Commonwealth Conversations: Energy Smarts

Video of the Week

Madeleine Barr
Multimedia intern, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA)
View Madeleine's Bio

Today we are starting a new Video of the Week series in which we highlight a clean energy video from the Commonwealth. With so many great clean energy stories happening across the state, it will be difficult to pick just one. 

This week, we have two videos that feature energy measurement projects that were funded by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 – which just had its third year anniversary and has resulted in a paycheck for more than 6,500 clean energy workers.

Through the Enterprise Energy Management Systems (EEMS), EnerNOC is installed energy meters at state-owned buildings so that facilities managers can see just how much energy is being used.  Using this information they will be able to make adjustments in their own consumption.  This video highlights how Fitchburg State University utilizes EnerNOC technology to reduce their overall energy costs. 

Our second video this week is of the Massachusetts Hospital School; it is an institution that provides medical, rehabilitative, educational, recreational, and vocational services to children and young adults with disabilities.  The mission of this school is to help the students achieve their full potential in all aspects of daily life.  By staying aware of energy consumption through EnerNOC software, the Mass Hospital School can spend its money on assets valuable to their students’ growth as opposed to wasting the limited funds on unnecessary energy use.  This video shows just how they do it. 

Know of a video that you’d like to see on the blog? Share it in the comments section below. 

Infographic: Clean Energy in Massachusetts

Dan Burgess

Clean Energy Fellow, Department of Energy Resources

View Dan's Complete Bio

You can download the text of this infographic here.

How to make the most of farm energy projects

Gerry Palano

Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency Coordinator, Department of Agricultural Resources

View Gerry's Complete Bio

If you have been following this blog, you are already aware that the Patrick-Murray Administration has set ambitious renewable energy and efficiency goals for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  If you are a farmer, you may want to know where you can find more information about and assistance for becoming more energy efficient and/or producing renewable energy as part of your farm business. 

The Massachusetts Farm Energy Program (MFEP) is the one-stop shop for Massachusetts farmers who are looking to take on their own project. MFEP is a joint project of Berkshire-Pioneer Resource Conservation and Development Area RC&D and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR).  The project was developed with prior support from the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service. Recently, the MFEP released a set of five best energy management manuals, one for each of the major farming sectors: dairy, greenhouses, maple, orchards and vegetable farms, and a fifth for renewable energy systems.  

MFEP has worked with over 300 farmers since the project was initiated in 2008, and assisted in leveraging $4,200,000 for farm energy projects implementation, resulting in over 110 projects completed on 70 farms. In total, these projects save farmers $740,000 annually - an average of $10,500 per farm - through the reduction of energy use or replacement with renewable energy, and reduced carbon emissions from the Massachusetts agricultural sector by approximately 9,000 tons annually.

These Massachusetts Farm Energy Best Management Practices Guides include equipment specifications, costs and payback periods, and renewable energy technologies. They will help farmers identify opportunities, estimate financial savings, and find technical and funding resources to reduce energy use, minimize carbon emissions, and improve farm viability. As more information becomes available, the hope is to expand the guides for other farming sectors. 

To celebrate the release of these guides, a networking event was held last fall at Bramble Hill Farm in Amherst.  It linked farmers with energy experts and resources, including state and federal agencies, installers, vendors, and public utilities, to initiate on-farm energy projects. A similar event is being planned for the southeast Massachusetts area this year.

As more farms implement practices such as in those found in the Best Management Guides and utilize some of the energy incentives available for implementation, not only will farmers save considerable amounts of money, they will also reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions throughout the state. This will be a welcome contribution to the Commonwealth’s goals and the sustainability of agricultural in Massachusetts. 

The Massachusetts Farm Energy Best Management Practices Guides are available here and at the DAR’s Energy Program website.  For more information on the Massachusetts Farm Energy Program, visit www.berkshirepioneerrcd.org/mfep and for more information on the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, visit www.mass.gov/agr.  

