NECEC President Peter Rothstein Issued the following statement following Massachusetts Governor Baker's State of the Commonwealth address:

"NECEC commends Governor Baker for recognizing the region’s energy needs and challenges. The administration’s bill to allow utilities to procure large scale clean energy resources—including hydro—has potential to be even more valuable by making sure we combine hydro with in-region wind energy and the necessary transmission needed to deliver the energy to customers. This is an important opportunity to stabilize energy costs, diversify our clean energy mix and invest in the region, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said NECEC President Peter Rothstein. “At the same time, solar energy was not a success for either the Baker Administration, the Legislature or the Commonwealth in 2015. Today, solar development is effectively stalled in 175 Massachusetts communities due to the failure to address the net metering cap. While the Governor’s legislation as well as House and Senate bills are serious efforts, the lack of a collaborative effort among the Administration, Legislature and clean energy industry to find common ground to move solar forward remains a critical, incomplete priority that calls for clean energy leadership in 2016.”

NECEC (Northeast Clean Energy Council and NECEC Institute) is the premier voice of businesses building a world-class clean energy hub in the Northeast, helping clean energy companies start, scale and succeed with our unique business, innovation and policy leadership. NECEC includes the Northeast Clean Energy Council (a nonprofit business member organization), and NECEC Institute (a nonprofit focused on industry research, innovation, policy development and communications initiatives). NECEC brings together business leaders and key stakeholders to engage in influential policy discussions and business initiatives while building connections that propel the clean energy industry forward.