Low-Income Programs

The state of Massachusetts is served by the Low-Income Energy Affordability Network (LEAN), which is a network of Community Action Agencies, public and private housing owners, government organizations and public utilities that work together to provide low-income efficiency solutions in the state. Through LEAN, National Grid and Eversource participate in the dual fuel Low-Income Single-Family Core Initiative and Multifamily Initiative, which are available to qualified low-income residential customers. The single-family program provides no-cost energy efficiency measures to residential customers living in one- to four-unit dwellings in which at least 50% of the occupants have incomes at or below 60% of the state median income. Eligible measures for this program include insulation, air sealing, repairing or replacing heating systems, health and safety wares, water efficiency measures, and lighting fixtures.

The program targets high energy users and elderly households and also streamlines eligibility requirements by automatically enrolling customers on the discount rate or who receive LIHEAP funds. The initiative is implemented by local Community Action Program (CAP) Agencies and is integrated with the Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and the Heating Emergency Assistance Retrofit Task Weatherization Assistance Program (HEARTWAP). There is also a statewide Energy Efficiency Advisory Council and a Multifamily Advisory Committee that provide guidance on low-income utility-sponsored programs in the state.

In 2018, according to National Grid, it achieved 22,898 MWh energy savings, while spending $43,547,968 on its low-income electric programs and served 13,343 electric low-income customers. In 2018, according to Eversource, it achieved 0.44 MMtherms of energy savings, while spending $11,554,057 on its low-income natural gas programs and served 2,851 natural gas low-income customers.

Multifamily Programs

Both Eversource and National Grid offer their core multifamily initiative called the Multi-Family Buildings Program. This comprehensive program offers multifamily energy assessments that identify cost-effective efficiency improvement or replacement opportunities for market rate properties with four or more dwellings. Utilizing a whole building approach, the assessments focus on a facility's thermal envelope as well as lighting and mechanical systems. The program also assesses in-unit savings potential for tenants. Improvements that may be eligible for incentives include lighting upgrades/controls, occupancy sensors, water heating equipment, domestic hot water measures, programmable thermostats, insulation, air sealing, heating and cooling equipment upgrades/controls, ENERGY STAR appliances and other improvements as determined on a site-specific basis.

Additionally, these utilities offer the Low Income Multi-Family Energy Retrofits Program. This program provides eligible projects the use of an online tool to benchmark a development/building’s energy use for one year, two building assessments to identify energy-saving opportunities (including electrical and heating audits, and installation of eligible cost-effective energy conservation measures. Eversource and National Grid also offer the Multi-Family Retrofit program, which offers multifamily energy assessments that identify all energy efficiency opportunities regardless of fuel source. The program focuses on multi-family dwellings with 5 or more units on a property. The program also addresses problems associated with mixed-use buildings. Eligible measures for the program include insulation, air sealing, light fixtures, and hot water and heating equipment, as well as heating and cooling equipment, air compressors, and energy management systems.

In 2018, according to National Grid, it achieved 19,768 MWh in energy savings, while spending $29,741,385 on its multifamily electric programs and served 5,987 multifamily electric customers. In 2018, according to Eversource, it saved 0.37 MMtherms, while spending $7,619,940 on its multifamily gas programs and served 3,815 natural gas multifamily customers.

Last Updated: March 2020