Thanks to those who joined our 2025–2027 Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization Plan Overview webinar on Tuesday, November 5. If you were unable to join or would like to reference a portion of the presentation, we have included a link to the webinar recording below. We appreciate your continued partnership. While the Plan is still pending final approval in February 2025, we remain available to answer questions and help you and your business get ready for 2025 and beyond.
Learn more about the Massachusetts 2025–2027 Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization Plan.
Q&A
- Question: Will this webinar be placed in the HPIN learning center so we can rewatch or will it be emailed out directly to us?
- Answer: The webinar recording was emailed to everybody who registered. It is also available to view at the link above.
- Question: Will the slides be available after the meeting?
- Answer: The slides are available for download, linked above, as well as via a link to the recorded webinar.
- Question: Are rebates changing?
- Answer: Incentives for non-controlled lighting fixtures and new gas equipment are going away, except in limited circumstances. Incentives for lighting fixtures with controls will decline substantially vs 2024, effective Jan 1. Heat Pump Incentives are not changing in 2025
- Question: Have natural gas CHP systems been phased out along with gas boilers for incentives?
- Answer: Yes. Natural gas-fired CHP systems consume gas and are therefore considered gas equipment that can no longer be supported by the Mass Save Program Administrators (“PAs” or “Sponsors”). The gas phaseout has been implemented in response to Massachusetts legislation enacted in 2022 titled, An Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind, which directed the PAs to no longer support new fossil fuel equipment. Support for natural gas-fired CHP was already largely phased out during the 2022-2024 term.
- Question: If this is not going to be cemented with the state until Feb 2025, when will lighting programs change over to the new measures?Can you define and inform us about the SmallBusiness program and how that works and how to participate in that?
- Answer: Changes take effect January 1, 2025. There are two Small Business pathways: (1) Turnkey, where vendors contracted by the Mass Save Sponsors conduct site audits and complete installations. (2) A Customer Directed Option (CDO), where customers select their own vendors to complete projects. Please reach out to us to find out more details.
- Question: Thank you for the presentation. Very helpful. Does EBCx include early equipment retirement programs/investigations?
- Answer: The primary focus of existing building commissioning (EBCx) is on optimizing the performance of existing systems through controls optimization and maintenance practices. The EBCx approach is also expected to identify capital measures (HVAC retrofits, envelope improvements, etc.), which would be handled through existing program pathways.
- Question: Where can we learn more about the EBCx incentive opportunities?
- Answer: There is some information on the new offer in the Plan (under the C&I Existing Buildings offering). The new offer is expected to fully launch mid-2025, and more details will be available then.We're currently compiling a list of potential service providers. If you have expertise in EBCx, please reach out to express your interest.
- Question: What is the process to be "certified" to perform commercial building commissioning?
- Answer: The PAs are compiling a list of potential service providers. Providers with expertise in EBCx should reach out to us to express their interest. The new offer is expected to fully launch mid-2025
- Question: Anything on battery storage in the plan?
- Answer: The PAs will continue to support battery storage through the ConnectedSolutions offerings in both the C&I and Residential sectors under the existing mechanisms in place during the 2022-2024 term. Details can be found on the Commercial & Industrial and Residential webpages.
- Question: Has there been any discussion about lower embodied carbon enhancements for retrofit measures (thinking insulation?) rather than just new construction?
- Answer: To date, no, the PAs have only considered supporting embodied carbon reduction in construction materials for new buildings. If DPU approves the PAs’ planned support for embodied carbon in new buildings, the PAs may explore similar offerings for retrofit materials.
- Question: What is the timeframe for a rebate offer and acceptance that should be expected when working on a large scale Multi-Family project?
- Answer: Timeframes vary depending on specific project characteristics. Contact your PA to get an estimate for your specific project.
- Question: How are you funding the 5 billion dollars for these programs?
- Answer: The Massachusetts 2025–2027 Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization Plan is primarily funded by electric and gas ratepayers. The PAs have actively sought additional funding to supplement ratepayer funds. More details may be found in the Plan (section 2.2.7, pages 76-87).
- Question: How can an engineering firm that is not a preferred vendor (via the RFP) participate and receive financial support to provide custom analysis for customers?
- Answer: In 2024, the PAs issued a multi-state RFP to solicit Technical Assistance (TA) services for the 2025–2027 term. This RFP covered all Massachusetts PAs and several of our affiliates implementing energy efficiency programs in adjacent states. The RFP was sent to 100 potential bidders, and vendor selection and contracting is being finalized. Although the PAs expect to rely exclusively on vendors selected through the TA RFP for most engineering services, additional opportunities include:
- In 2025, the PAs anticipate soliciting services from Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx) providers.
- The PAs are exploring options to pay non-contracted vendors for completing decarbonization scoping studies, most notably Comprehensive Building Assessments, which combine ASHRAE level 1 audits with electrification planning. Details will be forthcoming in 2025.
- Individual PAs periodically solicit engineering services for specific program offerings.
- Answer: In 2024, the PAs issued a multi-state RFP to solicit Technical Assistance (TA) services for the 2025–2027 term. This RFP covered all Massachusetts PAs and several of our affiliates implementing energy efficiency programs in adjacent states. The RFP was sent to 100 potential bidders, and vendor selection and contracting is being finalized. Although the PAs expect to rely exclusively on vendors selected through the TA RFP for most engineering services, additional opportunities include:
- Question: Was the proposed 3-year plan fully integrated into the 2024 C&I technical assistance vendor RFP?
- Answer: Yes, the 2024 C&I technical assistance RFP scope considered our 2025–2027 plan needs as it was being developed. There was one exception: EBCx vendors were not selected through that process, except to the extent that they would provide review of EBCx savings calculations.
- Question: Is it possible to apply some of your workforce development investments toward high school student trainings?
- Answer: We have a separate program designed and funded to support K-12 education. Learn more about available programs here.
- Question: Has the roll-out of new AMI meters set to happen soon been factored into the support for "grid-interactive efficient building designs" and EBCx?
- Answer: Massachusetts customers with at least 200 kW of demand are typically on time-of-use rates. While Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) will enable more precise time-of-use measurements of customer curtailment actions for smaller buildings, the grid-interactive efficient buildings and EBCx offerings are targeted primarily at large C&I customers with at least 1.5M kWh of demand, which typically equates to over 200 kW of demand. Because of this, AMI will not enable additional functionality in most buildings targeted by these efforts and has not been factored into the support.
- Question: For customers who want the tier 1 heat pump rebate in 2025, how do we handle installing a complete 410a system if the cut off is 12/31/24 to switch to components of 454B and still get them the $250/ton rebate?
- Answer: This is a Residential offer, and it will not be launched until after the Plan is approved by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU). DPU will issue its order on the Plan no later than February 28, 2025, after which the PAs will implement this offering, assuming it is approved by DPU.