Solar Energy Letters
Read Doug Pope’s thoughts, concerns, and proposed actionable items to ensure progress continues with energy generation in Massachusetts.
June 18, 2023
Emergency Action Solar
Doug Pope writes to Secretary Tepper and Secretary Hoffer regarding Emergency Regulations, Tariffs and Land Use Considerations.
March 22, 2021
Interim Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2030 (2030 CECP, EEA)
Doug Pope writes to Secretary Theoharides commenting on the 2030 Clean Energy and Climate Plan (CECP). This letter focuses largely on how the CECP affects the solar industry and gives recommendations on how to create a more definitive and declarative plan.
October 27, 2021
Agricultural Solar Tariff Generations Unit Guideline Comments
Doug Pope writes to Eric Steltzer of the Department of Energy Resources with comments on the proposed changes to the 2018 Agricultural Solar Tariff Generation Unit Guidelines and how best to move forward with the program.
January 25, 2022
D.P.U. 20-75, AGO Retention of Experts and Consultants—Request for Comments
Doug Pope writes to Secretary Marini about concerns over the experts hired by the AGO, the financing of EPS infrastructure, and the several scenarios that need to be explored in order to arrive at the lowest cost of financing for the ratepayer.
July 29, 2021
Saving Ratepayers Hundreds of Millions in Interest
Doug Pope writes to Secretary Kennealy about his proposal to bring a structured finance solution to Massachusetts ratepayers with, what he hopes will be, help from the Secretary himself to lead the cross-departmental efforts and push these concepts through.
May 28, 2021
D.P.U. 20-75 Reply Comments: Distributed Energy Resource Planning and Cost Assignment
Doug Pope writes to Secretary Marini commenting on the steps that need to be taken in order for the Interim 2030 CECP and 2050 Next Generation Roadmap goals to be met, including direct responses to the Department of Utilities’ three discrete topics of its investigation.
May 21, 2021
D.P.U. 20-75 Reply Comments: Second Set of Information Requests for the Department of Public Utilities to Non-EDC Participants
Doug Pope writes to Secretary Marini about Stakeholder comments and a second set of information requests regarding the need for larger rate basing of required infrastructure improvements in order to see substantial progress.
April 13, 2021
D.P.U. 20-75, Attachment B-IR’s to Stakeholders
Doug Pope writes to Secretary Marini about Stakeholder comments and the request that the Department issue a provisional ruling that will immediately set a fixed cost for interconnection, related impact and group study fees and enforceable timelines.
February 5, 2021
D.P.U. 20-75 Reply Comments: Distributed Energy Resource Planning & Assignment and Recovery Cost for the Interconnection of Distributed Generation
Doug Pope writes to Secretary Marini replying to comments from a previous letter on December 23, 2020 regarding the distributed energy resource planning and recovery cost for the interconnection of distributed generation.
December 23, 2020
D.P.U. 20-75 Distributed Energy Resource Planning & Assignment and Recovery Cost for the Interconnection of Distributed Generation
Doug Pope writes to Secretary Marini about policies regarding wind, solar, storage and other DG, distributed energy resource planning, and the recovery cost for the interconnection of distributed generation to ultimately help Massachusetts in achieving its GWSA goals.
June 01, 2020
SMART Public Comment
Doug Pope writes to Kaitlin Kelly at the Department of Energy Resources about land use regulations, compensation rate transition and how establishing a trunk line policy of installed solar capacity will assist in the larger picture of meeting emissions obligations by 2050.
March 20, 2020
D.P.U. 19-55 High Volume Interconnection Queues
Doug Pope writes to Secretary Marini about the high volume interconnection queues, covering an ISA In-Series Application case study, the planning of interconnections for solar and other DER through 2030, and overall guidance from the 19-55 working group.
February 28, 2020
D.P.U. 19-55 Cost Causation for Interconnected Renewables
Doug Pope writes to Secretary Marini commenting on the current policies in place regarding interconnected renewables and recommending a new proposal where cost causation does not rest solely on the interconnecting party.
January 18, 2019
Support for Offshore Wind and Vineyard Wind Connector
Doug Pope writes to Secretary Beaton and Ms. Patel in support of the Vineyard Wind Connector—the country’s first commercial-scale offshore wind project onshore in Barnstable, Massachusetts which would produce 800 MW of clean, renewable energy.
October 11, 2018
Solar Generation as a Percentage of Massachusetts Consumption
Doug Pope writes to Governor Baker imploring his administration to establish a solar policy that states that 25% of Massachusetts electricity consumption shall be supplied by solar generation by 2030 to keep jobs, careers and energy generation within the state.