A year in review…the clean energy revolution continues

Mark Sylvia

Commissioner, Department of Energy Resources (DOER)

View Mark's Bio

This week, President Obama and Governor Patrick both confirmed their visions for our clean energy future. In the State of the Union speech, the President talked about the “promise of clean energy,” and said “nowhere is the promise of innovation greater than in American-made energy.” In the Governor’s State of the Commonwealth address, he brought it home, reminding us that the Green Communities Act fundamentally shifted our state’s energy focus toward efficiency and renewable energy.  

Our nation-leading energy policies are producing results across the board.  Massachusetts citizens, businesses, state entities, and local governments - including 86 designated Green Communities - are taking advantage of the economic and environmental rewards of investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy. We’re creating clean energy jobs, reducing municipal operating costs, using less energy and adding cleaner energy. And we’ve received national recognition for our efforts.

Take a look at the advances in our energy agenda from last year (for the best view press play, click 'More' and view 'Fullscreen'). 

You can also view the Massachusetts 2011 Clean Energy Year In Review on this site or you can download 2011 Massachusetts Clean Energy Year in Review.

Under Governor Patrick’s leadership and support of renewable energy, the clean energy industry grew nearly 7 percent in Massachusetts last year, and added thousands of jobs. We’ve added tens of thousands of kilowatts of renewable generation – enough to power over 25,000 households – since 2007.  

This past fall, Massachusetts was ranked as the No. 1 state in the nation for energy efficiency by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) for “excelling in every aspect of energy efficiency” and continuing “the implementation of the 2008 Green Communities Act.” Massachusetts’ success in renewable energy was also underlined in the fall, when Governor Patrick was awarded the Solar Champion Award by the Solar Energy Industry Association. 

None of our success would be possible without the hard work of the more than 63,000 people working in 4,900 Massachusetts clean energy companies, weatherizing homes, designing energy efficient buildings, installing solar panels for electricity or heating, and tuning up high efficiency furnaces. It also wouldn’t be possible if homeowners, renters, landlords, business owners and municipal leaders didn’t see the benefit of investing in energy improvements that provide savings and value today, and well into the future.

It’s been a thrilling first year as commissioner and I look forward to continuing my work with you as we create a cleaner energy future together. 

Keep current with clean energy newsletters

Dan Burgess

Clean Energy Fellow, Department of Energy Resources

View Dan's Complete Bio

Previously on this blog, I shared Twitter accounts you can follow to get up-to-the-minute information on clean energy in Massachusetts. In this post, I’m going to fill you in on which state agencies produce energy-related newsletters. Subscribing to these online publications will give you a better understanding of the ongoing efforts by multiple agencies to ensure a cleaner energy future for the Commonwealth. 

---

Green Communities Divison 
DOER’s Green Communities Division empowers cities and towns to find innovative ways to reduce their energy use and costs. The Green Communities newsletter features a message from Director Meg Lusardi and updates on renewable energy and energy efficiency projects and programs across the Commonwealth. Check out the latest newsletter from this fall  and subscribe to receive future updates.

 

---

Massachusetts Department of Agriculture (DAR)
DAR produces a bimonthly newsletter, Farm and Market Report, which gives a great overview of the latest news from farms across the Commonwealth. Each report includes an ‘Energy News’ section that highlights projects and gives an update on funding and workshop opportunities for Massachusetts farmers who are interested in efficiency and renewable energy solutions.

---

Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC)
 MassCEC is a quasi-public agency, which serves as a clearinghouse and support center for the clean energy sector. Timely email updates cover everything from new program announcements to funding opportunities. This is a must-subscribe for anyone looking to stay up-to-date on clean energy in Massachusetts.

---

Massachusetts Recovery and Reinvestment Office (MRRO) MRRO is responsible for managing federal stimulus funds that were directed to state agencies by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. To keep residents informed and up-to-date on this progress, the MRRO typically sends out weekly updates on Friday. A recent update featured three clean energy projects directed by the DOER. 

---

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) 
MassDEP’s EnviroMatters newsletter features environmental stories from across the state and often includes clean energy updates. The most recent newsletter features a story on streamlining organic waste rules to foster clean energy.

