The following is from the Massachusetts DOER. Knollwood Energy approves the transition list each quarter so the only difference for our customers will be the amount of payment. 

“Per 225 CMR 14.06(3)(f) effective January 1, 2022, any Solar Carve-out II Renewable Generation Unit whose Opt-in Term has expired, shall no longer be eligible to generate Solar Carve-out Renewable Generation Attributes, but will remain qualified to generate RPS Class I Renewable Generation Attributes. In order to ease the transition to RPS Class I Generation Units, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) Production Tracking System (PTS) will remain the Independent Verifier for all previously qualified Solar Carve-out Renewable Generation Units. Solar Carve-out Renewable Generation Units will only be required to confirm or update their NEPOOL GIS Asset ID (Asset ID) per the following guidance:

• If a Solar Carve-out Renewable Generation Unit is the only Generation Unit utilizing its current Asset ID, it may keep the same Asset ID but must be confirmed with DOER;
• If more than one Solar Carve-out Renewable Generation Unit is utilizing an Asset ID, a new RPS Class I Asset ID must be created for each Solar Carve-out Renewable Generation Unit.

Each quarter, DOER will send transition notices via email to GIS Account Holders at the email address that is listed in the PTS for each Solar Carve-out II Renewable Generation Unit that is eligible to transition to an RPS Class I Generation Unit. Account Holders must respond to the transition notices prior to the stated deadline to either confirm the existing Asset ID or provide a new Asset ID. Any Solar Carve-out Renewable Generation Units that do not have their Asset IDs confirmed with DOER prior to the response deadline will forfeit their Class I REC production for that quarter and will be eligible to transition in the subsequent quarter. No true ups will be granted for forfeited RECs.  

GIS Account Holders can reference the Solar Carve-out II Renewable Generation Units Qualified Units List to see the last SREC eligible quarter for all qualified systems. GIS Account Holders should also confirm that the email address listed in the PTS is up to date for all systems to ensure that transition notices are received. Per 225 CMR 14.06(6), system owners are required to maintain current contact information with DOER. If an email address needs to be updated, Account Holders may submit a change request in the PTS portal. Account Holders may contact doer.srec@mass.gov with any questions regarding the transition process.”

October 1 and 15, 2022
MA DOER and Clean Cities are looking for people or groups interested in volunteering to demonstrate and talk about their experience owning an Electric Vehicle (EV), E-Bike, E-Landscaping equipment, or other clean, zero-emission technology with community members. If you are interested in volunteering, please reach out to the following people:

Saturday, October 1, 2022 – Northampton, MA – Aaron at aaronmonson@recharge-america.org

Saturday, October 15, 2022 – Westborough, MA – Pete at peter.dunbeck@gmail.com

Feel free to also contact or CC John at john.liriano@mass.gov 

National Drive Electric Week is September 24 – October 1, 2022

Massachusetts Clean Cities Coalition (MA CC) is teaming up with several organizations to host several National Drive Electric Week (NDEW), ride and drive events across the Commonwealth. 

 These events are free and open to the public.

Attendees will have the opportunity to get behind the wheel and experience an electric vehicle firsthand. Electric Vehicle (EV) owners will be in attendance to share their EV experience, learn about what electric vehicles are available locally, how and where to find electric vehicle charging stations, what purchasing incentives are available, and more! 

Saturday, October 1, 2022, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Armory Street Municipal Parking Lot Downtown North, Northampton, MA 01060

https://driveelectricweek.org/event?eventid=3474

• Saturday, October 15, 2022, 2:00PM – 5:00PM 
  • Amazon Robotics, 50 Otis St. Westborough, MA 
  • https://driveelectricweek.org/event?eventid=3562
    

To learn more about NDEW and other events near you, please visit: https://driveelectricweek.org/

AltWheels Fleet Day  

Monday, October 3, 2022
This year’s AltWheels Fleet Day, presented by Samsara, will be held in person at the Four Points by Sheraton in Norwood, MA – with Keynote Speaker, Mike Antich of Automotive Fleet Magazine.

