The Massachusetts legislature has passed climate legislation to empower the state's fight against climate change and accelerate progress towards achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
To support the growing offshore wind industry, which will provide clean power and new jobs, the legislation allows future offshore wind contracts to be set for terms of 15 to 30 years instead of the previous 20-year maximum. It also directs the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) to review the effectiveness of existing solicitations in contributing to state emissions requirements and ensuring high labour standards in clean energy, including offshore wind, clean energy generation, and storage procurements.
Additionally, the legislation requires DOER, in consultation with the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), to issue guidance on long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) between offshore wind developers and municipalities, including approved aggregation plans. The bill also expands existing tax credits for offshore wind facility employers, who now only need 50 full-time employees to be eligible for tax credits and refundable credits for capital investment.
