New Projects

 Electric Vehicle chargers at Rocky Hill Co-Housing, Northampton, MA. Photo credit: Richard Getler

Energy Democracy Organizer Jessica Guadalupe Tovar to Present on Sept. 19

On September 19, 7 pm, Local Energy Advocates of Western MA will be hosting a Zoom meeting with Jessica Guadalupe Tovar, who will be presenting on cutting edge California climate justice work.  We urge all to register to attend. (See the growing list of sponsoring organizations below). Organizations wanting to join the list of co-sponsors may sign up here.

Jessica is an Energy Democracy Organizer for the Local Clean Energy Alliance and Coordinator of East Bay Clean Power Alliance. We hope to get tips from East Bay’s trailblazing energy democracy work especially with regard to work with CCAs/Joint Power Entities. California is at least a decade ahead of the rest of the country. 

See these links to find out more about Jessica Guadalupe Tovar’s work:

Community Choice, Community Power video,  

Community vision for Solutions video, 

EBCE fund asthma prevention now!

NEW: Register here for the September 19, 7 pm Zoom meeting:

Co-sponsoring organizations

Amherst Climate Justice Alliance

Arise for Social Justice

Climate Action Now, Western MA

Co-op Power

Extinction Rebellion Western MA

Fix the Grid Campaign

GreenRoots Chelsea

Hitchcock Center for the Environment

Massachusetts Climate Action Network

Mass Interfaith Power and Light

Mothers Out Front, Northampton

Mothers Out Front, Greater Amherst

Northampton Climate Emergency Coalition

Sierra Club Massachusetts

Slingshot

Springfield Climate Justice Coalition

Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence, Climate Action Group

Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst

UU Mass Action

Valley Green Energy Working Group

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Amherst, Northampton and Pelham residents, please submit a public comment supporting the joint Community Choice electricity aggregation before June 30.

This month, after years of working toward a joint municipal aggregation for Amherst, Pelham and Northampton, there's a meaningful action residents can take to support this effort to green our electricity. We want lots of people to send comments. Learn more at the Valley Green Energy website and watch the recording of the excellent public presentation by the consultants. Watch the video.

Support Valley Green Energy with Your Comments to the Department of Public Utilities 

The most important thing you can do is write a comment before June 30.  Comments will accompany the application materials to DPU, so they are key for showing community support for the aggregation. See example comments here written by Local Energy Advocates.

Comments may be submitted to:

Be sure “Valley Green Energy” appears in the subject line.

You can also join the Local Energy Advocates Informational and Comment Writing Meeting on Tuesday, June 20, 7-8:30pm. (See agenda and directions for making comments below.)

Join the meeting on Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87940001434?pwd=U1lab3BTSCt5RkxVRzNxN0oyY0NiUT09
One tap mobile:
+16468769923,,8794000134#,,,,*893443#

Application for Community Choice Electricity Aggregation by Valley Green Energy, a joint project of Amherst, Northampton and Pelham - June 1 - 30, 2023:

(Reprinted from the Amherst Indy)

Source: amherstma.gov

There will be a public presentation on Community Choice Electricity Aggregation on Zoom on June 6 from 6:30- 8:00 p.m. Join the meeting using this link.

June 1 begins the 30 day public comment period regarding the Valley Green Energy Program. Join Amherst Town Manager, Paul Bockelman, Northampton Mayor, Gina-Louise Sciarra and Pelham Select Board Chair, Bob Agoglia along with Paul Gromer and Marlana Patton from Mass Power Choice to hear about the program, ask questions and provide feedback.

Three communities – the City of Northampton, Town of Amherst, and Town of Pelham – have joined together with the aim of purchasing electricity for our residents through a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program, which will be known as Valley Green Energy. The three municipalities have contracted with MassPowerChoice to develop and implement Valley Green Energy. The Program will be a municipal-vetted alternative to Eversource’s Basic Service, National Grid’s Basic Service, and other electricity offerings in the marketplace, and will provide us with:

                • More renewable energy in our electricity supply

                • Stable electricity supply prices (though savings compared with utility prices cannot be guaranteed)

                • Consumer protections without high pressure or fees

During the presentation on June 6, you can provide your feedback and ask questions about the program. There will also be a public comment period from June 1-30 when you can submit written comments to your municipality about the program. See your municipal website for more details.