This event is geared toward public and private Fleet & Business Managers, with a focus on clean transportation – alternative fuels, vehicles, infrastructure, and technology – encompassing electric, propane, natural gas, and biofuels.

Preliminary Agenda: View

Register: Here

  Open to all alternative fuel advocates and enthusiasts – spread the word!

If your SREC production is electronically reported, it is imperative that you determine if the communication is by cellular.  If it is, you must take action to ensure you continue to create SRECs.  More information here.

The following message is from MA DOER:

SREC Systems and 3G Phase Out Dear Solar Stakeholder, In 2022, the 3G cellular wireless networks will be phased out and it may affect the production reporting of SREC and SREC II systems.  More information on the planned phase out of the 3G wireless network is available here. If your SREC or SREC II system has telemetering equipment to report your solar production to a Data Acquisition System, you may be affected.  The phase out should only affect the production meter’s ability to report generation, while the ability to record and store production data are likely unaffected. Therefore, the 3G phase out should not affect any system less than 10kW that has been manually reporting production to Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s (MassCEC) Production Tracking System (PTS). To minimize the disruption to the market and to support system owners ability to continue generating their SRECs, DOER is sharing a list of potential options system owners may consider[1].      1)  Hardwire- If available, the metering system may be able to be hardwired into the internet and avoid using cellular services going forward.      2)  Modem Replacement- Many metering systems may be able to have the modem replaced with an LTE capable system.      3)  Meter Replacement- New meters with LTE capable systems can be installed.      4)  Switch to Manual Reporting- Effective January 2022, MassCEC’s PTS Reporting Requirements have been modified to allow SREC and SREC II systems 25kW direct current (DC) or smaller to manually report their production. The ability to manually report had previously been limited to systems that were 10kW or smaller.  For assistance in changing your SREC or SREC II system to manual reporting, please email your questions to pts@masscec.com. DOER encourages system owners to work with professional installers to assess their production meters and ensure that the installed equipment meets all of the requirements, including the MassCEC PTS Help Center- Reporting Requirements (SRECs). If you have any questions, please direct them to DOER.SREC@mass.gov. Regards, Eric Steltzer Director, Renewable and Alternative Energy Division

For our Massachusetts Customers regarding MA SREC systems:

If your system electronically reports production to MassCEC, you MUST determine if communication is by cellular or internet. If cellular, you MUST take action in order to continue earning SRECs.  Please read this entire letter to learn more about the required next steps.

In 2022 all cellular carriers are shutting off the 2G and 3G cellular infrastructure needed to operate devices based on that technology. Once the 2G/3G network is turned off, those devices will no longer automatically report production. Without reporting, SRECs will not be created and you will not receive payments.

Please note that each carrier has a different shut-off date. Plans and timing to phase out 3G services will vary by company and may change. Your installer should be able to tell you which carrier you are using.

AT&T will finish shutting down its 3G network by February 2022.

T-Mobile will finish shutting down its 3G network by March 31, 2022.

Verizon will finish shutting down its 3G network by December 31, 2022.

If your installer has already replaced your 2G/3G meter or is scheduled to do so, please notify us by emailing amy@knollwoodenergy.com.

If you are just learning of this issue now, please continue reading. To ensure your SREC payments continue, you have 2 choices for reporting.

CHOICE 1 – Switch to Manual Reporting

If your system capacity is smaller than 25 kW, the easiest option and one that will require no financial outlay is to switch from automatic reporting to self-reporting.  

Requirements for Manual Reporting

1. You must be able to read the physical solar production meter, log into your MassCEC account and enter the meter reading. Reporting into the MassCEC Production Tracking System is done monthly and takes very little time to do. It is NOT the same meter as the utility company’s net meter.  

1. Reply to Amy@Knollwoodenergy.com that you want to switch to manual reporting and she will notify MassCEC to change your account. MassCEC will send you instructions on how to report your meter reading to PTS. You will use the same username and password you currently use to log into PTS.

