What is the Three-Year Plan?
The 2008 Green Communities Act established the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Advisory Council (EEAC) to oversee the development, implementation, and evaluation of the energy efficiency plans for Massachusetts investor-owned utilities and municipal aggregators with certified efficiency plans, also referred to as the Program Administrators. These plans are required to maximize economic benefits for residents and businesses through energy efficiency programs and achieve the Commonwealth’s energy, climate, and environmental goals through a sustained and integrated statewide energy efficiency and demand reduction effort.
Every three years, the participating Program Administrators issue a Three-Year Plan that outlines the budgets, economic benefits, and energy savings for the statewide energy efficiency programs, branded as Mass Save®. Included in the Three-Year Plan are descriptions of energy efficiency and demand reduction programs that are planned to be implemented during the three years term of each plan. These programs are for residential, income eligible, and commercial and industrial (C&I) buildings.
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goals
The Commonwealth has established ambitious greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reduction goals as part of An Act Creating A Next-Generation Roadmap For Massachusetts Climate Policy. The GHG reduction goal for the 2022-2024 Plan for electric utility program administrators is emissions reduction in metric tons of CO2 equivalent (e) of 504,955. The emissions reduction for gas utility program administrators is 335,588 metric tons of CO2e. Each goal represents the emissions reductions that are projected to occur in 2030 as a direct result of investments made by the 2022-2024 plans. The Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs will establish the next GHG goal for the 2025-2027 Plan on or before March 1, 2024.
Why is the Three-Year Plan important to Massachusetts residents and businesses?
The Massachusetts energy efficiency programs offered by Mass Save are funded by utility customers. All residents and businesses located in investor-owned utility territories in Massachusetts pay into a fund through their utility bill which supports the Mass Save programs. The Three-Year Plan directs how these funds will be spent on financial incentive programs for homes and businesses.
The Three-Year planning process involves the EEAC, the Program Administrators, and members of the public to shape the programs for the next three years. Public engagement is highly encouraged during the planning process to help the EEAC understand what programs and incentive offerings would benefit the Commonwealth’s residents and businesses, and how the Program Administrators can improve existing program offerings to better serve Massachusetts customers.
The planning process for the 2025-2027 Plan began this Summer. The draft plan will be submitted to the EEAC in March 2024, and the final plan will be submitted for approval by the Department of Public Utilities in October 2024.
How can I participate in the Three-Year planning process?
1. Attend an EEAC meeting: The EEAC holds meetings every month. These meetings are open to the public and are a good way to learn about the programs currently being implemented as part of the 2022-2024 Three-Year Plan.
- Monthly meeting materials are posted here: http://ma-eeac.org/latest-council-meetings-materials/
- Meeting calendar is found here: http://ma-eeac.org/events/
2. Attend a Three-Year Planning Workshop: Throughout the Summer and Fall of 2023, the EEAC is hosting workshops to discuss important topics for the next Three-Year Plan with the goal of drafting the Council’s priorities for the next plan in late 2023.
Each workshop will focus on a specific topic area. Workshops are open to the public to attend and observe these discussions. The current schedule of the 2025-2027 Three-Year Planning workshops is below. Workshops will be held virtually and registration links for the workshops will also be posted on the meeting calendar.
Note: if you are interested in attending a workshop, materials will be posted on the Meeting Materials page ahead of each meeting.
Workshop |
Date and Time |
Topic |
Zoom Link |
---|---|---|---|
Workshop #1 |
Thursday, 8/24/2023 9am-1pm |
Commercial & Industrial Sector |
|
Workshop #2 |
Wednesday, 9/6/2023 12pm- 4pm |
Income Eligible Sector |
|
Workshop #3 |
Wednesday, 9/13/2023 12pm- 4pm |
Active Demand & Workforce Development |
|
Workshop #4 |
Tuesday, 9/26/2023 12pm- 4pm |
Residential Sector |
|
Workshop #5 |
Tuesday, 10/10/2023 1pm- 5pm |
Equity |
|
Workshop #6 |
Tuesday, 10/26/2023 9am- 1pm |
Integration of Recommendations |
3. Provide Public Comment: Public comment is critical to the EEAC as it highlights the energy efficiency needs of residents and businesses which guide the Council priorities. Public comment is welcome during the monthly EEAC meetings and written public comment can be sent at any time to MA-EEAC@mass.gov. Written public comment is The EEAC hosted two public Listening Sessions in early August. Additional Listening Sessions may be scheduled in the Spring of 2024.
4. Equity Working Group: The EEAC has also established an Equity Working Group to discuss how the Massachusetts energy efficiency programs can more equitably serve residents and businesses. Information on the Equity Working Group, MA-EEAC@mass.gov, including notices of upcoming meetings may be found on the EEAC website: www.ma-eeac.org.
Learn more about how to be involved in the planning process?
Email MA-EEAC@mass.gov if you would like to be added to the EEAC email distribution list – updates on planning and regular monthly meetings are sent to the list regularly. Questions about the EEAC, the planning process, and energy efficiency programs can be sent to this address.
Continue to check this page for updates as the planning process continues this fall.
Contact for EEAC Energy Efficiency Three-Year Planning
Online
Phone
Open M-F 8:45am-5:00pm