New Project Funded - January 2023:

LEA voted in January of 2023 to fund stipends for income eligible community members participating in Valley Green Alliance (VGA) Community Advisory Committee. The VGA Community Advisory Committee will be appointed by the VGA Board once it is seated. See the Resources page for an explanation of both the VGA and the Community Advisory Committee. Folks interested in serving on the Advisory Committee should contact LEA on our contact page.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 4, 2023

INDUCTION COOK KITS LIBRARY LOAN PROGRAM LAUNCHED AT JONES, FORBES AND LILLY LIBRARIES; DEMONSTRATION FEBRUARY 7

Starting on FEBRUARY 8TH, library card holders at the Jones, Forbes, or Lilly Libraries can borrow an induction cooking kit, complete with pan, for free!  A demonstration and info session on the use of the kits will be held at the Forbes Library Community Room in Northampton on Tuesday, February 7 at 6 pm. 


The induction cook kits library loan program is funded by Local Energy Advocates Western MA -  and coordinated by Mothers Out Front, Northampton chapter. The cook kits  were purchased from the Center for EcoTechnology,  which also provides technical resources. The goal of the program is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and indoor air pollution caused by the use of gas stoves. 

Why switch to an induction cook top?

It’s better for the climate.

Using an induction stove instead of gas cuts your carbon emissions from cooking in half. 


It’s safer and better for your family’s health.

Induction stoves eliminate harmful indoor emissions that come from gas, and that increase the risk of childhood asthma by 45%. Additionally, induction cooking only heats the pan, offering  protection against burns and fire mishaps. 


It’s better for your pocketbook.

Induction burners are about three times more efficient than gas. Additionally, many utilities offer great incentives.  


How does an induction stovetop work?

An induction stovetop heats cookware directly using the principle of electromagnetic induction,  unlike conventional electric or gas stoves, which heat cookware indirectly using an open flame  or electric resistance coils. This magnetic field isn’t hot on its own, but when a piece of metal  cookware enters this magnetic field, the molecules within the metal become agitated, generating  heat within the cookware itself. Induction cooking wastes less energy, requires no open heating  elements, and offers you precise control over the temperature of each pan. 


Join a free induction cooking demonstration and information session.

A demonstration and info session will be held at the Forbes Library Community Room in Northampton on Tuesday, February 7 at 6 pm.  Members of the public can join on Zoom or attend in person. Visit ForbesLIbrary.org https://forbeslibrary.org/events/ for more information. 


Local Energy Advocates of Western MA (LEA)  was created to provide a place to generate ideas and facilitate the implementation of plans to reduce greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions, as much and as quickly as possible, from the electricity, transportation, public infrastructure, and building sectors in Western Massachusetts; and to increase the resiliency of our local energy systems. That includes supporting many kinds of projects, involving:

  • electrification of our energy, transportation, and building sectors

  • creation of local renewable distributed energy resources, including energy storage

  • improvement of energy efficiency in buildings

  • promotion of energy conservation

  • education of our community through outreach

  • development of local leaders

Local Energy Advocates (LEA) works to benefit low income residents in our communities and places a high priority on projects that promote environmental justice.

LEA intends to raise funds and engage in partnerships with non-profit, for profit, and grass-roots organizations; foundations; municipalities and other similar entities, in order to accomplish its goals.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local Energy Advocates Western Mass Launches First Project to Promote GHG Emissions Reduction 

Northampton, MA

March 25, 2022

A new all-volunteer organization, Local Energy Advocates of Western MA (LEA), is fundraising for opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and has launched its first project - a highly efficient heat pump hot water heater for a new all-electric low-income home under construction by Habitat for Humanity in Northampton. 

Homes with basements can accommodate standard highly energy efficient heat pumps for heating water. But without a basement, all-electric homes typically use water heaters that are expensive to run because they use old-fashioned electric resistance heat. 

With the help of local and state wide experts, LEA identified heat pump technology in which the heat pump is outdoors while the hot water tank is indoors, thus making them suitable for homes without basements.

LEA was created to generate ideas, motivation and strategic funding to reduce greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions, as much and as quickly as possible. The group will address the electricity, transportation, and building sectors in Western Massachusetts. It also will focus on increasing the resiliency of our local energy systems. LEA envisions supporting many kinds of activities, including:

  • electrification of our energy, transportation, and building sectors

  • creation of local renewable distributed energy resources

  • improvement of energy efficiency in buildings

  • promotion of energy conservation

  • education of our community through outreach

  • development of local leaders

LEA strives to benefit low-income residents in our communities and places a high priority on projects that promote environmental justice.  To accomplish its goals, LEA intends to raise funds and engage in partnerships with non-profit, for profit, and grass-roots organizations, foundations, and municipalities. 

