[Author: Joshua Rosen]
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) and Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) announced that proposed amendments to the state’s Clean Energy Standard (CES) were finalized earlier this month without substantive changes from draft language initially proposed by the agencies in April 2022.
The amendments are intended to accelerate progress towards decarbonization of the electricity sector and further ensure the state meets its goal of net zero emissions by 2050. Additionally, the agencies found that the amendments could result in long-term cost savings.
What’s the CES?
The CES, first enacted in 2017, requires retail sellers of electricity in Massachusetts to provide increasing quantities of clean electricity over time. The standard is based on a percent of total electricity sales, and in addition to…