On the Road to 100 Percent Renewables for Massachusetts

The document argues that Massachusetts can meet 100 percent of its electricity needs with renewable energy by 2035 through an aggressive build-out of wind, solar, and battery storage. This transition is projected to generate $1.7 billion in public health savings and $6.8 billion in net labor income by 2040. The analysis emphasizes the need for a just transition that prioritizes overburdened communities, provides support for fossil fuel workers, and ensures equitable access to clean energy technologies.

• Massachusetts can achieve 100 percent renewable electricity by 2035, even with high levels of electrification in other sectors. By 2040, this '100% RES' scenario would require solar capacity to reach nearly 17 GW and battery storage to exceed 4.5 GW.
• The transition to 100 percent renewables would provide substantial economic growth by 2040, including $13 billion in additional GDP and $6.8 billion in cumulative net labor income.
• A 'Restricted Fossil Fuel' scenario, which limits new gas-fueled plant construction while transitioning to renewables, would reduce heat-trapping emissions by 98 percent compared to a 'No New Policy' scenario by 2035.
• The transition may impact household affordability; the average residential energy burden is projected to rise from 3.2 percent to 3.8 percent by 2040 under the 100% RES scenario, compared to 3.5 percent under current policies.
• To ensure a just transition, the document recommends prioritizing the replacement of polluting facilities like the Mystic gas-fueled power plant in Everett and expanding energy efficiency access for renters and non-English speakers.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2022). On the Road to 100 Percent Renewables for Massachusetts. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2022-05/on-the-road-100-renewable-ma-fact-sheet.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. On the Road to 100 Percent Renewables for Massachusetts. 2022. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2022-05/on-the-road-100-renewable-ma-fact-sheet.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=On the Road to 100 Percent Renewables for Massachusetts |date=April 2022 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2022-05/on-the-road-100-renewable-ma-fact-sheet.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2022road, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{On the Road to 100 Percent Renewables for Massachusetts}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2022}, month = apr, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2022-05/on-the-road-100-renewable-ma-fact-sheet.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }