Alice Trexler, a member of Arlington Mothers Out Front, focuses on the benefits of Arlington Local Green:
Those of us who were worried about the environment and the then-possible U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accords cheered when the Arlington Town Meeting passed Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), 177-22, in May 2016.
It finally took effect in August, and that meant more renewable energy in all residents’ basic Eversource electricity, with no increased cost.
Further, Arlington Mothers Out Front has been promoting additional 50- to 100-percent tax-deductible opt-up plans called Arlington Premium Local Renewable Energy.
Because of its work for Arlington’s CCA, Mass Energy on Nov. 6 recognized Mothers Out Front and the town for their efforts to “promote and pioneer green municipal aggregation.”
Besides Arlington, honored were Somerville, Brookline, Winchester and Sudbury.
However, there is some confusion between the town-sponsored CCA plan and other plans being marketed to residents via emails, U.S. mail and door-to-door campaigns. As the Arlington Local Green opt-up promotion has unfolded, questions have surfaced about these other renewable energy offers.
The following information explains why opting up with Arlington Local Green is the right choice for our Eversource customers, whether living in a house or apartment:
— Arlington Local Green is the only town-approved renewable-energy choice.
— Other suppliers in the state can’t offer tax benefits. Mass Energy, which sponsors Arlington Local Green, is unique as a nonprofit energy group in Massachusetts. Accordingly, the additional opt-up cost for their Arlington plan is tax deductible. (Mass Energy plans to inform consumers of the deductible amount at tax time.)
— Arlington Local Green uses the supplier, Dynergy, which sources renewable energy for Massachusetts, from Massachusetts renewable-energy infrastructure. This is not true of most other renewable energy promoted in Arlington.
— Part of your kWh payment to Arlington Green (combined with your Eversource bill) goes to Class I renewable-energy credits with Mass Energy. Such a credit, called a REC, represents the electrons from renewable energy. Most other renewable-energy plans circulating in Arlington do not offer Class I RECs.
These are important because choosing Class I RECs ensures that more renewable energy is brought onto the grid beyond what the law requires.
Non-Class I REC purchases do not encourage new projects. Purchasing RECs from non-Class I projects does not push us forward, as these projects would have been built whether or not someone buys the RECs. For more, see the Mass Energy website >>
We can now green up our community by opting up to 50- or 100-percent renewable, tax-deductible energy. The town’s choice of Arlington Local Green, supplied by Dynergy, will generate energy from Massachusetts, grow the state’s infrastructure and bill through Eversource.
Other renewable energy promoted in Arlington can’t fulfill all of these claims. Arlington Local Green offers advantages for the consumer, the town and the state.
More information: sustainablearlington.org/cca or contact: arlingtonmothers[@]gmail.com
Opt-up form >>
This viewpoint was published Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017.
