Green Newton

It’s no secret that heating bills have gone up rapidly in the past several months. This hurts all of us, especially so many who are already struggling to pay bills. Governor Maura Healy recently urged the chair of the Department of Public Utilities to address this concern. Why does Massachusetts have some of the highest energy bills in the nation?

• Our homes are often old and poorly insulated. We also have older, less efficient heating systems and appliances. These result in higher energy bills, especially with a cold January this year. You can reduce your energy bills by insulating and air sealing your home, and updating your heating. Mass Save covers 75-100% of insulation and 100% of air sealing costs, and offers 0% interest loans. Visit the Green Newton Insulation page to learn how you can save money and make your home more comfortable.
• Massachusetts also has old, leak-prone gas pipes which must be constantly repaired and replaced, and the cost of which is passed onto gas utility customers. These costs will only rise so long as we continue burning gas. We can move away from using gas with electric heat pumps and appliances.
• Electricity isn’t cheap either. Most electricity comes from gas-burning power plants and all of this gas is imported from other states. Solar and wind, in contrast, are the cheapest sources to produce energy. The City of Newton provides most residents with a 95% renewables mix of electricity, where revenues go to purchase a higher amount of renewable energy certificates from new projects in the New England region (MA Class I RECs).