Journalist Emma Murphy covered the Town's Brookline Green Electricity program in the July 19 Brookline TAB. The article explains the state-mandated auto-enrollment structure and describes the program's three product options, allowing consumers to choose how much additional renewable energy—0%, 25%, or 100%—they purchase. Although the state mandates that 12% of electricity supplied to consumers come from new renewable resources, increasing 1% every year, at that rate the state will not meet its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by the year 2050.
Read the article at:
http://brookline.wickedlocal.com/news/20170719/brookline-launches-renewable-energy-program-with-opt-out-system
In concrete terms, participation in the standard 25% product would help Brookline displace 34 million pounds of polluting carbon dioxide emissions annually—the equivalent of running twelve 1.5 MW wind turbines instead of burning fossil fuels. No other action we can take will result in carbon emission reductions of this magnitude.
For the typical household consuming 600 kilowatt hours of electricity monthly, the 25% product costs $2 to $3 more per month compared with Eversource’s basic service. And, a federal tax deduction for the cost of the additional renewable energy is available, offsetting some of the price difference. Alternatively, the program’s Brookline Basic option is less expensive than Eversource’s.
As BOS Chair Neil Wishinsky states, "Brookline Green Electricity empowers consumers to exercise their right to select a more competitive supply rate, to choose how their electricity is generated, and to send a clear message about the need for more renewable energy options from suppliers."