missed the Northampton Mayoral debate focused on sustainability issues but quotes that I read afterwards has me optimistic about the direction Mayor Higgins is headed, and unconvinced that Michael Bardsley understands the current opportunities that are on the horizon regarding residential energy efficiency.
Higgins should be given credit for hiring Chris Mason, Northampton’s energy officer, who is more connected to the issues that affect Western MA and our city, han many Staff at DOER in Boston. The ESCO project is important and also deserves credit.
Mayor Higgins mentioned her support for municipal financing to make home retrofits accessible to more people. This is excellent news that she is ready to implement this cost effective financing tool for Northampton homeowners (see more info on PACE below) This is truly productive thinking that will be embraced by all when the State makes it legal.
The little I heard of Bardsley’s plan for ‘greater leadership’ on Green Energy issues included ramping up MassSAVE participation and employing a grant writer to respond to RFP to fund renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. In several months, Massachusetts will have the most dollars spent per capita on Utility energy efficiency programs- which MassSAVE is central component of. The utilities charge us rate-payers each month to fund this program. The city will be better served pursuing other options to increase residential energy efficiency- options that will add local jobs, result in deeper energy savings per house. MassSAVE is very important and successful at what it does. Lets let the utility companies fund and energize its outreach and recruitment in our town, and not allocate precious resources to this program when other creative solutions are soon to be locally available.
I like the idea of the City pursuing more grants for energy efficiency upgrades- Bardsley got this right. Indeed Higgins and the Energy Officer should be seeking partnerships with local experts in local businesses and at our colleges and university, to appeal for project specific funding via state and federal grants for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. However, as fundraising to ensure school budgets is not a sustainable option, nor is relying on ARRA (stimulus) funded grants to implement a sustainable structure to provide more energy efficiency projects in the City. This effort should be done only in conjunction with with a broader effort that seeks input from the local service providers such as energy auditors, insulators, architects, solar installers, and builders.
