The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has delayed the start
date of the new Clean Heat Standard (CHS) by two years. As part of the state’s NetZero by 2050
mandate, the Clean Heat Standard was originally supposed to take effect on January 1st. The
department’s action now pushes implementation of the new policy until Jan. 1, 2028.
“Governor Healey is focused on lowering energy costs. That’s why we went straight to the
public to get their thoughts on the implementation of the Clean Heat Standard. We heard a clear
desire to take additional time to implement these changes, let the market develop, and keep
costs down,” said Healey spokesperson Karissa Hand.
Established by an executive order by former Gov. Charlie Baker, the Clean Heat Standard
requires suppliers of natural gas, oil and propane to provide an increasing quota of “clean heat”
services like heat pumps, weatherization or other state-verified low-carbon options, or purchase
credits from companies providing these heating services. The Commission issued its report and
recommendations on November 30, 2022. Past HBRAMA President Emerson Clauss III
represented the association as a member of the commission.
The Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2025 and 2030 requires suppliers
of fossil fuels to serve Massachusetts’ residential and commercial customers with gradually
increasing percentages of clean heat services so that sales of fossil fuels are phased out.
MassDEP sent a letter last month to stakeholders in the thermal industry informing them
of the delay in implementing the CHS, citing a “current focus on stakeholder input and program
design.” In the letter, it attributed the delay to the need to “evaluate new fuel and emissions data,
analyze affordability trends, monitor heat pump adoption, and collect additional information.”
The CHS is a regulatory program that applies to and requires heating energy suppliers
(suppliers of fuel oil, propane, natural gas, and electricity) to provide increasing amounts of clean
heat over time. The Massachusetts CHS framework includes two purposes: 1) to demonstrate a
certain amount of Green House Gas emission reductions from the use of heat pumps and other
clean heat annually; and 2) to install a certain number of electric heat pumps annually, in line
with the pace of electrification identified in the Clean Energy and Climate Plans for the state.
Heating energy suppliers will use clean heat credits to track the implementation and use of clean
heat and, ultimately, to demonstrate compliance with the regulatory requirements set in the CHS.
To achieve the dual purposes of reducing emissions each year and setting the pace of
heat pump installations, the CHS framework describes a standard that takes the form of a
requirement to hold a certain number and type of credits each year based on emissions or
electricity sales.
The HBRAMA has been concerned about the potential effect the CHS would have on the
cost of housing. The association applauds the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s decision to delay
the implementation of the Clean Heat Standard.
More information regarding the Clean Heat Standard can be found: here