Author: Joe Uglietto
Our industry has to deal with enormous threats to its existence each and every day. Many of us have gotten used to the usual suspects…state legislatures considering electrification mandates, clean heat standards that regulate all heating fuels, EV and electric equipment incentives to entice our customers to make the switch. But another approach is gaining steam and will add to the squeeze should it become commonplace. This new-ish threat comes to us in the form of Building Performance Standards.

A Building Performance Standard is yet another attempt to regulate emissions, deployed primarily at the state and local levels. Colorado, Maryland and Washington have already enacted Building Performance Standards. Boston, New York City and Washington, D.C. have joined the party at the local level. And Cambridge, MA is expected to enact its own Building Performance Standard later this year.

The goal of a Building Performance Standard is to reduce emissions in commercial and industrial buildings. A worthy goal to be sure. But as with the rest of the electrification plans that fit into the “nice idea, not so nice results” category, the devil – and the cost – is always in the details. Let’s take a look at a local example, that of Boston’s Building Performance Standard.

Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) is Boston’s recently enacted standard. BERDO sets requirements for all qualifying large building within the city limits to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions gradually, with a goal of net zero by 2050. Buildings larger than 20,000 square feet or with 15 or more individual dwelling units are required to reduce their carbon footprint on an annual basis. All buildings must be carbon neutral by 2050, but the annual reduction requirements range based on the building use. Healthcare facilities, universities, multifamily housing, manufacturing/industrial, and all other building uses will have different reduction requirements. All qualifying buildings will be required to report their emissions on an annual basis to the state. The entire carbon footprint of the building is measured; electricity, heating, hot water, and any other activity that produces greenhouse gas emissions. If a building does not reduce its emissions by the required amount each year, Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) will need to be purchased or the building owner will be required to pay a fine in the form of an Alternative Compliance Payment (ACP) per ton of carbon dioxide emitted above the requirement. Unfortunately for these buildings, there is no incentive for reducing emissions beyond the minimum requirement.

As we have seen in virtually every state that has attempted to adopt narrow policies or regulations to force electrification on its consumers and businesses, the unintended – and in some cases, intended – consequences will be significant. Building owners will incur increased costs whether they are actively complying with the standard or paying for RECs or fines. In either case, operating costs will increase, rent will increase and consumers will bear the brunt of these regulations.

Building Performance Standards are just another example in a long line of legislative and regulatory threats to our industry that will squeeze our businesses, impact consumers and have a negligible impact on reducing emissions. It will be critical that we remain vigilant as individual business leaders and as an industry to vocally oppose these kinds of harmful and poorly thought-out regulations anywhere and everywhere we can.

Renewable Energy Insights is a regular column by Joe Uglietto, president of Diversified Energy Specialists, a leader in the renewable energy markets and consultant to the industry with a focus around emissions reductions and renewable energy innovation.

Hear what our clients have to say about us

“Working with Joe at Diversified Energy Specialists has been nothing short of a blessing. Reporting figures to the Massachusetts APS program can often be a daunting task, but Joe makes the process painless. He consistently delivers strong return on our credits and as an added bonus, he’s a super nice guy!”

— Christopher Chase, President, PayLessforOil.com

Author: Joe Uglietto

The energy industry is undergoing an enormous transition and the number of states that are considering regulatory programs to achieve their carbon-reduction targets is growing by the week. Over the next few years, heating oil, propane and natural gas companies across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic will be dealing with increasing requirements to reduce their carbon impact. We can expect these new regulations will affect the price of our products and the day-to-day operations of how nearly every energy company conducts its business. Here’s a quick snapshot of what’s on the table around the region.

Massachusetts recently released a Clean Heat Standard (CHS) discussion document and straw proposal, with the goal of implementing a CHS by the beginning of 2024. A Clean Heat Standard is a market-based regulatory program that would require heating fuel companies to reduce the carbon intensity of their fuel by a certain percentage each year, typically aligning with the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals. If these companies reduce the carbon intensity of their fuel by more than the goal each year, by blending biodiesel or other renewable fuels, they will generate credits that can be sold in the market for a profit. If these heating fuel companies do not reduce the carbon intensity of their fuel by the goal each year, they will be required to purchase credits in the market to meet the compliance requirements within the program.

Legislation for a Clean Heat Standard in Vermont was passed by the VT House in March and is likely to be voted on in the VT Senate in April. In New Jersey, Governor Murphy issued an Executive Order that required the Board of Public Utilities to conduct an 18-month study on the adoption of a Clean Heat Standard. Maryland has hired the Regulatory Assistance Project, the consulting firm that is helping design the Clean Heat Standards in Massachusetts and Vermont, to provide guidance in meeting their greenhouse gas reduction goals. Pennsylvania and New York are considering Clean Fuel Standards, which are transportation-focused regulatory programs aimed at achieving carbon reduction. Both states are considering including heating fuels as well.

Additionally in New York, there is a strong push to implement an economy-wide “Cap-and-Invest” program, which will cap the greenhouse gas emissions that businesses and facilities can produce each year. These businesses will have to purchase allowances at auction for the right to continue operating their business. A Washington Post article in April estimated that New York’s “Cap-and-Invest” will increase the cost of transportation fuels by 61% and increase the cost of heating a home by 80%. It remains to be seen whether the cost impact will deter or slow down the move to adopt such an impactful program.

While many of these programs are not yet finalized – either because details are still being worked out, or legislation has not yet passed to establish them – it is virtually certain that our industry will be dealing with these kinds of programs in short order. The first step for fuel companies is to recognize and embrace that change is coming, and in ways that are likely to squeeze your business. The second step is to prepare for this eventuality by developing a clear-eyed strategy to succeed in this new regulatory environment.

There will be companies that take full advantage of the new regulations in their states. Make sure that your company is one of them.

Renewable Energy Insights is a regular column by Joe Uglietto, president of Diversified Energy Specialists, a leader in the renewable energy markets and consultant to the industry with a focus around emissions reductions and renewable energy innovation.

Hear what our clients have to say about us

“Our experience working with Diversified Energy Specialists has been extremely positive. Joe’s approach makes the process simple for us and his trading strategy delivers strong value each and every time our energy credits are minted. Any time that my team has a question or needs advice, Joe is up to the task immediately. I would recommend Diversified Energy Specialists to any company that is struggling to make the APS Program work for them.”

— Ted Noonan, President, Noonan Energy

Author: Joe Uglietto

“Electrify Everything” is gaining ground at the federal level and in many Northeast states. Heat pump incentives, clean energy tax credits and legislation to ban fossil fuels are all on the table in some shape or form. And in states like Massachusetts and Vermont, policies to create new Clean Heat Standards have either passed or are likely to pass in the coming months.

A key driver of the electrification movement in 2023 – and likely for a number of years into the future – is the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The recently passed IRA will provide incentives for homeowners to install electric heat pumps that are substantially higher than what has been offered in the past. Rebates for low-income households can reach up to $14,000 for an air-source heat pump system. These rebates will make converting to heat pumps financially competitive in comparison to the installation of new, higher efficiency heating oil, propane and natural gas systems.

Additionally, a number of Northeast states have earmarked millions of dollars of IRA funds for broad-based consumer education campaigns to promote heat pumps and improve perceptions of heat pumps and heat pump technology among the public. The use of IRA funds for consumer outreach and education is in response to the relatively slow adoption of heat pumps thus far. Massachusetts provides an excellent example; the state set a goal of installing 100,000 heat pumps each beginning in 2020 with the ultimate goal of 1,000,000 heat pump installations completed by 2030. According to reporting conducted by the Boston Globe, 2020 heat pump installations totaled 461.

But the slow adoption of heat pumps hasn’t given advocates of electrification pause about the merits of wholesale electrification. It’s simply driven them to double down. The “carrot” of rebates and incentives will likely give way to the “stick” in the form of attempted fossil fuel bans and clean heat standards. A state-by-state clean heat standard would require the heating oil, natural gas, and propane industries to reduce the carbon intensity of their fuel, sell less of their fuel, or pay others to reduce the carbon intensity from heating technologies. Clean heat standards would increase the cost of energy and further incentivize the installation of cold-climate air-source heat pumps.

It is crucial that every stakeholder in the industry prepare for a future that completely embraces renewable liquid heating fuels; a future of clean heat standards and carbon-reduction; and a future that will require a strategic and forceful response in the form of political advocacy and consumer outreach.
Our future is bright. And our industry is poised to play a leading role in the reduction of carbon so long as we aren’t legislated out of business in the process.

Renewable Energy Insights is a regular column by Joe Uglietto, president of Diversified Energy Specialists, a leader in the renewable energy markets and consultant to the industry with a focus around emissions reductions and renewable energy innovation.

Hear what our clients have to say about us

“I can’t say enough good things about Joe Uglietto and the work that Diversified Energy Specialists has done for us. Joe took care of everything for us at the outset of the APS program. He got us registered, he did the paperwork. He made the process seamless. Best part is, his strategy delivered higher value for my energy credits than I expected, and the returns have been strong each and every year. There’s no one better to help you get the most out of energy credit programs like the APS.”

— Mike Lamparelli, Owner, Frank Lamparelli

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Hear what our clients have to say about us

“Working with Joe at Diversified Energy Specialists has been nothing short of a blessing. Reporting figures to the Massachusetts APS program can often be a daunting task, but Joe makes the process painless. He consistently delivers strong return on our credits and as an added bonus, he’s a super nice guy!”

— Christopher Chase, President, PayLessforOil.com