As we in Duxbury join 41 other Massachusetts towns and cities to ban thin film, single use plastic bags, we can look at plastics in general to try to understand the problem some of these plastic products can cause. France has decided to take on all plastic cups, plates, and cutlery. Click here to read more about it.

President Obama spoke to The Times on climate change while visiting Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

Click here to see the full dialogue.

As published in the Duxbury Clipper, March 2, 2016

Going Solar: Residents Share Stories of Savings

BY GRAEME GROOMBRIDGE CLIPPER REPORTER

Getting utility bills in the mail doesn’t tend to bring a smile to one’s face. But for homeowners with solar panels installed on their property, getting their electricity bill is now a much more sunny experience.

On February 25, the Duxbury Free Library and Sustainable Duxbury co-sponsored a free informational presentation on solar energy. The “Panel on Solar Panels” provided an opportunity to hear from Duxbury residents about what it’s like to install and own solar panels. Experts at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center and EnergySage discussed the benefits and complexities of owning and installing solar systems.

Panel members and Duxbury residents James Kerkam, Jeanne Marie Pennvenne, and Pam Magnarelli spoke about their experiences.

For Kerkam, of 226 Washington Street, getting his bill “is like Christmas all over again…At our house, we’ve got a reversing meter. It’s great!” Kerkam showed one of his electrical bills from the previous year, saying that “there were three months where I paid nothing. And all the rest of them are very much reduced from what I normally pay. I have a 4,000 square foot house. My bill last month was about $40.”

Kerkam’s 21 panel, 6.3 kilowatt system is located on the roof of his garage and was installed by E2 Solar of Dennis in 2014 for a total of $27,000. Pennvenne, of 162 Oak Street, hired Alvin Hollis to install a ground mounted solar module on her property in 2009. The unit consists of 20 panels and cost $39,000. Magnarelli, of 45 Walker Road, has a 13 panel unit on the south-facing roof of her home and said that her system cost $36,000 in 2014.

Though the three residents each acknowledged the hefty cost of installation, they all agreed on two things: they’re happy to know they’re helping the environment and feel they made a wise investment. Magnarelli estimates that her system will pay for itself in roughly nine years from the date of installation.

Penvenne, whose groundmounted system saved the oldgrowth shade tree that covers her home, said “We know why we did this. We did this for our carbon footprint and for our grandchildren…For now, we’re just really happy we’re not paying electricity bills.”

There are incentives for solar panel owners that help to cover the cost of installation. Magnarelli got a $2,700 signing rebate, applied for a $1,700 dollar energy credit from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, got a tax credit for 30 percent of the cost when she filed her federal income taxes and received an additional $1,000 dollars back when she filed her state income taxes.

“After the first year, with the energy credits and the tax rebates, we were down to 55 percent of the original cost,” Magnarelli said.

Within that first year, Magnarelli generated three SRECs, or Solar Renewable Energy Credits, which “ended up giving us, in pocket, another $885 dollars,” she said.

Compared to the year prior to installation, Magnarelli’s household used $900 less in electricity. To further reduce costs and improve efficiency, she had a Mass Save energy audit and installed energy-efficient fixtures.

“We have not paid an electric bill since last April,” she said. “So we’ve had 11 months with no electric bill. We’re generating surpluses from April to November.”

By last November, Magnarelli had built up a credit with Eversource for about $275 dollars. Penvenne said that her first year experience mirrored that of Magnarelli’s, and that after all of her rebates, tax returns and credits, the cost of her system was down to $22,000. Similarly, her system regularly breaks even or generates a surplus of electricity.

In addtion to the three Duxbury homeowners, two people in the solar industry gave their perspectives. Andrew Belden, Director of Commonwealth Solar Programs for the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, spoke about his organization and the in-depth information behind solar energy technology and Vikram Aggarwal, CEO and founder of EnergySage, explained how is company helps consumers with choosing a solar panel system.

