2010 is the Year for Solar Power in MA
The state of Massachusetts has already started to make some great leaps forward in the use of solar power over the past couple of years. However, it is believed that 2010 is really going to be the year that solar power makes a big leap forward in this state. This is due in large part to a push by Governor Deval Patrick who promised that he would help make the state one of this country's best hubs for renewable resources. He's entering a new election year, which has motivated him to really make good on that promise. The result should be a stronger set of solar power options for the entire state.
The past two years have really been positive in terms of solar power development in Massachusetts. Over 1200 rebates have been issued through the Massachusetts Commonwealth Solar Program. These rebates served to help finance solar panel projects throughout the state at the residential level as well as at the commercial and municipal levels. These rebates have created enough new solar power to provide energy to over three thousand homes in the state.
That's a good start but it's really just a drop in the bucket when it comes to the state's energy needs. There are over six million people living in Massachusetts so a lot more energy is required than just enough to power 3000 homes. What the governor is promising is that 2010 will be the year that a major push forward is made to bring solar power energy to a much larger percentage of the state. A variety of different programs are being put into place to make this happen.
One great example of a new Massachusetts solar power program is the completion of a multi-city project that has installed solar power in seven different locations. The goal of this project is specifically to reduce the damage done to air quality when fossil fuels are used by replacing those fossil fuels with solar power energy alternatives. It is predicted that the project will result in the reduction of over 4 million pounds of carbon dioxide in the state over the next twenty-five years. That's definitely a big solar power push and just one example of projects that are really getting off the ground in Massachusetts right now.
Sources: http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/3795215, http://www.cbs3springfield.com/news/now/80479777.html
Publish Date: 2010-01-23 10:41:33
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