BOSTON — A year after a Massachusetts utility first hit a cap on the reimbursements paid to solar energy producers, Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday signed a law to lift the cap…
The new law was the result of a compromise bill crafted during five months of negotiations between the House and the Senate. The final result is still only a short-term fix. It has drawn some concerns both from sides – the solar energy companies and the utility companies, who have been battling over this issue.
But lawmakers said the compromise bill was the only way to allow solar projects to continue being built in Massachusetts for at least another year while lawmakers and the administration continue to consider what incentives are necessary in the long term to keep the solar industry growing while not over-charging other electricity ratepayers.
“I believe this compromise, while not perfect, while not ideal, is an important step to keep solar working in Massachusetts,” State Sen. Ben Downing, D-Pittsfield, chairman of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, said during Senate debate on the bill last week.
Read the full article at MassLive.com.