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
This simply means that 50% of West Boylston’s annual energy supply (MWh’s) must come from clean and renewable energy generation, like solar, wind, hydroelectricity, and nuclear energy by 2030. Our overall goal is essentially net-zero emissions or 100% clean and renewable energy by 2050. Net-Zero allows for the fact there will be a need for natural gas fueled balancing and backup energy generation during certain times of the year when solar and wind generation is less productive.
WBMLP is and will continue do our best to minimize price increases and ensure reliability, while meeting our Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goals. The graphic above shows where we've been—and where we're going!
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.
Over 49% of West Boylston’s 2023 Energy Supply Emitted “ZERO” Greenhouse Gases
In 2023 West Boylston purchased or owned a significant amount of clean and renewable energy from solar, large-scale hydroelectricity, and nuclear generation. These energy resources do not emit greenhouse gases (GHG’s) and count towards our annual GGES. For the past 14 years, approximately 56% of WBMLP’s average annual energy supply did not emit GHG’s. WBMLP expects our solar, wind, hydroelectricity, and nuclear energy supplies to provide low cost and non-GHG emitting energy to all residents and businesses in West Boylston through 2050 and beyond.
WBMLP reports our non-emitting energy supply through two different methodologies. The first and most important reporting methodology is the GGES mandate. The GGES counts all our clean and renewable energy resources that include specific environmental attributes or attestations that cannot be claimed by anyone else. The second methodology is how we report our clean and renewable energy to MassDEP through forms AQ312 and AQ32. This reporting methodology does not recognize some of our clean and renewable energy like imported hydroelectricity from Hydro-Quebec. The entire energy supply of Hydro-Quebec is approximately 98% non-GHG emitting from its many hydroelectric generating facilities, but MassDEP requires generator unit specific metering. WBMLP’s GGES does not require generator unit specific metering if we purchased the energy with an attestation that no one else can claim the non-GHG emitting attribute.
West Boylston's Annual Percentage (%) of Non-GHG emitting MWh's
The following chart summarizes our annual percentage of clean and renewable energy since 2009 and how we compare to the MLP average, the electric distribution companies, and competitive suppliers. WBMLP will meet the 2030 GGES 50% mandate in 2024! And, we already have secured enough clean and renewable energy to meet the 2040 GGES 75% mandate in 2030. Please keep in mind that WBMLP’s annual reporting of non-emitting MHWs is based on our GGES methodology. The average annual percentage of clean and renewable energy from the (40) MLPs, the electric distribution companies, and competitive suppliers is based on MassDEP annual reports, since these are the only publicly available reports we can compare too.
WBMLP's Greenhouse Gas Emission Standard (GGES): Percent Clean & Renewable Energy Comparison
| MLP Average, Electric Distribution Company (IOU), and Supplier Percent Clean and Renewable Energy, per MassDEP AQ31/32 Reporting | ||||||
| WBMLP | (40) MLP Avg. | IOU/Supplier Avg. | Nat. Grid | Eversource | Unitil | |
| GGES | GGES | GWSA | GWSA | GWSA | GWSA | |
| 2050 Mandate | Net-Zero | Net-Zero | Net-Zero | Net-Zero | Net-Zero | Net-Zero |
| 2040 Mandate | 75.0% | 75.0% | 75.0% | 75.0% | 75.0% | 75.0% |
| 2030 Mandate | 50.0% | 50.0% | 50.0% | 50.0% | 50.0% | 50.0% |
| 2040 Estimate | 90.0% | |||||
| 2030 Estimate | 90.0% | |||||
| 2025 Estimate | 64% | |||||
| 2024 Estimate | 62% | |||||
| 2023 | 49.6% | |||||
| 2022 | 56% | |||||
| 2021 | 55% | 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 | 55.4% | |||||
Notes:
GGES: Greenhouse Gas Emission Standard applies to MLPs
GWSA: Global Warming Solutions Act applies to electric distribution companies (IOUs)
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!