 

---

EnergySmarts   
This blog’s monthly newsletter provides a recap of timely stories. This newsletter is a great way to keep in touch if you aren’t a daily visitor. You can subscribe by e mailing join-env-maenergysmarts@listserv.state.ma.us.

 

---

Do you have other favorite Massachusetts clean energy newsletters you subscribe to? Please share them by posting yours below in our comments section.

Harvesting the sun for hot water on farms

Gerry Palano

Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency Coordinator, Department of Agricultural Resources

View Gerry's Complete Bio

Jess Cook, Berkshire of Pioneer RC&D (BPRC&D), program manager for our Massachusetts Farm Energy Program and Devon Whitney-Deal of Communities Involved with Sustainable Agriculture (CISA) contributed to this post. The Farm Energy Program is a collaboration of BPRC&D and DAR helping to provide technical and financial assistance for farms across Massachusetts.

On the evening of August 22 at Crossroads Farm in Ashfield, a crowd of more than 20 neighborhood farmers and agricultural producers gathered for a solar thermal workshop hosted by the Massachusetts Farm Energy Program and CISA. This workshop highlighted the practical farm use of solar hot water, current funding opportunities for solar thermal, and what steps farmers should take to installing a solar thermal system.

Solar thermal – solar heated air or water – is a practical technology with a proven lifespan and range of applications for farms (in addition to residential and commercial uses). Depending on the system used, water heated by the sun can reach between 140-170 degrees Fahrenheit. At those temperatures the water can be used for farm facility cleaning; farm housing and kitchens; food processing; aquaculture; space heating via radiant floors in farm offices, shops, packing sheds, or milking parlors; or under-bench or soil heating in greenhouses.

 
To determine if a solar thermal system is appropriate for their needs, farmers’ learned to evaluate several factors including: the volume of water needed to heat; if the season of energy production need matches the highest production period for solar energy in the summer; and what the target temperature is for air or water.

If you’re considering solar hot water, this is a great time to move ahead! The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) launched a Commercial Solar Hot Water Program, which commits funding resources for solar thermal plans (pre-design studies) and construction rebates. The studies are useful for farms that need heat for radiant floors, greenhouse heating or yogurt-making.

Solar thermal projects are also eligible for the Federal Business Investment Tax Credit or Treasury Cash Option worth 30 percent of the solar thermal system installation cost. (The Cash Option expires this December 31, 2011.)

Here are some tips to get started. 

• Learn more about the technology and establish your current and future farm heating needs by reviewing your energy bills and speaking with installing contractors service providers.
• Talk with installers – request an on-site assessment, consider equipment options, and talk through costs and payback periods.
• Read up on MassCEC resources and funding support.
• Inquire with your public utility regarding support for efficiency upgrades for existing heating systems using electricity or natural gas.

Please contact our Massachusetts Farm Energy Program for assistance moving from project concept to implementation, and ask to be placed on our waiting list for a soon to be released copy of our guide for solar thermal use on farms, Massachusetts Farm Energy Best Management Practices!

Visiting “green acres”

Scott J. Soares

Commissioner, Department of Agricultural Resources

View Scott's Complete Bio

Earlier this summer, I traveled to Western Massachusetts with Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan, state legislators, and representatives from the US Department of Agriculture, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), and our Massachusetts Farm Enhancement Program to see what farms are doing to adopt renewable energy and implement energy efficiency measures that will cut agricultural operating costs and decrease energy use.

First stop, Red Fire Farm in Granby.  Ryan and Sarah Voilland’s certified organic farm is the largest Community Supported Agricultural (CSA) operation in the Northeast. CSAs allow customers to buy shares of seasonal crops on a weekly basis. They recently received a DAR Agricultural Energy Grant to install a photovoltaic system, which will provide for 30 to35 percent of the farm’s annual energy needs. Throughout the project, Red Fire Farm used local businesses that assisted with the supporting structures and inverters for the system.

Second stop, Winter Moon Farm in Hadley. This farm is owned and operated by Michael Docter. Part of the organic farm is rented to the CSA Next Farm Over, which has over 400 members and also grows organic produce. Winter Moon built two green energy projects completed with state and federal assistance.

