Press Release  Healey-Driscoll Administration Celebrates Solar Canopies at Framingham State University and State Police HQ

Boston — Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Elizabeth Mahony joined Framingham State University (FSU) President Nancy S. Niemi to celebrate FSU’s recently completed solar canopy, as well as a second new canopy a mile away at the Massachusetts State Police Framingham headquarters. The Healey-Driscoll Administration awarded FSU a grant of $436,000 and the State Police a grant of $317,900 to support the solar canopy projects, which will cut long-term energy costs for both organizations by more than $1.3 million and included charging ports for electric vehicles.

“Congratulations to Framingham State University and the Massachusetts State Police on their latest solar canopy project, an important step toward Massachusetts’ energy independence,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “These solar canopies will shrink long-term energy costs for each organization and make Framingham a healthier place to live and work.”

“Framingham State University and the Massachusetts State Police are great examples of how state organizations can reduce energy use, utility costs, and pollution with innovative clean energy solutions,” said DOER Commissioner Elizabeth Mahony. “We are inspired by the dedication of our state partners to reduce the costs and environmental impacts of state government and lead by example in Massachusetts’ fight against climate change.”

FSU’s 720-kilowatt DC solar canopy will reduce the campus’ long-term energy costs, provide covered parking for students, staff, and visitors, and is part of the University’s long-term plan to transition its buildings off fossil fuels. The project included charging for four electric vehicles and pre-wiring for an additional 10 parking spaces for future EV charging. The new canopy will provide FSU with an estimated annual electricity savings of 800,000 kilowatt hours. The canopy adds to the campus’ existing 182-kilowatt rooftop solar system. The campus now has four solar arrays which together provide one megawatt of solar energy a year.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration and our other partners who supported this initiative,” said FSU President Nancy S. Niemi. “At FSU, sustainability is not just a talking point—it is a core value. Our students, faculty, and staff have been vocal and passionate about the need to take real, measurable action to address climate change. As such, these solar canopies are more than an energy solution—they are a statement: A statement that we recognize the urgency of climate change and that institutions like ours must lead by example in the transition to a more sustainable world.”

In addition to FSU canopy, the Massachusetts State Police celebrated its recently completed 374-kilowatt DC solar canopy at its Framingham headquarters. The canopy will offer an annual electricity savings of 418,167 kilowatt hours and provide 31% of the facility’s annual electricity consumption. The project also included charging for six 6 electric vehicles and pre-wiring for an additional 12 parking spaces for future EV charging. The solar canopy installation is part of a larger statewide plan by the Massachusetts State Police to transition its buildings and fleet off fossil fuels. The State Police joined DOER, FSU, PowerOptions Consortium, Solect Energy, and other state and local officials for the ribbon cutting commemorating both canopies.

"The solar canopy at the Massachusetts State Police General Headquarters has allowed for the protection of our fleet and enabled us to be champions of sustainability,” said Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble. “We are grateful for the investment by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources that will allow the Massachusetts State Police to produce clean energy and be a model for sustainability across the Commonwealth.”

The two grants were the first awarded under the Department of Energy Resources’ Leading by Example Integrated Solar Grant Program, which helps state entities install solar canopies at state facilities. The Grant Program provides funding support for solar panels and related equipment, systems and costs, and supports the state’s transition to electric vehicles with EV charging equipment.

The grant program offers additional financial support for project sites located in an Environmental Justice Community, and both projects are located in designated Environmental Justice Communities and received additional funding. Together, the two projects will reduce thousands of tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the electric grid. These emission reductions lower air pollution and increase public health in the community. 

“This project is a combination of two things I am deeply passionate about: clean energy and equity," said State Representative Priscila S. Sousa (D-Framingham). "My background is in renewable energy, specifically bringing renewable energy to underserved communities and education surrounding renewable energy. It is incredibly gratifying on a personal level to see that our FSU community is committed to that same mission; it sends a message to our students - all of them - that we care about the kind of planet we leave them.”

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