“We’re a quasi-state agency in charge of developing a clean energy economy in Massachusetts,” said Belden. “We develop incentive programs that help grow the market. We make direct incentives to early-stage companies that are based in Massachusetts. We also make investments in clean energy infrastructure.”

Belden gave some statistics to illustrate the importance of the clean energy economy to Massachusetts.

“The solar energy market in Massachusetts is about $700 million per year, and there are currently around 42,000 solar systems in place in the Commonwealth. Last year, Massachusetts ranked fourth in the nation for the amount of solar systems installed, and there are approximately 15,000 individuals in our state employed in the solar energy field, second only to California,” Belden said. “Massachusetts really punches above its weight class in terms of solar.”

There are several types of technology that classify as ‘solar,’ but there are two that are prevalent in residential applications. There is solar hot water, a technology that’s been around for over 100 years. It works by using solar panels to heat tubes full of water which is then used to offset the need for electricity to make hot water. The other type is solar photovoltaic systems. This technology, developed in the 1950s and 1960s largely by NASA for use in space, is robust.

“Essentially,” Belden explained, it consists of “a wafer of silicone, which is what microchips are made out of, chemically treated so that when light hits it, it produces a current.”

That current can then be used to supply power to a home. But photovoltaic panels produce Direct Current, or DC power, and the majority of electricity supplied by the grid is Alternating Current, or AC power. Therefore, an inverter is needed to convert DC power to AC power, which can then be utilized to power appliances, etc.

“In Massachusetts, we have something called ‘net metering.’ So if you’re supplying that power to your home and you don’t have enough load in your home to use all that power, what you can do is actually export that power back to the grid,” Belden. The utility then compensates the homeowner for providing that power. That is a key part of what makes solar power so economical in this state. Another driver of the solar economy is the relatively high cost of electricity; it’s more efficient to generate power with solar than it is to buy it off of the grid from utilities.

“The utilities in Massachusetts are required to buy an increasing proportion of their power from renewable resources, and of those, a specific amount needs to come from solar that’s located within the Commonwealth,” Belden said about Solar Renewable Energy Certificates. Household solar systems not only create power, but also generate certificates, which utilities need to reach compliance requirements. Selling SRECs to utilities gives the homeowner significant value. They are traded on the market and are subject to supply and demand with pricing provided by the state. SRECs can be generated for ten years.

Aggarwal of EnergySage (a company in which the MCEC invested) explained that homeowners have three options when buying a solar system: pay with cash, which translates to more cash out of pocket, but much more savings in the long run; take out a loan to purchase it, which involves no down payment but decreases savings; or have a third party install and own it. However, that company will get most of the benefits and savings are lowest.
EnergySage is an online solar marketplace. Aggarwal described it as “as the Kayak or Expedia of solar energy.” According to Aggarwam, EnergySage helps homeowners and business owners shop online for solar energy equipment and compare contractors and their credentials and ratings. Once signed up, a member identifies the location of the installation, sets their preferences and discloses their current electrical payments. EnergySage takes care of the rest. Pre-screened solar installers will create a system according to the homeowner’s needs and then submit quotes to the user via the EnergySage platform.

EnergySage provides a full listing of each contractor’s information, ratings, reviews and warranties. The quality of the equipment is also listed.

“Not all solar panels and inverters are made the same,” Aggarwam said. “There are the Hondas of solar equipment, and there are the Mercedes of solar equipment. Our goal is to help you understand that.”

This event was the third that the Duxbury Free Library and Sustainable Duxbury have co-sponsored. Sustainable Duxbury meets once a month on the first Wednesday, September through June.

