BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration has awarded five grants totaling $2,889,285 to Massachusetts businesses to fund infrastructure projects in an effort to increase the availability of low-carbon, renewable heating fuels.
The grants, funded by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), are part of the Renewable Thermal Infrastructure Grant Program, an initiative focused on expanding the availability of renewable thermal technologies in Massachusetts.
The Town of Plymouth received a $228,000 slice of the pie. The money will be used to build a mixing tank that precisely blends biofuel with conventional heating fuels.
“Renewable heating is critical to reducing the Commonwealth’s greenhouse gas emissions and meeting our targets under the Global Warming Solutions Act,” said Governor Charlie Baker.
“Supporting these technologies is an investment in our local economies, the sustainability of our energy future, and expanding heating options to our residents and businesses.”
Grant awardees are required to match at least 50 percent of the project costs, which will result in approximately $6 million dollars of infrastructure upgrades across the Commonwealth. Funded projects include woody biomass processing and delivery equipment, testing of modern wood heating and emission control devices to current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards and the installation of a tank to blend eligible biofuels with conventional heating oils.
With updates to the Alternative Portfolio Standard (APS) regulations encouraging greater use of renewable thermal technologies, both residents and businesses in the Commonwealth are now able to earn incentives for meeting their heating needs with renewable energy. New renewable thermal technologies included in the APS include air and ground-source heat pumps, modern wood heating, liquid biofuels, biogas and solar hot water.
“Our administration is committed to ensuring that communities across the Commonwealth have access to clean, affordable energy,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito.
“With this investment, Massachusetts continues to lead the nation in renewable energy by providing increased access to the resources needed to heat homes and businesses comfortably.”
By TIM DUNN, CapeCod.com News Center
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