Overview
In November 2024, An Act Promoting A Clean Energy Grid, Advancing Equity And Protecting Ratepayers directed the Department of Energy Resources to convene a working group to “develop recommendations for regulatory and legislative changes that may be necessary to encourage the construction and operation of solar power generating canopies. The recommendations shall be designed to contribute to the state’s greenhouse gas emission limits and sublimits established pursuant to chapter 21N of the General Laws and facilitate the development and deployment of solar canopies in a cost-effective manner.”
"The group shall submit their report to the joint committee on telecommunications, utilities and energy, the senate and house committees on global warming and climate change and the clerks of the senate and house of representatives not later than June 31, 2025."
If you have any questions regarding the Working Group, or if you would like to provide public comment, please email Cobi.Frongillo@mass.gov.
Group Membership
Working Group membership is established by statute and currently includes the following members, listed below.
| Role | Apointee |
|---|---|
| DOER Commissioner Designee (Chair) | Cobi Frongillo, Deputy Director, Renewable & Alternative Energy, Department of Energy Resources |
| Commercial Real Estate Sector | Matthew Connolly, Co-Chair, Environment and Energy, Nutter |
| Residential Real Estate Sector | Sonia Patano, Senior Vice President, Property Management, GID |
| Organized Labor Industry | Kevin Brousseau, Secretary-Treasurer, Massachusetts AFL-CIO |
| Solar Energy Industry | Valessa Souter-Kline, Northeast Regional Director, Solar Energy Industries Association |
| Environmental Group | Amy Boyd Rabin, Vice President, Policy & Regulatory Affairs, Environmental League of Massachusetts |
| Construction Industry | Gregory Beeman, President, Associated Builders and Contractors of Massachusetts |
| Electric Utility | Brian Rice, Director, Customer Solar Programs, Eversource Energy |
| Local Government | Mike Ossing, Chair, Energy and Environment Policy Committee, Massachusetts Municipal Association |
| Expert in energy siting | Jessica Robertson, Director, Policy and Business Development, New England, New Leaf |
| Expert in solar and energy efficiency | Heather Takle, President & CEO, PowerOptions |
Meetings
Kickoff: March 28, 2025 from 3:00-3:30pm
Meeting #1: April 18, 2025 from 2:00-4:00pm
- Public Meeting Notice
- DOER Incentive & Overview Slides
- DOER Solar on State Site Slides
- Solect Problem/Solution Memo
- Meeting Minutes
Meeting #2: April 25, 2025 from 2:00-4:00pm
Meeting #3: May 9, 2025 from 1:00-3:00pm
- Public Meeting Notice
- Lexington Canopy Project Slides
- Maynard Canopy Project Slides
- Wired article on balcony solar panels
- Yale study on Connecticut's solar parking canopy potential
- Meeting Minutes
Meeting #4: June 5, 2025 from 1:00-3:00pm
Language interpretation services are available upon request. To request this service, please email Cobi.Frongillo@mass.gov. Please include your name, the event name and date, the language requested, and your phone number should we have any questions.