LEA's recommendation for a system with an outdoor heat pump has been endorsed by the entire build team of Habitat, as a pilot test of the feasibility of providing reliable hot water with reduced energy use for future occupants.  Importantly, this project will also familiarize local installers with these products, so that they can rely on them in similar situations in other homes. 

The founders of LEA were among the initiators of a local effort to create an inter-municipal aggregation of electricity for Northampton, Amherst and Pelham residents.  LEA plans to continue working alongside the municipalities on aggregation and other efforts to reduce their collective GHG emissions. 

LEA is also raising awareness of greenhouse gas reduction opportunities. On March 15, LEA provided a zoom presentation to hear from representatives of the ambitious project in Ithaca, NY to transition all its 6000 buildings to carbon neutrality by 2030.

Featured was Dr. Luis Aguirre-Torres, Ithaca Sustainability Director and creator of Ithaca’s groundbreaking Efficiency Retrofitting and Thermal Load Electrification Program, representatives from BlocPower, tasked with running and working out financing for the building decarbonization effort. A link to the presentation is available at LocalEnergyAdvocates.org.

Membership in LEA is open to anyone committed to finding ways to reduce our GHG emissions and increase our energy resiliency in Western Mass.  Individuals requesting membership in LEA will be added to a group email list to keep them abreast of organization activities and related news and opportunities.  The public may donate to local energy projects on the LEA website using the donation button.  Funds raised in excess of what is needed for the heat-pump water heater demonstration project will be    reserved for future projects devoted to reducing GHG emissions in our communities.

The next LEA meeting is on March 29 at 7:00pm. LEA’s website is www.LocalEnergyAdvocates.org

To learn more about Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity’s projects go to: www.pvhabitat.org

Media Contacts: 

Adele Franks Andra Rose

adele.franks@gmail.com amherstamr@gmail.com   

(413) 320-9418 ‭(413) 687-0019‬ 

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local Energy Advocates of Western Mass: 

Ithaca’s Green New Deal

Northampton, MA

February 25, 2022

Local Energy Advocates of Western MA (LEA), is planning a public event on March 15, 7:00-8:30 PM, “Ithaca’s Green New Deal”, to hear from representatives of the ambitious project in Ithaca, NY to transition all its 6000 buildings to carbon neutrality by 2030.

Featured will be Dr. Luis Aguirre-Torres, Ithaca Sustainability Director and creator of Ithaca’s groundbreaking Efficiency Retrofitting and Thermal Load Electrification Program, and Ariel Kalishman Walsh and Clare Doyle Dowd from BlocPower, tasked with running and working out financing for the building decarbonization effort. 

The Efficiency and Electrification Program aims to accelerate decarbonizing Ithaca’s building stock through low-risk investment opportunities. Private equity would be used to help Ithaca’s building and home owners pay for efficiency and electrification projects. The program will employ specialized software to analyze and prioritize buildings, as well as innovative mechanisms for the bulk purchasing of materials and appliances. The Zoom presentation will begin at 7pm, and pre-registration is required.  The registration information is available at the LEA website (www.LocalEnergyAdvocates.org). Or click on this link to register.  (After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.)

LEA was created in 2021 to generate ideas, motivation and strategic funding to reduce greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions in Western Massachusetts, increase resiliency of our local energy systems and support our local intermunicipal community choice aggregation. LEA envisions supporting diverse activities, including:

  • electrification of our energy, transportation, and building sectors

  • creation of local renewable distributed energy resources

  • improvement of energy efficiency in buildings

  • promotion of energy conservation

  • education of our community and development of local energy leaders

LEA strives to benefit low-income residents in our communities and places a high priority on projects that promote environmental justice.  To accomplish its goals, LEA intends to raise funds and engage in partnerships with non-profit, for profit, and grass-roots organizations, foundations, and municipalities. 

Membership in LEA is open. The founders of LEA were among the initiators of a local effort to create an inter-municipal aggregation of electricity for Northampton, Amherst and Pelham residents.  LEA plans to continue working alongside the municipalities on aggregation and other efforts to reduce their collective GHG emissions.

Media contacts:

Darcy DuMont Adele Franks

dumint140@gmail.com adele.franks@gmail.com

‭(413) 210-2201 (413) 320-9418

Other project funding being explored

Survey of and by low-income multi-family housing residents about needed heating, cooling, energy efficiency, and air quality improvements; tenant advocacy for the highest priority improvements.