by Sue Kim
Do you know LORI? If you don’t, you should get acquainted. No need to be shy – LORI is super friendly and is frequently seeking to green up local businesses and communities. You may think you don’t know LORI but actually you have been helping LORI aid others in realizing their renewable energy objectives every time you pay your electricity bill if you live in the Commonwealth.
LORI isn’t a “who” but is actually a “what”. LORI is the acronym for the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust’s Large Onsite Renewables Initiative that provides grants to area schools, businesses and communities that seek to install renewable energy systems to power their facilities.
The grants are funded through a small surcharge (of $0.0005 per kWh) imposed on the bills of all customers served by investor-owned electric utilities or competitive municipal utilities in the state. The grants awarded through LORI are used to fund feasibility studies as well as actual design and construction of proposed renewable energy systems that are greater than 10 kW and located on commercial, industrial, institutional or public sites. Renewable energy technologies that qualify for funding include: wind energy, fuel cells, hydroelectric, landfill gas, and advanced biomass power conversion. (Solar photovoltaic projects are funded through another initiative known as Commonwealth Solar.)
LORI has recently completed its 6th round of funding. Approximately $3 million in grants were awarded to 9 renewable energy projects that include wind, hydroelectric, biogas, and fuel cell technologies that will add an additional 5 MW of clean energy generation to the Commonwealth. The facilities that were awarded grants range from a Berkshire ski resort, a regional high school, the MBTA, and supermarkets in Chestnut Hill and Dedham.
If you’re affiliated with a Massachusetts-based business, school, or community and you’re looking to clean up your power source – think about introducing yourself to LORI. If LORI likes you, you could score some green to get green!
For more information: http://www.masstech.org/renewableenergy/large_renewables.htm
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