Green Energy Times Staff

Every other year, the Clean Energy State Alliance (CESA) gives out six State Leadership in Clean Energy (SLICE) awards. CESA is a nonprofit coalition of public agencies working to promote clean technology, and the SLICE awards highlight model programs and projects that accelerate clean energy technologies and strengthen clean energy markets.

The SLICE awards are given to programs of state and municipal governments. The entries are submitted by CESA member organizations across the country. They are judged based on public benefits and results, cost effectiveness, leadership, innovation, and replicability.

One of the six 2018 SLICE awards was given to the Advancing Commonwealth Energy Storage (ACES) Program in Massachusetts. CESA honored the Commonwealth for “demonstrating effective energy storage use cases and business models, the ACES program will have impacts far beyond Massachusetts.” The ACES program was funded by the Department of Energy Resources through alternative compliance payments and is administered by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. It has provided $20 million in grants to 26 projects to develop an energy storage market in the commonwealth. It has also drawn $32 million in matching funds.

Energy storage is seen as beneficial to almost the whole economy, with special effects in the communities where the infrastructure is installed. The ACES awards were given for projects that were not only innovative but applicable through a wide range of geographic areas.

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker spoke about the SLICE award that had been given for the ACES Program. After making note of the history of innovation and leadership in the commonwealth, he said, “Through the strategic development of ways to modernize the electric grid, Massachusetts will continue to pursue a diverse energy portfolio that will reduce costs for ratepayers and help create a clean and resilient energy future.”

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) said, “Under the Baker-Polito Administration, Massachusetts has positioned itself as a national leader in the development of clean and renewable energy sources. The SLICE award is a recognition of this administration’s ongoing efforts to expand the state’s energy storage capacity so ratepayers can have access to more reliable and affordable energy options.”