CHOICE 2 – Continue Automatic Reporting

If you want to continue auto-reporting, you MUST contact your installer to learn of your options, which may include the following:

1. Hardwire- If available, the metering system may be able to be hardwired into the internet and avoid using cellular services going forward.
2. Meter Replacement- a new 4G meter can be installed.

Notify jessica@knollwoodenergy.com as soon as the meter is switched to ensure reporting continues. We will need to know the date the meter was changed and the last reading on the old meter so you don’t lose any credit when the meter is changed.

If it will take several months to replace the meter, we recommend that you switch to manual reporting until the meter swap has been completed.

If your original installer is no longer in business, we can suggest the following MA installers:

Company	Contact person	Email	Phone number
New England Solar Consultants	Tom Champlin	thomaschamplin4@gmail.com (preferred)	802-793-3853
Insight Solar	Eric Wilson	info@getinsightsolar.com	413-338-7555
Novasource Power Services	Matt Alestra	matthew.alestra@novasourcepower.com	609-858-3233

Questions? Please contact jessica@knollwoodenergy.com or info@knollwoodenergy.com.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Jessica Lakritz, Clean Power and Battery Storage Specialist/Data Analyst, Knollwood Energy

The TUE Committee has announced they will hold a hearing on Wednesday, May 12th at 10am to allow for public comments and testimony on DOER’s proposed changes to RPS regulations, including the proposal to shorten SREC 1 eligibility. This is an important opportunity to voice opposition to the proposed regulations. Click here to read more about why the changes to the current SREC 1 program should not be enacted.

We strongly urge you to submit written testimony, sign up to testify virtually at the hearing, and reach out to your legislators asking them to contact the TUE Committee about this issue. Please consider taking action prior to the May 12th hearing.

The event details are pasted below and can also be found on the TUE Committee’s website: https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/3712
Event Details
Status: Upcoming
Event Date: Wednesday, May 12, 2021
Start Time: 10:00 AM
Location: Virtual Hearing

Event Description
DOER Proposed Changes to RPS Regulations

Individuals who wish to testify virtually may sign up by completing this form: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=a36UCyb_E0uuHFc8Z1DIiM6XJBkVkmZMvveI6GUY9atURFNHSzZPRjZWVUgxTVoyOVUzSkFOVE82Ni4u

Written testimony may be sent to Caleb.Oakes@mahouse.gov and Samuel.Anderson@masenate.gov. The live stream of the public hearing may be viewed under the Hearings & Events section of the Massachusetts legislature’s website: www.malegislature.gov.

Jessica Lakritz, Clean Power and Battery Storage Specialist at Knollwood Energy, will be giving a presentation during a virtual webinar titled ‘The Economics of Residential Storage in Massachusetts‘ on Dec. 3 from 1:30-3:00. Massachusetts customers and other interested parties are invited to join to learn about the new incentive program Clean Peak Standard. Register and receive the Zoom link at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-economics-of-residential-storage-in-massachusetts-tickets-129489315027

