News this week that Harvard will receive nearly $250,000 from the state for a variety of energy efficiency projects is praiseworthy for two reasons.
First, it wouldn’t have happened without the hours of work put in by the town’s seven-member, all-volunteer Energy Advisory Committee over the past several months. Demonstrating compliance with the five criteria of the state’s Green Communities designation and grant program each year is no cakewalk, nor is completion of the application forms needed for each project proposal. Once a project is approved, there are purchase orders to be issued, milestones to be met, and quarterly reports to be filed, administrative tasks committee members have taken upon themselves in the past. With some of this year’s grant money earmarked for project management, the committee hopes to hire outside help to assist with its work. But meantime, we think a round of applause is due committee members for their commitment to energy efficiency and their willingness to do whatever it takes to advance the committee’s goals.
Second, it’s worth noting that the energy-saving work enabled by this year’s grant would not have been possible without the money that flows from the carbon allowance auctions held under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, of which Massachusetts is a member, as well as payments made by electricity suppliers that do not meet their statutory obligation to purchase a sufficient percentage of renewable energy. These regional initiatives, along with those of other states, show that it’s possible to lower energy consumption and continue to develop clean energy alternatives even as our national government takes steps to do the opposite. We’re lucky to live in a state that values such efforts, and we hope Harvard will continue to leverage the programs that Massachusetts provides
