Tufts Now
Summary
Supporting affordable low-carbon energy solutions for large entities like colleges and universities was the focus of a gathering held at Tufts on July 17.
The focus was on new legislation in the Energy Affordability, Independence, and Innovation Act proposed by Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey. The legislation’s provisions to advance geothermal energy and utility connection reform would help both universities and all ratepayers save on their energy bills, while also supporting local housing affordability, said its proponents.
“The need for climate action is urgent and colleges and universities want to lead by example,” said Dano Weisbord, chief sustainability officer and executive director of campus planning at Tufts. “To do so, we need modern laws and regulatory frameworks that foster cost-effective implementation, and we need access to capital that will allow us to continue to dedicate our resources to researchers who are devising climate solutions and developing the next generation of leaders.”
“The legislation would require electric utilities to provide flexible interconnection solutions to reduce customer costs and timelines for interconnection, at no cost to other customers,” said Lungo-Koehn. “This would have the added benefit of allowing new development—including new dorms and residence halls—to interconnect faster, getting new housing online and reducing demand for limited affordable housing supply.
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