by Jessica Lakritz, Clean Peak Energy Specialist, Knollwood Energy of MA

We thank you for your patience as we get more details about the new CPEC program!  After reviewing questions regarding the latest newsletter, we’ve put together the following Frequently Asked Questions which should help clear some of the confusion.  We will also be in communication with system installers so they will be prepared to help with more technical, hardware-based questions.  Following the update, if you have any questions regarding your eligibility please feel free to contact your solar installer, or email jessica@knollwoodenergy.com. Thank you again for your continued patience! CPEC FAQ What is a CPEC? The state of Massachusetts has implemented a new program, the Clean Peak Standard, with the goal of shifting energy away from the times of highest peak usage (and therefore highest emissions and cost impact).  CPECs are the pathway through which they hope to reach this goal, similarly to how SRECs incentivize solar panel installation. Am I eligible for CPECs? You are eligible for CPECs if: Your solar facility is and has an operation date on or after January 1, 2019 Your solar facility has an operation date before January 1, 2019 and is interconnected with an Energy Storage System (battery, powercell, etc) Do I need to buy anything? If you are eligible (as per above): To opt in to CPECs, you will need a meter that can report your electricity usage every 15 minutes.  Your solar installer will be able to help you find the right technology. If you are not yet eligible: Consider looking into a home battery! Do I have to choose between SRECs and CPECs? No, CPECs will be in addition to any SRECs you already earn. How much money will I make? The number of credits you earn will be based on the amount of electricity you save during Peak Hours and will vary heavily from system to system.  There are many factors, determined by the state, that will modify the number of credits you earn.  Based on active mandates, we expect CPEC pricing in the $20-$40 range for the first few years.  Your system installer, however, will be able to provide more specifics. What is the difference between SRECs and CPECs? SRECs represent the amount of energy your system creates while CPECs represents the amount of energy saved during periods of Peak Hours. How do I get registered and start getting paid? Once you are sure you are eligible for the program and have the correct equipment, Knollwood Energy will send you all required forms. Contact: Jessica Lakritz Clean Peak Energy Specialist Knollwood Energy of MA 973-479-2070 www.KnollwoodEnergy.com Your best resource for selling and buying Renewable Energy Credits!

by Jessica Lakritz, Clean Peak Energy Specialist, Knollwood Energy of MA

Massachusetts has introduced a new way to quantify and monetize energy savings by renewable systems, the Clean Peak Energy Standard.  Clean Peak Energy Certificates can be earned by any system that “generates, dispatches or discharges electricity to the electric distribution system… or alternatively, reduces load on said system.”  In layman’s terms, this means that any system that creates, stores, and releases energy (and meets the specifications detailed below) is eligible for Clean Peak Energy Certificates.  CPEC’s are calculated using megawatts of energy saved and created per Seasonal and hourly periods with additional multipliers.

The Massachusetts Department of Energy has asserted that 1.5% of sales by energy providers must be met with Clean Peak Energy Certificates in 2020, with that percentage increasing steadily through 2050.  If your system meets the qualifications, we recommend setting up the metering system as soon as possible so you can begin making money.    

We at Knollwood Energy are excited to be a part of this new market!  As one of the largest aggregators of renewable credits in the country, we are able to help you make money as quickly and efficiently as possible.  If you have any questions or think your system qualifies for Clean Peak Energy Certificates, please reach out to Jessica Lakritz at jessica@knollwoodenergy.com.

Which Systems are Eligible for Clean Peak Energy Certificates?

Eligible systems are made up of qualified Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) Resources that are paired with qualified Energy Storage Systems.

Qualified Renewable Portfolio Standard Resources are:

• RPS Class 1 Renewable Generation Units with a Commercial Operation Date on or after January 1, 2019 and have received a Statement of Qualification and meet all other requirements
• RPS Class I Renewable Generation Units and RPS Class II Renewable Generation Units with a Commercial Operation Date before January 1, 2019, that are co-located with a Qualified Energy Storage System that has a Commercial Operation Date on or after January 1, 2019
  • Subject to additional qualifiers which can be found in 225 CMR 21.05(1)(a)1: https://www.mass.gov/doc/clean-peak-energy-standard-final-regulation/download#page=7

Qualified Energy Storage Systems:

These systems must operate primarily to store and discharge renewable energy as demonstrated by one or more of the following:

• Co-location with a Qualified RPS Resource as defined in 225 CMR 21.02 where the Qualified RPS Resource must have a nameplate capacity of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the nameplate capacity of the energy storage; (225 CMR 21.05(1)(a)2.)
• Contractual pairing with a Qualified RPS Resource that demonstrates to the Department’s satisfaction that the Qualified Energy Storage System operates primarily to store and discharge renewable energy; (225 CMR 21.05(1)(a)2.)
• Systems must be charged within periods of typically high renewable energy production as a percent of the grid generation mix, defined below; 
  • 1. Spring: twelve (12) a.m. until six (6) a.m. and eight (8) a.m. until four (4) p.m. 
  • 2. Summer: twelve (12) a.m. until six (6) a.m. and seven (7) a.m. until two (2) p.m. 8 
  • 3. Fall: twelve (12) a.m. until six (6) a.m. and nine (9) a.m. until three (3) p.m. 
  • 4. Winter: twelve (12) a.m. until six (6) a.m. and ten (10 a.m. until three (3) p.m. 

