 that will continue to move the Commonwealth into the future. Stay tuned!

To learn more about the legislation, click here.

Battery Plant Brings Jobs to Former Philip Morris Site

Five years ago, North Carolina’s Cabarrus County lost what was once the world’s largest cigarette factory, leaving a massive 2,500-job hole in the regional economy. But recently, Alevo, a Swiss Energy Service Provider, purchased the former Philip Morris complex and plans to invest $1 billion to produce an innovative new battery technology that could prove a game-changer for the utility industry.

“Alevo’s decision to locate here is the result of four years of hard work by a partnership of local business leaders, local, county and state economic development officials and the chamber,” said Patrick Coughlin, President of the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce. “This breakthrough battery technology will help our region continue to lead the country in the emerging clean energy economy,” Coughlin added.

Founded by Jostein Eikeland, a Norwegian entrepreneur who is credited with helping to develop cloud computing, Alevo plans to hire 500 people by the end of 2015 and reach employment level of 6,000 within three years.

The move adds to an impressive portfolio of major employers with clean energy priorities bringing their business to Cabarrus County. Recently, Amazon, which has a commitment to achieve 100 percent renewable energy usage in its global infrastructure footprint, also announced it will locate a new data center in Cabarrus.

Alevo, which purchased the 2,100-acre campus for $68 million without state or local incentives, is dedicated to solving what it describes as one of the world’s greatest energy challenges: the ability to store electricity and deliver it when and where it is needed.

Eikeland told local reporters that the company plans to begin production of energy reservoirs known as GridBanks that store and deliver electricity on demand across the grid. Alevo says its product will also help utilities implement more solar and wind generation by capturing power when it is generated and storing it for later use.