On February 25, 2022, DOER notified stakeholders that it had posted on Commbuys a Request for Quote (RFQ) to procure a consultant to undertake a Technical Potential of Solar Study. The RFQ is available on here.
The Study proposes to undertake five tasks including:
Task 1: Stakeholder Engagement: Develop and implement a stakeholder engagement plan to inform the direction of the study. The plan should have a focus on engaging environmental justice populations.
Task 2: Spatial Analysis: Develop and implement a methodology to rank preferred and least preferred sites. The analysis should take into account both environmental and economic factors in assessing the potential for solar in Massachusetts.
Task 3: Greenhouse Gas Analysis: Undertake a lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions assessment that compares the generation from the solar facility against the lost sequestered carbon from the conversion of the land.
Task 4: Policy Considerations: Conduct an assessment of Massachusetts solar policies and informed by stakeholder feedback, develop policy considerations to continue to advance solar in Massachusetts.
Task 5: Develop Online Resources and Report: Create an accessible and engaging online resource to share the results of the study. In addition, develop a report to ensure stakeholders without access to internet can have information about the study.
Stakeholders who are interested in staying informed and providing input on the direction of the study are encouraged to subscribe to the “Solar- Technical Potential Study“ list available on DOER’s website.