• Inclusion of an operational schedule in the Qualified Energy Storage System’s Interconnection Service Agreement demonstrating that the Qualified Energy Storage System serves to resolve load flow or power quality concerns otherwise associated with intermittent renewable energy resources. (225 CMR 21.05(1)(a)2.)

Demand Response Resources

These resources must show measurable and verifiable differences in electric usage from normal electricity consumption patterns.  Further detail on these resources will be published by the Department of Energy.

• A facility that generates electricity, including qualified RPS Resources, will not be considered a Demand Response Resource

Statement of Qualification Application

In order to obtain Statement of Qualification, the Owner or Operator of the Clean Peak Resource, or an Authorized Agent for an Aggregation, must submit a completed application to the Massachusetts Department of Energy.*

*Knollwood Energy will take care of all of the paperwork required to get your system registered in MassCEC and Nepool GIS, and approved by MA DOER, for participation in the CPEC program. The only thing a customer has to do is (electronically) sign our contract.

How are Certificates Earned?

Unlike SREC’s, which are earned based on the number of kilowatt hours a solar energy system creates, CPEC’s are a calculation of how much energy your system saves in comparison with normal energy consumption during typical “peak” energy use hours.  Thus, Certificates are only produced during the business days and hours that correspond to Seasonal and Hourly Peak electricity demand.  These Peak periods are outlined as followed:

• Spring: March first (1^st) through May fourteenth (14^th)
  • From five (5) p.m. until nine (9) p.m.
• Summer: May fifteenth (15^th) through September fourteenth (14^th)
  • From three (3) p.m. until seven (7) p.m.
• Fall: September fifteenth (15^th) through November thirtieth (30^th)
  • From four (4) p.m. until eight (8) p.m.
• Winter: December first (1^st) through February twenty-eighth (28^th)
  • From four (4) p.m. until eight (8) p.m.
• *Adjustments will be made for leap years

How are Certificates Calculated?

The number of CPEC’s a system earns will be determined by multiple factors, including a baseline of energy usage, the number of megawatt hours created during the Seasonal Peak Periods, the amount of electricity saved as a result of energy storage during Hourly Peak Periods, and other standardized multipliers.

The official formula is as follows:

“Clean Peak Energy Certificates… shall be equal to the sum of the metered average MW performance of a Clean Peak Resource for each hour during a Seasonal Peak Period [calculated through metering], multiplied by the Seasonal Multiplier, and any other applicable multipliers as described in 225 CMR 21.05(6)(c) through (g), plus the metered average MW performance during the Hour of Actual Monthly System Peak Demand, multiplied by the Seasonal Multiplier, the Actual Monthly System Peak Multiplier, and any other applicable multipliers” (225 CMR 21.05(5), pg 9)

Metering

Every 15 minutes, reports on the Megawatt performance of your Clean Peak Resource

• Reports on energy creation and usage are measured in compliance with standards and protocols established by a third-party Program Administrator
  • Exceptions to the 15 minute rule may be granted by the Department of Energy on a case-by-case basis
• Clean Peak Resources must submit metered data for all hours of the previous month
  • The electrical energy output of a Clean Peak Resource will be verified in order to calculate the Clean Peak Energy Certificates earned

Multipliers

*For a full list of multipliers, please see 225 CMR 21.05(6)

• Seasonal Multiplier: established constants that reflect the levels of emissions and magnitude of peak demands in season
  • Spring: one (1)
  • Summer: four (4)
  • Fall: one (1)
  • Winter: four (4)
• Actual Monthly System Peak Multiplier: modifies Clean Peak Energy Certificates generated during the Hour of Actual Monthly System Peak
  • Twenty-five (25)
• Existing Resource Multiplier: applies to CPEC’s generated by an Existing Resource
  • One-tenth (0.1)

