WBMLP Language Translator ➜ GGES Emissions Standard
West Boylston’s Board of Light Commissioners Adopts Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standard (GGES)
West Boylston recognizes the importance of protecting our environment and reducing GHG emissions from our energy supply. In August 2019, WBMLP’s Board of Light Commissioners adopted a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standard (GGES). Our GGES supports the Commonwealth’s GHG emission reduction goals, while acknowledging and preserving local control of your municipal lighting plant. In 2021 the GGES become state law and now requires all (40) MLP’s to reduce greenhouse gas emissions according to the following schedule:
50% by 2030 75% by 2040 “Net-Zero” by 2050
Our GGES requires WBMLP to meet the same GHG emission reduction standards as the electric distribution companies and competitive energy suppliers are required to meet. The GGES also does the following:
- Identifies the attributes of emission free generation and purchased power that qualifies under the GGES standard.
- Allows the use all solar photovoltaic, solar thermal electric, nuclear, hydroelectric, marine or hydrokinetic energy, geothermal energy, landfill methane, anaerobic digester gas, biomass fuel and other generation qualified under the Commonwealth's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and the Clean Energy Standard (CES).
- Allows the use of environmental attributes, like REC’s, EFEC’s, and CEC’s, to meet our GHG reduction goals if these attributes are not used or claimed by any other entity other than WBMLP.
45.1% of West Boylston’s 2023 Energy Supply Emitted “ZERO” Greenhouse Gases
West Boylston already purchases or owns large-scale hydroelectricity and nuclear energy. These energy resources do not emit any GHG’s and count towards our GGES. For the past 24 years, 55.9% of WBMLP’s average annual energy supply did not emit GHG’s, mainly from these two resources. WBMLP expects our hydroelectricity and nuclear energy supplies to provide low cost and non-GHG emitting energy to all residents and businesses in West Boylston through at least 2045-2050.
West Boylston's Annual Percentage (%) of Non-GHG emitting MWh's
In the following chart, you can see how clean and renewable WBMLP’s energy has been since 1998 and how we compare to other MLP’s and electric utilities. WBMLP already meets its 2030 GGES goal and is actively planning to meet the 2040 GGES goal ahead of schedule as well.
West Boylston's (WBMLP) Percentage (%) Energy Supply Reported to Mass DEP as Non-GHG Emitting MWh's
| WBMLP w/o HQ Hydro | MLP Avg. | Electric Distribution Companies (IOU) | ||||
| IOU/Supplier Avg. | Nat. Grid | Eversource | Unitil | |||
| GGES | GWSA | |||||
| 2050 Goal | Net-Zero | Net-Zero | Net-Zero | Net-Zero | Net-Zero | Net-Zero |
| 2040 Goal | 75.0% | 75.0% | 75.0% | 75.0% | 75.0% | 75.0% |
| 2030 Goal | 50.0% | 50.0% | 50.0% | 50.0% | 50.0% | 50.0% |
| 2040 Estimate | 90.0% | |||||
| 2030 Estimate | 90.0% | |||||
| 2025 Estimate | 60.1% | |||||
| 2024 Estimate | 58.0% | |||||
| 2023 | 45.1% | |||||
| 2022 | 51.3% | |||||
| 2021 | 49.6% | 39.6% | 39.9% | 45.8% | 44% | 46.8% |
| 2020 | 49.1% | 36.9% | 26.4% | 26.3% | 26.5% | 28.0% |
| 2019 | 53.1% | 35.0% | 24.0% | 22.8% | 24.6% | 24.6% |
| 2018 | 50.1% | 32.2% | 21.0% | N/A | NA | NA |
| 2017 | 50.4% | 15.8% | 14.3% | 12.4% | ||
| 2016 | 51.5% | 12.1% | 10.1% | 11.1% | ||
| 2015 | 49.1% | 7.4% | 9.7% | 11.2% | ||
| 2014 | 48.3% | 6.7% | 8.7% | 8.9% | ||
| 2013 | 50.1% | 6.2% | 7.3% | 6.7% | ||
| 2012 | 44.0% | 3.7% | 4.6% | 5.3% | ||
| 2011 | 42.0% | 2.5% | 3.4% | 4.2% | ||
| 2010 | 49.3% | 2.0% | 2.1% | |||
| 2009** | 66.8% | |||||
| Average thru 2023 | 55.9% | |||||
Notes:
GWSA: Global Warming Solutions Act
GGES: Greenhouse Gas Emision Standard
NA: Not published separately by MassDEP as of this date.
**MassDEP AQ Reporting Stats
Source: https://www.mass.gov/lists/massachusetts-greenhouse-gas-ghg-reporting-program-data
West Boylston Owns or Purchases Energy from many Clean & Renewable Resources
We're often asked about our Energy Strategy and Sources of Generation. "Where does my electricity come from?" "Is it clean and/or renewable?" "What are we doing to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions?" The answer is: West Boylston's overall energy supply today—and forecasted through 2045-2050 is exceptionally diverse, clean and economical. It comes from a variety of non-GHG emitting resources, generated here in our community and around New England, including New York and Canada. See a more comprehensive look at WBMLP's 2021 Energy Supply. Don’t forget, not only are we halfway to NetZero GHG emissions in 2050, you pay one of the lowest electricity rates in Massachusetts!