Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | October 10, 2016 | Worcester Business Journal 13 TALK TO US AND SEE WHY WE'RE DIFFERENT. Paul Hurley, Vice President 617-594-4755 | paulh@prismenergyservices.com CUSTOMIZED Energy Management Solutions Building A New World Energy efficiency is bigger than ever. More companies are investing in lighting, HVAC, building envelope, natural gas, and water conservation solutions. It's not just about saving money anymore—it's about taking control of your environment, enriching your building's appearance, and improving employee comfort and productivity. A cookie cutter approach doesn't work anymore. To maximize your results, you need a customized approach that is both flexible and cost-effective. Customization is Our Specialty Prism Energy Services has been providing customized energy efficiency solutions since 1998. Our method is different—we focus on identifying cost- effective solutions based on your goals. We can help you: • Control your building's performance • Energize operations and productivity • Improve your bottom line • Promote sustainability GREEN SOLUTIONS… ONE SOURCE The company that builds and installs the critical systems in virtually every type of facility is the same company you can rely on to maintain them. For 50 years, our clients have trusted us to provide sustainable, more efficient, greener facilities. We are experts in: Energy Systems and Incentives Building Automation Technologies Sustainable Design and Operation 196 6-2016 196 6-2016 860.871.1111 Toll Free: 800.741.6367 nemsi.com License #'s: E1-104939 • S1-302974 • P1-203519 • F1-10498 • SM1-192 • MC-1134 MECHANICAL • ELECTRICAL • PLUMBING • SHEET METAL • BUILDING AUTOMATION • FACILITIES SERVICES lish itself here in Massachusetts. "The legislation clearly articulates that no project can be more expensive than the previous project, so every project is forced to step down in terms of cost by legislation. Commercial vol- ume in the marketplace and competi- tion will see that decrease to the point where … we think that offshore wind will be cost competitive," he said. A place for fuel cells The legislation created a pathway for fuel cells, by adding them as an eligible power source for the state's alternative portfolio standards requirements, which involves clean energy technolo- gies that are not traditional renewables. Fuel cells allow customers to generate their own power on-site, and to isolate themselves from the grid when the grid goes down, said Charlie Fox, senior director of regulatory affairs and busi- ness development for Bloom Energy, a California-based fuel cell technology manufacturer. "Now we're in a situation where a customer, irrespective of their energy profile, can now look at various options and access the one that is most suitable for them," Fox said. The new law also established a path- way for commercial property owners to finance energy improvements through the new Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) pro- gram. The program allows business owners to finance renewable energy upgrades through a property tax assessment on their building. In order to participate in C-PACE, each city and town has to pass an ordi- nance, said Laura Canter, executive vice president of finance programs at MassDevelopment. "We see it as being a way to take on some of the things that really do make energy efficiency not as widely adopted as it really could be, and we look for- ward to working with every city and town to pass a local ordinance that allows them to opt-in to this program," Canter said. Winding down solar subsidies In April, a few months before the legislature would finalize its omnibus energy bill, the state made some strides in the solar industry. The public net metering cap on solar projects was raised from 5 percent of a utility's peak load to 8 percent, and the private cap was bumped up from 4 percent to 7 percent. Total jobs: 15,095 Total companies: 403 Solar resource rank: 40th out of 50 states Average electricity price from solar: 17.11 cents/ kWh Solar jobs per capita rank: 2nd out of 50 states Massachusetts solar industry Source: The Solar Foundation Matthew Morrissey, vice president of Massachusetts at Deepwater Wind While the raising of the cap allowed stalled solar projects to move forward, it was also a less generous incentive than in the past, O'Connor said. That's because solar is now more established in the commonwealth. "The cost has gone down substantial- ly, so it's time for the public sector to pull back the contribution they're making. It was a healthy next step in the evolution of that industry," O'Connor said. Timothy Roughan, director of energy and environmental policy at National Grid, said customers who are able to zero out their electric bills through net metering create issues for utility com- panies. Customers who net meter their electricity are reimbursed at the retail – rather than the wholesale – rate for their power, meaning they don't pay for transmission and utility maintenance costs. They also don't contribute to the state's greenhouse gas emissions reduc- tions or community solar programs, Roughan said. "Folks who are now upset about the net-metering regime and a loss of per- centage of the credits, really need to recognize that ultimately, we're all part of this together," he said. "If we allow a growing subset of customers to opt out of paying, that's really not fair to the rest of us who are also in the mix." Predicting the future As a result of the new law and trends in the industry, the region's energy mix will diversify, O'Connor said. "While people have said that the power that comes from these [wind and hydro] facilities might be 30 percent of Massachusetts' consumption, a better way to think of it is 15 percent of New England's consumption," he said. "That consumption is going to be put on a long-term trajectory with 20-year con- tracts, where the price is predictable, the greenhouse gas initiatives can be counted upon and will be delivered, and we can achieve the goals and the stability the legislature was looking for." Fox said the only thing that's for cer- tain is that there is always room for new, transformative technologies. "There are things that we cannot yet think of that will play a major role in the energy picture 10 years from now," he said. "They will have a profound effect on our fight against climate change." P H O T O S / R O N B O U L E Y W

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