網頁

星期一, 9月 20, 2021

麻州州長查理貝克設全美第一個清潔熱委員會

(file photo by Chutze Chou)
              (Boston Orange 整理編譯) 麻州州長查理貝克 (Charlie Baker) 920日宣佈成立全美第一個「清潔熱能委員會 (The Commission on Clean Heat) 」,從樓宇該如何暖起來著手,邁向碳零排放這目標,預定20221130日提出建議方案。

              「清潔熱能委員會」將針對樓宇在氣候暖化上所扮演的角色,設定加熱燃料排放上限,同時決定有助於轉進清潔能源的金融機制。

              麻州州長查理貝克在一份聲明中說,「藉由敦請不同領域領袖貢獻所長,包括可負擔住宅社區,麻州可以確保所追求的減少加熱燃油排放策略及政策,會很創新,可負擔,而且公平」。

              麻州的溫室瓦斯排放有將近三分之一來自樓宇,找出如何解決排放的方法,但又不會對屋主及企業主造成負擔,同時還能因應麻州對天然瓦斯作為加熱燃料的依賴,是非常棘手的挑戰。

              在清潔能源倡議組織Acadia中心領導樓宇計畫的Matt Rusteika表示,到2030年時,麻州的天然瓦斯排放在所有住宅排放中所佔比率,將佔65%

              今年稍早前,查理貝克政府簽署法令,要求到2030年時,溫室瓦斯排放能夠減少到1990年代的50%以下,到2050年時能達到零排放這目標。該法案也要求成立將由能源及環境事務卿Kathleen Theoharides擔任主席的這委員會。

              Kathleen Theoharides在一份聲明中表示,直接和有關人士合作,求取不同觀點,麻州在研發創新政策,並以具有成本效益的解決方案來減少住宅及樓宇加熱所產生的碳排放,就會處於更好位置。

              「清潔熱能委員會」在Kathleen Theoharides之外,將由22名有多元背景的人士組成,包括可負擔住宅,樓宇能源效率設計,加熱燃油分銷,房地產等等。他們將由能源及環境事務卿提名,州長指派,然後在20221130日之前提出減少使用加熱燃油,刪減樓宇排放的制定政策建議。

              全美各地僅有少數幾州在以不同方法因應樓宇去碳化的挑戰。例如紐約州,正在做碳中和樓宇地圖,預定年底定案,並為樓宇行業制定短期及長期的減少排放目標。在緬因州,州政府正在目標導向之下,要在2025年之前安裝10萬個依賴電力來加熱或冷卻住宅的熱泵。

              Matt Rusteika表示,他希望麻州也能真正的承諾電力化是唯一能真正永久去除來自樓宇排放的方法。

              麻州將經由委員會,議員等各階層來迎面應對這挑戰。在波士頓,市議員Matt O’Malley已提出議案要強迫市內最大的排放者在未來30年內達到碳中和地步。在本週稍後可能會被否決的該法案,其目的是呼應州政府要求大型樓宇減少排放的更好樓宇法(A Better Buildings Act)

              倡議清潔能源的專家們表示,從今夏氣候導致的災難,以及聯合國就氣候危機最近發佈的一份報告來看,情況已經很明顯,沒有時間可以浪費了,各方面同步努力很重要。

Governor Baker Signs Executive Order Establishing First-in-the-Nation Commission on Clean Heat

Commission will advise on policies and strategies to reduce emissions from heating fuels

 BOSTON — Building on the Baker-Polito Administration’s national leadership on climate change and its commitment to achieving Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050, Governor Charlie Baker today signed an Executive Order which establishes a Commission on Clean Heat to advise the Administration on strategies and policies to achieve deep emissions reductions from the use of heating fuels in the Commonwealth. The Commission, the first-of-its-kind in the United States, will establish a framework for a long-term decline in emissions from heating fuels, consistent with the findings from the Administration’s 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap, and help the Commonwealth meet the ambitious emissions reduction targets signed into law by Governor Baker in March 2021. The Executive Order was signed as the Administration celebrates Climate Week in Massachusetts.

“Recognizing the urgent challenge presented by climate change and the need to reduce emissions, our Administration is convening this first-of-its-kind commission to help the Commonwealth meet our emissions reduction goals,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “By soliciting the expertise of leaders with a variety of perspectives, including the affordable housing community, we can ensure that the strategies and policies we pursue to reduce emissions from heating fuels will be innovative, affordable, and equitable.”