In the January 20, 2016 issue of the Duxbury Clipper, in his "Thinking Green" column, Dick Rothschild laid out a number of reasons why either having solar panels installed on one’s roof or property, or buying electricity from a solar source, will beget two handsome paybacks—one financial and the other, the personal satisfaction that comes from doing good
 
On Thursday, February 25, 2016 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, a free Solar Energy Panel presentation, jointly sponsored by Sustainable Duxbury and the Duxbury Free Library, will be moderated by Duxbury’s State Representative Josh Cutler. Speakers include Andy Belden, Director of Solar PV Programs at the Mass Clean Energy Center; Vikram Aggarwal, CEO of EnergySage; and Duxbury residents Jim Kerkam, Jeanne Penvenne and Pam Magnarelli who have solar panel systems installed on their homes or property. Kerkam and Penvenne’s experiences with solar are covered in this article. Magnarelli’s and several other residents’ will be included in the third “Make Your Own Electricity” article in the February 17th edition of the Duxbury Clipper.
 
For Jim Kerkam, the increasing cost of electricity motivated him to investigate PV (photovoltaic) panels. All of his research on efficiency of panels, manufacturers and local distributors was conducted online. He notes that if one wants to install a solar system, payback might not materialize if the house is sold within five years. He also recommends asking Duxbury’s Building Department to check the structure of one’s roof to see if it can support the system.
 
Kerkam’ s panels generate 75% of his electrical needs and while installing an owned solar system like his was expensive he really enjoys looking at his monthly electric bill to see how little electricity is being used as compared to prior years. He adds, “It’s also a good feeling to know that I am helping the environment.”
 
Duxbury resident Jeanne Penvenne took a very different approach to installing a solar panel system. Like Kerkam, she was interested in saving money and diminishing her carbon footprint. Because she did not want to take down a wonderful old tree that shades her house, she decided to install a 20-panel ground-based unit that would fit easily on the acre of property she owns.
 
Because she knew that the panels would be visible, and in consideration for her neighbors, she contacted them to anticipate any objections to a solar panel installation in her yard. Her neighbors had no objections. From a financial viewpoint, the Penvenne’s system breaks even or generates a surplus of electricity.
 
If you are interested in lowering your electric bill and want concrete information on  installing a solar system, mark your calendar for Thursday evening, February 25, 2016 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm in the Merry Room of the Duxbury Free Library, 77 Alden Street, Duxbury. For more information contact Mike Wilson at mikewilson62@verizon.net or check out www.sustainableduxbury.org.

This just came in from the Environmental League of Massachusetts. It is a very good, non-partisan analysis of the impact of this recent news.

This week it was announced that Pilgrim's nuclear power plant will close by June 2019. As this major source of power is taken offline it is clear we need to find new sources of zero emissions energy to meet our mandatory greenhouse gas reduction targets under the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) of 25 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050.

The good news is new data shows wind and solar power are competing with fossil fuel plants on price. Massachusetts' offshore wind resources alone, representing more than 4,000 megawatts of new capacity, is five times the capacity at Pilgrim. With our leaders debating whether we should build two new gas pipelines across our state, we should instead be harnessing our policy tools to bring online more local solar and onshore and offshore wind. This path forward will allow our state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, maintain a reliable electricity supply, and grow our economy. Pilgrim's closure is an opportunity to continue on the path towards a clean energy future, rather than go backwards to greater reliance on fossil fuels. Read more about ELM's reaction in the Boston Globe.

Clean Energy Options After Pilgrim on NECN. Click here.

Here we go again.  Just as you resign yourself to replacing the last of those dear old incandescent light bulbs with energy saving CFLs (compact fluorescents) you are being asked to jump ship again — this time for more efficient, longer lasting LEDs (light emitting diodes).  Be brave. Hold your nose and take the plunge. You will be lowering fossil fuel use, cutting climate changing CO2 emissions and shrinking your electric bill, all at the same time. And, you will be in good company. 

     Our local Stop & Shop in Kingston has just changed all their own fluorescent lighting to LED. To get the lowdown I met Mark Macomber at the store. Mark is the Energy Project Manager for Stop & Shop’s parent company, Ahold USA. 
     All 572 fixtures in the sales area of the Kingston store have been replaced. The change to LEDs, Macomber estimates, will slash their electricity consumption by a whopping 625,000 KwH (kilowatt hours) yearly. That’s saving as much electricity as turning off the lights in 367 houses in Duxbury for an entire year. If you prefer to think, instead, in terms of climate change impact, the changeover will reduce CO² emissions by over a million pounds a year, assuming the electricity is generated by fossil fuel.  As you might suspect, there is a financial motive as well behind this change, an anticipated yearly operating cost saving of close to $100,000 plus a bulb replacement saving of another $5,000. To maximize the efficiency of the new LED lighting system, it has been equipped with wireless controls making it easy to dim lights whenever conditions permit. The Kingston store is not alone. Ahold has partially or completely retrofitted 100 of its stores in 11 states with LEDs and has adopted other energy saving techniques such as equipping rooftop air conditioning units and condensers with variable speed drives and installing solar collectors at 38 of its locations. Combined, they insure that the supermarket chain will achieve its 2008 goal of reducing its carbon footprint by 20% by the end of 2015. 
      Enough about supermarkets. Let’s turn to something about LEDs nearer and dearer to your pocketbook, namely, “How much can I save by switching to LED bulbs?”  Because I can’t count the number of light bulbs in each of your households, I’m going to have to work with averages. Yes, yes, I know you are above average, otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this column.  
     Until recently, the average American household had 47 incandescent light bulbs, ranging from 25 watts to 100 watts. To simplify, let’s say they averaged 60 watts each.  That’s a total of 2820 watts (2.82kW) per household. If you were to replace those incandescent bulbs with 9.5 watt LEDs (which deliver equivalent brightness) you could reduce that 2820 watts to 446.5 watts.  At present the cost of electricity from NSTAR is 15.04 ¢ per kWh (kilowatt hour). Assuming that you use your lights about 150 hours a month (5 hours a day x 30 days), your monthly electricity cost for lighting with incandescent bulbs comes to $63.62 (2.82 kW x $0.1504 x 150 hours). By converting entirely to LEDs it is possible to reduce that monthly lighting cost to $10.06
     Now before you rush out to Lowes or Home Depot or your local electrical supply house or hardware store for LEDs, only to suffer sticker shock, let me elucidate. LEDs are costly compared to incandescent or compact fluorescent bulbs. A 9.5 watt LED replacement for that 60 watt incandescent is going to cost about $6 each, if you buy in 6-8 packs. That’s a premium of about $4 per bulb over the cost of an incandescent or compact fluorescent. But when you calculate the LED’s yearly cost, including electricity savings and bulb replacement savings, a different picture emerges. By the time your 60 watt equivalent LED celebrates its fourth birthday it will have saved you enough on your electric bill to have paid you back the premium you paid for it plus an additional $9 in replacement bulb savings. Over the next 10 years of its estimated life it will save you another $11 in electricity plus an estimated $ 22 in bulb replacements. Your total payback?  $46. Not bad for a $6 investment - especially when you consider that you’ll also be slowing down climate change and cleaning up the air we breathe.

So, how goes the battle to eradicate those disposable plastic bags or at least to decimate their numbers? And, why is it so important to get rid of them? Let me answer the second question, first.

     Last year in the America, we used about 12 billion barrels of oil to produce over 100 billion polyethylene bags. In doing so we managed to pump another 45 billion pounds of CO² into the atmosphere, speeding up global warming. Only 3% of those bags were recycled - and where do you think the rest of them went? That’s right. The other 97% are littering the earth.  I’m not just referring to far-away places like Bahrain, Benghazi or Bangladesh. Think Duxbury. Duxbury roads, Duxbury open spaces, the street you live on, Duxbury Beach. Not to mention the oceans where these bags kill 100,000 whales, seals and turtles a year.

     Locally, the largest number of disposable plastic bags are dispensed by our supermarkets. And, to their credit, they have been making an effort to encourage reusable bag use and to be unwasteful in using the disposable kind.

Brian Houghton, V.P. of the Massachusetts Food Association, the grocery market trade group, showed me a report from the 380 some stores they represent, detailing a 33% reduction of plastic and paper bags use from 2007 to 2012. Encouraging, but we don’t yet know whether the reduction is continuing at a healthy rate because reports for 2013 and beyond are still not complete. 

            Of course the disposable plastic bag problem could be solved in one fell swoop if Massachusetts were to enact a statewide ban on their use. A bill to do just that (H696) and another which would only reduce usage (S.359) were proposed in 2013, but both died in the legislature’s Ways and Means Committee. A subsequent bill limiting use (H787) has been filed, but given the fate of its predecessors, well-funded plastic bag industry opposition and the fact that the Massachusetts Legislature fails to enact 95% of the bills proposed to it, would you be willing to place a bet on passage? Neither would I.

            Five Massachusetts towns, however, including Brookline, Cambridge, Great Barrington, Manchester and Nantucket, have enacted their own bans on disposable bags.  Each town has different regulations creating a nightmare for the supermarket chains, one which will only get worse if the trend continues.

        Recognizing that near term statewide action is unlikely and that a ban by t Duxbury would have no effect on the two large supermarkets in Kingston, Sustainable Duxbury decided to tackle the problem directly with supermarket management.  So far, two meetings have been held between a Sustainable Duxbury group headed by Janis Owens and representatives of Stop & Shop, Hannaford and their parent corporation, Delhaize America.

      Lots of ideas to eliminate or reduce disposable bag use have been generated. One proposal to eliminate disposable bags entirely, credit customers with 10 cents for each of their own reusable bags at checkout and charging them 10 cents for each reusable plastic bag furnished by the supermarket, didn’t get much traction because supermarket representatives felt it would engender too much customer resistance. Another idea, to create an express check-out lane for customers with their own reusable bags is receiving consideration. Supermarket representatives were especially enthusiastic about training cashiers to ask customers at check-out if they wanted reusable bags, giveaways of reusable plastic bags, having Sustainable Duxbury volunteers in the stores to encourage customers to switch to reusable bags, and other in-store events to promote more reusable bag use.  One of these has already materialized.

In recognition of Earth Day both Hannaford’s store manager, Steve Beane and Stop & Shop’s manager Joe Laflamme hosted reusable bag events in their stores in which Sustainable Duxbury Volunteers, Janis Owens, Fenna Hanes, Marion Thayer, Jeanne Penvenne, Mike Wilson, Jim Savicki, Paul Maybe and Dick Rothschild gave away 450 attractive reusable bags contributed by the stores. It was an opportunity to hand out information and, one-on-one, to encourage hundreds of shoppers to opt for reusable bags.

Maybe we are seeing the beginnings of a partnership between the management of these supermarkets and the community, designed to combat the scourge of disposable plastic bags. Let’s hope so. 

There is a direct connection between climate change and the piles of snow many of us have been shoveling. The connection was explained on "The World" by reporter Peter Thompson on WGBH radio. Please take a listen. It will only take 3 minutes of your time.

If you hear a remark or joke about the record snow "disproving" or being inconsistent with global warming, there's no need to bite your tongue and wait for a heat wave. It can be rebutted and become a teachable moment. "Actually," you might say, "the record heavy snows of this year and 2013 are a direct result of higher sea surface temperatures off the northeast coast. The waters from New England to Newfoundland are a global hotspot for rising surface water temperature, possible because the Gulf Stream is slowing down."
 
"The water doesn't move around much, but the air does. Due to the jet stream, New England happens to be getting almost all the unusually cold air in the U.S. right now. The rest of the country, including most of the West is unusually warm." 

"When the cold air hits the warm water and the moisture from the water, boom, we get nor-easters and big ocean effect snow events." You can check out the data yourself at this excellent web page produced by the University of Maine. Compare the "Temperature Anomaly" with the "Sea Surface T Anomaly." It's pretty dramatic.