By Aliza Heeren, Marketing/Green Homes Fellow and Chiara Favaloro, Marketing Fellow
Are you interested in supporting renewable energy, but don’t have the resources to install your own solar panels? Do you live too far away from a wind turbine? We have the perfect solutions for you! New England Green Start and New England Wind are programs available through Mass Energy, which allow you to ‘green’ your energy by making an easy change right on your electric bill!
Here’s how it works- Massachusetts residents have the right to choose their energy supply. If you are a customer of National Grid or Eversource, you have the choice to have your energy come from renewable sources such as wind, solar, and low-impact hydro through New England GreenStart and from 100% Massachusetts wind power through New England Wind. Although the energy used in your home will not be directly from these sources, by choosing to make the switch to New England Green Start or New England Wind, you are voting with your dollar in support of local renewable energy sources. This system is possible because of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECS), which tag and track one megawatt hour of renewable electricity. These RECS can be sold separately from the actual electrons generated by renewable sources, and the owner of that REC is the owner of the electricity it represents.
Switching over to renewable energy sources adds an average of just $12 (which is tax deductible!) to your monthly electric bill depending on how much your bill typically costs. You can more accurately calculate your estimated costs here. Interested in making the switch? Sign up online or by calling 1-800-287-3950.