• Project 1 - Cold Storage: Winter Moon worked with DAR’s Farm Energy Program to understand options for providing cold storage in a recently-purchased former tobacco barn, all with the intention of extending its “buy local” season. The cold storage facility provides winter-long storage of local carrots, beets, turnips and rutabagas that are intentionally grown in extra quantities for sale to local markets.  The new cooling system maintains a consistent temperature of 34 degrees and near 100 percent humidity. DAR helped fund the project design through the Agricultural Environmental Enhancement Program.  
• Project  2 – PV: The farm also sought to furnish its south-facing barn roof with solar PV panels. Built by local contractors, the system generates over 35,000 kWh annually and provides all the electricity needs of the farm’s current operation. The PV project received funding support from DAR’s Agricultural Energy Grant and the USDA.

Third Stop, the Mapleline Dairy in Hadley. Mapleline is a family-operated dairy and milk bottling facility owned by the Kokoski family.  In addition to 190 dairy cattle, the farm grows crops including corn, alfalfa and hay. Mapleline’s latest green energy project is a roof-mounted PV system on its dairy barn, which is expected to offset approximately one-third off the farm’s milking operation energy needs. The project was a collaborative effort between DAR and MassCEC.

In the end, we all enjoyed a great day of camaraderie, a local lunch at Cook Farm (ending with fresh raspberry ice cream), and great discussions about clean and renewable energy at each stop along the way.  We recognized how important it is to have a collaborative approach to make renewable and energy efficiency projects like these succeed.  We’re lucky to have such a bountiful and innovative agricultural industry here in Massachusetts. Go local, go green.

Solar and farming synergy

Gerry Palano

Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency Coordinator, Department of Agricultural Resources

View Gerry's Complete Bio

Sometimes competing interests can cultivate innovation. With demand for fresh, locally grown and raised foods increasing in recent years for consumer supported agriculture (CSAs), farmers markets, farm stand sales, and local food offerings in our restaurants and supermarkets, there is also an increase in demand to preserve local rich and fertile farm land. At the same time, demand for clean energy systems, such as ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) systems, means an increased need for local land resources, sometimes those very same rich and fertile lands.

The acknowledgement of these competing interests has led to some creative and cost-effective solutions including one in South Deerfield. Several local design-build PV installation firms, including Berkshire Photovoltaic Services, PV2, Moss Hollow, Cotuit Solar and Nexamp, work with farms and DAR when integrating ground-mounted PV systems on farms. These systems are placed either on non food-producing or marginal soils or on dedicated centralized towers or sloping roof structures that allow land use underneath or can also serve as storage facilities.

 
UMass Amherst’s Agronomy Lab (the Crop and Animal Research and Education Center Farm in South Deerfield) hopes to further these efforts by demonstrating and studying a different tactic – mounting PV on “traditional” field racking but with columns high enough and spaced apart enough to allow room underneath and adequate sunlight penetration for animal grazing and the raising of crops.

As proposed to DAR’s FY2011 AgEnergy Grant Program by Professor Stephen J. Herbert, Ph.D., Director for the UMass Extension Center for Agriculture, the 70-panel, 16.45 kilowatt PV project's purpose is three-fold. First, it examines and documents the results of implementing ground-mounted solar energy technology on farm land while simultaneously producing a crop. It also is designed to produce an electric power source to offset power usage at the research farm. Finally, the project will demonstrate how this type of PV can be implemented by a farm cost effectively.

Project measurements of ambient light levels and plant matter and economic analyses will provide a meaningful evaluation of plant growth effects and the benefits to farmers. The initial project started with 70 panels, but will expand to 106 panels to include additional innovations.

UMass Amherst raised funding for this effort from a combination of sources, including the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture, UMass Extension Center for Agriculture, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and DAR. Two private sector interests are also participating, including Berkshire Management Group Director Michael Lehan and David Marley, manager of Diversified Construction Services, LLC.

We’re thankful for UMass for its efforts to raise awareness about dual-use clean energy projects to preserve precious farm land and lead the way toward our clean energy future.

