Just went to an all morning meeting on PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy), a means of financing energy efficiency and renewables through property taxes, a method that has been successful for commercial and industrial buildings in Connecticut and even residential properties in Vermont.  MA passed PACE legislation in 2010 but has yet to finance a single project.  Senator Brian Joyce is sponsoring this legislation to amend the current legislation which requires cities and towns to issue bonds and transfer that responsibility to a state-wide program, as has been done successfully in Connecticut.

This is probably one piece of legislation that would do a lot to accelerate energy efficiency and renewables in the commercial and industrial real estate sectors and needs a public push to gain the attention, and votes, of the legislators.

More information is available from Senator Brian Joyce, State House, Room 109D, Boston, MA 02133  617-722-1643 Brian.A.Joyce@masenate.gov