KNOLLWOOD ENERGY OF MA 

We are very excited to bring our energy credit aggregation expertise to this new MA market.  Knollwood Energy is a family run business and one of the largest aggregators of renewable energy credits in the country. We have been monetizing credits since 2006. We work in all states that have SREC or REC programs.  Knollwood Energy will take care of all of the paperwork required to get your system registered in MassCEC and Nepool GIS, and approved by MA DOER, for participation in the CPEC program. The only thing a customer has to do is (electronically) sign our contract.  We do not charge our buyers a fee which means our customers typically receive the best prices for their credits.

Please contact Jessica Lakritz at jessica@knollwoodenergy.com with any questions regarding the CPEC program.

Works Cited

Official Clean Peak Energy Standard Guide (225 CMR 21.00)

Additional Resources

Clean Peak Energy Standard Updates – Massachusetts Department of Energy Website

Clean Energy Standard (General) – Massachusetts Department of Energy Website

Clean Energy Standard (General) Guide (Amend 310 CMR 7.75)

The following announcement pertains to changes to the MassCEC PTS portal, which is getting a complete overhaul.  If you self-report your production into MassCEC, it is highly recommended you participate in either the session on 7/27 or 8/10 at 2:00 to learn how you will be reporting production starting in August. Important to note, these changes are specific to MassCEC, not Knollwood Energy.  We are sending this as a courtesy to our Massachusetts customers.

“Massachusetts Clean Energy Center is excited to announce that we will be launching a new and improved Production Tracking System (PTS) on Monday, August 17th. The new PTS will have a more user-friendly design to better support all current functionalities, including on-line system registration, report production data, and fleet data analytics. The platform will also support the new Massachusetts Clean Peak Standard (CPS) Program.

The PTS provides owners of renewable energy and energy storage systems with a convenient method for tracking the production of their systems, allowing them to earn credits by participating in certain Massachusetts clean energy incentive programs. Incentives include Class I RECs, SRECs, AECs, and the anticipated CPECs (Clean Peak Energy Certificates).
To learn more about PTS, visit here.

The CPS (Clean Peak Standard) program, established by the Department of Energy Resources (DOER), is designed to provide incentives to clean energy technologies that supply energy and reduce demand during seasonal peak periods in order to reduce the emissions and costs of those peak periods. Massachusetts is the first state in the country to launch this kind of program. 
To learn more about CPS, visit here.

Please register for one of the informational session(s) hosted by MassCEC, DOER, and NEPOOL GIS by clicking on the links below.
For those unable to attend the informational session(s) listed below, all sessions will be recorded and available for future use. 

PTS users: please join the PTSOverview and Production Reporting session on either July 27th or August 10th. PTS Overview and Production Reporting will be covered from 2:00-3:30 on both days.

CPS users: please join the CPS Registration and Reporting session on either July 27th or August 10th. CPS Registration and Reporting will be covered from 3:30-5:00 on both days.”

REGISTER FOR THE JULY 27 WEBINAR HERE

REGISTER FOR THE AUGUST 10 WEBINAR HERE

By order of the BPU based on legislation passed and signed by Governor Murphy, the New Jersey SREC program in its current form will close to new systems as of 4/30/2020.  The closing is based on legislation requiring the program to close once 5.1% of the energy in the state comes from solar power. 

All systems that are in the current SREC program will stay in that program for the qualified life of their system with no changes.  Let us repeat, any system currently receiving SRECs will continue to receive them.  This change is for new systems only.

Systems need to have had a completed interconnection agreement with their utility date 4/30/2020 or earlier to participate in the current SREC program.  Otherwise, they will go into a new transition program.

The state of NJ is currently working on a successor program to incentivize future solar installations.  We will keep you updated as we hear more.