Three-Year Planning

This web page contains information related to the Three-Year planning process as well as details on ways the public can become involved in the planning process for the 2022-2024 Plan which begins in the fall of 2020.

Information about previous Three-Year Plans is available at: https://ma-eeac.org/plans-updates/.

What is the Three-Year Plan?

The 2008 Green Communities Act established the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Advisory Council (EEAC) to oversee the development, implementation, and evaluation of the energy efficiency plans for Massachusetts investor-owned utilities and Cape Light Compact JPE, also referred to as the Program Administrators. These plans are required to maximize economic benefits for residents and businesses through energy efficiency programs and achieve the Commonwealth’s energy, climate, and environmental goals through a sustained and integrated statewide energy efficiency effort.

Every three years, the participating Program Administrators issue a Three-Year Plan that outlines the budgets, economic benefits, and energy savings for the statewide energy efficiency programs, branded as Mass Save®. Included in the Three-Year Plan are descriptions of proposed energy efficiency incentive programs to be implemented during the three years of each plan. These programs are for residential, income eligible, and commercial and industrial (C&I) utility customers.

Why is the Three-Year Plan important to Massachusetts residents and businesses?

The Massachusetts energy efficiency programs offered by Mass Save are funded by utility customers. All residents and businesses located in investor-owned utility territories in Massachusetts pay into a fund through their utility bill which supports the Mass Save programs. The Three-Year Plan directs how these funds will be spent on financial incentive programs for homes and businesses.

The Three-Year planning process involves the EEAC, the Program Administrators, and members of the public to help shape the programs for the next three years. Public engagement is highly encouraged during the planning process to help the EEAC understand what programs and incentive offerings would benefit the Commonwealth’s residents and businesses, and how the Program Administrators can improve existing program offerings to better serve Massachusetts customers.

The planning process for the 2022-2024 Three-Year Plan begins this fall. The final plan will be submitted to the EEAC in October 2021.

How can you get involved in the Three-Year planning process?
  1. Attend an EEAC meeting: The EEAC holds meetings every month, typically on the third Wednesday of the month. These meetings are open to the public and are a good way to learn about the programs currently being implemented as part of the 2019-2021 Three-Year Plan. Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these meetings are currently being held remotely.
  1. Attend a Three-Year Planning Workshop: Throughout the fall of 2020 and early 2021, the EEAC is hosting workshops to discuss important topics for the next Three-Year Plan with the goal of drafting the Council’s priorities for the next plan in early 2021.

Each workshop will focus on specific topic areas. Workshops are open to the public to attend and observe these discussions. The current schedule of the 2022-2024 Three-Year Planning Workshops is below. Workshops will be held virtually and registration links for the workshops will be posted on the meeting calendar.

Note: if you are interested in attending a workshop, materials will be posted on the Meeting Materials page of the EEAC website ahead of each meeting.

WorkshopDateWorkshop Topics
Workshop 1Thursday – 11/5/20
9am-1pm		New Construction (Residential and C&I) Active Demand
Workshop 2Tuesday – 11/10/20
1pm-5pm		Income Eligible Programs
Workshop 3Tuesday – 12/1/20
9am-1pm		Existing Buildings #1
Workshop 4Tuesday – 12/15/20
1pm-5pm		Workforce Development
Workshop 5Tuesday – 1/12/21
1pm-5pm		Existing Buildings #2 – Equity Focus
Workshop 6Wednesday – 1/20/21
1pm-5pm		Finalize Recommendations
Workshop 7To Be DeterminedThe data and topics for a potential 7th workshop will be determined later this fall
  1. Provide Public Comment: Public comment is critical to the EEAC as it highlights the energy efficiency needs of residents and businesses which helps direct where the Council should focus its priorities. Public comment is welcome during the monthly EEAC meetings and written public comment can be sent at any time to MA-EEAC@mass.gov. Written public comment is posted on the EEAC website after it’s received: https://ma-eeac.org/public-comment/.

During the Three-Year Planning process, public comment is important to help shape the future of the Massachusetts energy efficiency plans. The EEAC will host at least six public comment sessions this fall with additional sessions anticipated in Spring 2021. Due to COVID-19, these public comment sessions will be held virtually. Schedule below:

DateTimeRegister Here
Wednesday – 10/75 – 7pmSession 1
Tuesday – 10/132 – 4pmSession 2
Monday – 11/29 – 11amSession 3
Tuesday – 11/175 – 7pmSession 4
Tuesday – 12/81 – 3pmSession 5
Monday – 12/149 – 11amSession 6
  1. Equity Working Group: As part of the 2022-2024 Three-Year Planning process, members of the EEAC have established an Equity Working Group to discuss how the Massachusetts energy efficiency programs can more equitably serve residents and businesses. If you are interested in receiving information on the Equity Working Group, please contact Alexis Washburn of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources at Alexis.Washburn@mass.gov.
Want to learn more about how to be involved in the planning process?

Email MA-EEAC@mass.gov if you would like to be added to the EEAC email distribution list – updates on planning and regular monthly meetings are sent to the list regularly. Questions about the EEAC, the planning process, and energy efficiency programs can be sent to this address.

Continue to check this page for updates as the planning process kicks off this fall.