Cape Cod Organic Farm now harvesting solar power

Gerry Palano
Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency Coordinator, Department of Agricultural Resources
View Gerry's Complete Bio

Dan Burgess
Clean Energy Fellow, Department of Energy Resources
View Dan's Complete Bio

In Barnstable, the Cape Cod Organic Farm recently flipped the switch on a new homegrown product: solar energy. This organic farm is now home to a 9.84 kW solar array that will power the electricity needs of the entire farm with clean, renewable electricity. The Cape Cod Organic Farm is a diverse vegetable and small poultry operation that is both a CSA (consumer supported agriculture) and a farm stand. Tim Friary manages the 12.5 acre business and has been farming in Massachusetts for over 15 years. When we last visited the site, Tim told us that he was happy with the solar installation and was already enjoying watching the numbers on the meter rise as the solar energy they collected turned into electricity.

In order to utilize the land as efficiently and sustainably as possible, a longstanding mantra for farmers in New England, the farm worked closely with Cotuit Solar of Cotuit, the design-build installing contractor, to locate the PV structure off of the usable soils. The final project design includes a dual-use structure that supports the PV panels and also provides cover to tractors and other farm equipment.  The photos below show the front and back of the solar panels:

       

The project was completed with technical assistance from the Massachusetts Farm Energy Program (MFEP) and financial assistance from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allocated through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program, and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR) Agricultural Energy Grant Program.

If you live on the Cape or visit during the summer, make sure you stop by the Cape Cod Organic Farm to check out their fresh produce and their new solar installation. Make sure you tell Tim we sent you!

Interested in finding out more, visit these sites. 

DAR’s Agricultural Energy Grant Program

Massachusetts Clean Energy Center

Massachusetts Farm Energy Program (MFEP)

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service Environmental Quality Incentives Program

Follow Friday: The Energy Edition

Dan Burgess

Clean Energy Fellow, Department of Energy Resources

View Dan's Complete Bio

Are you looking for the latest energy news and updates in Massachusetts? You have come to the right place. The Energy Smarts blog provides an inside look into state energy policies, stories, and events that are happening across the Commonwealth. If you are also looking for up-to-the-minute updates, there are several state officials and agencies that are using Twitter to communicate about energy in Massachusetts. Here are my recommendations on which Twitter accounts you should follow for the latest in energy news.

---

Department of Energy Resources - @MassDOER

From gas prices to solar installations and appliance rebates, the Department of Energy Resources Twitter feed is the place to go for all things energy in Massachusetts.

---

EEA Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr. - @MassEEA

Energy and Environment Affairs Secretary Sullivan actively tweets from energy-related events and highlights related news stories. A recent tweet from the Secretary: Massachusetts leads clean energy revolution again, new facility tests #wind blades 90 meters long R http://yfrog.com/h7q11brj

---

Massachusetts Clean Energy Center - @MassCEC

This quasi-public agency provides support for the clean energy sector and communicates the latest renewable news and updates. A recent tweet from this account: Check out this video on why MA is well positioned to take advantage of the burgeoning clean energy marketplace http://video.ft.com/v/983210935001/Massachusetts-reaps-a-wind-and-svestolar-har

---

Agriculture Commissioner Scott J. Soares - @AgCommishSoares

A frequent tweeter, Commissioner Soares often highlights energy policies that impact the agriculture community. My personal favorite from earlier this year: Flipping the switch on "Cow Power" in MA! Good for farms, our environment and our economy! http://www.telegram.com/article/20110519/FLASH/105199932

---

Department of Energy Resources - @MassGreening

State staff assisting the Massachusetts private sector with energy programs (efficiency, renewables, clean energy).

---

Energy Smarts blog - @maenergysmarts

This blog's official Twitter handle, follow the feed to get information on the latest energy blog posts and other energy news from across the state.

---

Governor Deval Patrick - @MassGovernor

An outspoken advocate of clean energy and an active new media user, Governor Patrick's account is the most popular on this list and is a must follow for anyone who is interested in Massachusetts policies and events.

---

If you are interested in connecting with other officials and agencies online, you can find a comprehensive list of Official Commonwealth of Massachusetts Social Media Accounts online.