“Massachusetts has ambitious climate goals, and we will need to pursue innovative solutions to reduce emissions from our heating fuels, keep costs low, and deliver lasting benefits to our communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “The Commission on Clean Heat will reflect a diversity of expertise that will be crucial in developing the forward-thinking policies we need to achieve our nation-leading emissions reduction targets.”

The Commission will be chaired by Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides, or a designee appointed by the Secretary, and shall include up to 22 additional members recommended by the Secretary and appointed by the Governor. The Commission will reflect a diversity of perspectives and backgrounds from outside stakeholders, including representatives from the fields of affordable housing, energy efficient building design and construction, healthcare, heating system design and technology, real estate, and heating fuel distribution.

Once appointed, the Commission will meet regularly, advise the Governor on a framework for long-term greenhouse gas emission reductions from heating fuels, and provide policy recommendations to help the Commonwealth meet the requirements of the Global Warming Solutions Act. In March 2021, Governor Baker signed nation-leading climate legislation that commits the Commonwealth to reducing emissions below 1990 levels by 50% by 2030, 75% by 2040, and to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050. 

“By working directly with stakeholders and soliciting a variety of perspectives, Massachusetts will be in a stronger position to develop innovative policies and solutions to cost-effectively reduce emissions from heating homes and buildings,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides. “The Executive Order signed by Governor Baker today once again puts Massachusetts on the leading edge of climate action in the U.S. by taking a deliberate, collaborative and thoughtful approach to decarbonizing our buildings sector.”

“Transitioning our buildings sector to a clean, resilient, and affordable future will require an unprecedented level of ambition, planning, and ultimately energy efficiency and clean energy deployment. Massachusetts has led the nation in bold and innovative energy policy and today’s Executive Order signed by Governor Baker embarks our state in another chapter of our climate leadership with a singular focus on clean building policies,” said Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Patrick Woodcock. “In order to achieve our long-term climate goals, we will need to make significant investments to lower emissions from our buildings sector through energy efficiency and clean energy and this new Commission starts the process with collaboration, deliberation, and analysis that will set that foundation.”

Aligned with the Administration’s 2050 Roadmap report, the Commission will develop policy recommendations to accelerate the deployment of energy efficiency programs and clean heating systems in new and existing buildings and transition existing distribution systems to clean energy.  The Commission’s focus will include financing mechanisms, incentives, and other regulatory options including a framework for a cap on greenhouse gas emissions from heating fuels.  As it develops its suite of recommendations, the Commission will also consider the various benefits of any policy proposal as well as affordability, equity, costs, and how it works within specific regional circumstances.

“As we continue to tackle the dual challenges of economic recovery and the housing crisis, I am pleased that we will have a Commission comprised of leaders with varied perspectives to deliberate on this important topic,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy. “We look forward to the conversations and strategies that will come out of this collaborative effort.”

The Commission will provide Governor Baker with a set of policy recommendations by November 30, 2022 that will sustainably reduce the use of heating fuels and minimize emissions from the building sector while ensuring costs and opportunities arising from such reductions are distributed equitably. 

The Executive Order also establishes an Interagency Building Decarbonization Task Force to support the work of the Commission. The Task Force will consist of subject-matter experts from across the Executive Branch, including the Department of Energy Resources and the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development.

The Executive Order advances the Baker-Polito Administration’s commitment to take aggressive action on climate change and achieve Net Zero emissions in 2050. On December 30, 2020, the Administration released two reports – the Massachusetts 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap Report and an interim 2030 Clean Energy and Climate Plan (CECP) – that detail policies and strategies to equitably and cost-effectively reduce emissions and combat climate change. The Commission on Clean Heat was identified by the Administration as a critical tool in the effort to reduce emissions from heating fuels. The heating of buildings currently accounts for nearly one third of statewide greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts.

During this year’s Climate Week in Massachusetts, the Baker-Polito Administration is highlighting its commitment to reducing emissions, mitigating the impacts of climate change, and building a more resilient Commonwealth. Throughout Climate Week, the Administration is holding events to spotlight important initiatives including offshore wind, land protection and conservation, the Greening the Gateway Cities program, and the expansion of clean energy in the Commonwealth. The Administration is also highlighting the urgent demand for funding to support climate resiliency in Massachusetts, and Governor Baker’s plan to immediately put to use part of Commonwealth’s direct federal aid from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support critical priorities in cities and towns. The Administration’s plan would commit $900 million to key energy and environmental initiatives, including $400 million to modernize critical water infrastructure and $300 million to support local climate resilience projects.

沒有留言: