Renewable Energy Content Detail

Acton Power Choice Standard72% from MA Class I renewable energy projects Acton Power Choice Green100% from MA Class I renewable energy projects Acton Power Choice BasicMinimum renewable energy required by state law  

Eversource’s
Basic Service
Minimum renewable energy required by state law
2023 2024 2025 2026 2023 2024 2025 2026 2023 2024 2025 2026 2023 2024 2025 2026
Electricity from renewable projects in the Northeast (MA Class I renewable energy projects)*
Added by Acton 45% 45% 45% 45% 78% 76% 73% 70% – – – – – – – –
Required by state law 22% 24% 27% 30% 22% 24% 27% 30% 22% 24% 27% 30% 22% 24% 27% 30%
Total  67% 69% 72% 75% 100% 100% 100% 100% 22% 24% 27% 30% 22% 24% 27% 30%
Electricity from other clean or renewable sources*
Required by state law 37% 38% 36% 39% 37% 38% 36% 39% 37% 38% 36% 39% 37% 38% 36% 39%
Exit terms Leave any time.
No exit charge.		 Leave any time.
No exit charge.		 Leave any time.
No exit charge.		 Leave any time. No exit charge. However, large business customers may receive a billing adjustment charge or credit.

* The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires that all electricity supply products include a minimum of 59% from clean or renewable energy resources in 2023, 62% in 2024, 63% in 2025, and 69% in 2026. To meet this requirement, First Point Power must purchase electricity from MA Class I renewable energy projects and also from other sources such as trash-to-energy or nuclear. Acton Power Choice Basic meets the minimum requirement. Acton Power Choice Standard and Acton Power Choice GREEN exceed it by purchasing additional electricity from MA Class I renewable energy projects.

What are MA Class I RECs?

MA Class I RECs are renewable energy certificates (RECs) from renewable energy projects that began commercial operation after 1997, generate electricity using any of the following technologies, and meet all other program eligibility criteria:

  • Solar photovoltaic
  • Solar thermal electric
  • Wind energy
  • Small hydropower
  • Landfill methane and anaerobic digester gas
  • Marine or hydrokinetic energy
  • Geothermal energy
  • Eligible biomass fuel

Purchasing MA Class I RECs helps to create demand for more renewable energy on the New England grid. By purchasing more MA Class I RECs than is required by state law, you can help to drive the development of new renewable energy projects in our region.

What is required by Massachusetts state law?

Massachusetts state law requires all electricity suppliers include a minimum amount of electricity from renewable and clean sources, and that minimum amount increases every year. The law includes a requirement to purchase electricity from both MA Class I-eligible sources and also additional renewable / clean sources.

What are the additional renewable / clean sources referred to in the table?

The phrase “additional renewable / clean sources” refers to the renewable energy required by state law other than MA Class I RECs. Some of these sources are renewable, but not emission free, such as waste-to-energy, which is electricity generated from burning solid waste, and some of those sources are clean but not classed as renewable, such as nuclear.

How can the total renewable content exceed 100%?

Acton is committed to purchasing 100% clean, renewable energy for the additional renewable energy that it adds voluntarily in the Acton Power Choice Standard and Acton Power Choice GREEN options.

Separately, Massachusetts state law requires the inclusion of a minimum amount of electricity from renewable or clean sources in all electricity that is sold, and that comes from a combination of MA Class I sources and other sources. However, while the MA Class I sources are both clean and renewable, some of the other required sources are clean but not renewable, and some are renewable but not clean.

To ensure participants in the Acton Power Choice GREEN option are receiving 100% of their electricity from sources that are both renewable and clean, Acton counts only the MA Class I component of the state law requirement when deciding how much additional renewable energy to buy. To state it another way, Acton buys additional renewable energy to make up the difference between the required MA Class I amount and 100%.

Because Acton’s electricity supplier is also required to buy electricity from non-MA Class I sources, the total amount of renewable / clean energy purchased is more than 100% of the amount used by participants in Acton Power Choice GREEN. By participating in Acton Power Choice GREEN, you are therefore purchasing more renewable electricity than you use, but you are taking a big step toward supporting renewable energy and toward building demand for more renewable energy on our local grid.