Neighborhood Electrification Request for Information (RFI)

RFI Dates: November 1, 2023 through January 12, 2024

Goals of RFI

This request for information seeks to gauge interest and get input into the potential for the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) to support neighborhood electrification projects. For purposes of this request for information, “neighborhood electrification” is the strategic electrification of the building stock and decommissioning of the natural gas system in defined geographic areas like street segments, neighborhoods, or zones, in order to leverage opportunities where electrification could be more cost-effective than reinvestment in the gas system (e.g., pipeline repair). Given the Department of Public Utilities’ "Order on Regulatory Principles and Framework" in its 20-80 docket, we are extending the RFI submission deadline until January 12, 2024 and adding an additional question in the RFI to give respondents an opportunity to respond to the implications of the order on neighborhood electrification efforts. This RFI does not commit MassCEC to offer any program associated with neighborhood electrification, award any funds, pay any costs incurred in preparing a response, or procure or contract for services or supplies.

Intended Respondents

MassCEC welcomes responses from all stakeholders. In particular, we are hoping to gather perspectives from utilities, municipalities, large landowners (e.g., universities or affordable housing owners), technical experts, legal/regulatory experts, community-based organizations, and advocacy organizations. Respondents are welcome to answer all the questions or only a portion of them. At the end of the RFI, there is a space to indicate whether you would be interested in participating in a follow-up conversation with MassCEC staff. Thank you for your time and insights!

Public Records Law

As a public entity, MassCEC is subject to Massachusetts’s Public Records Law, codified at Chapter 66 of the Massachusetts General Laws. Thus, any responses, documentary material, data, or other information received by MassCEC from any person or entity responding to this RFI is a public record subject to disclosure. Those who elect to submit a response to this RFI are responsible for considering the nature of information they submit and shall not send MassCEC any confidential or sensitive information.

Organization Name (if applicable)

Contact Name*

First NameLast Name

Pronouns

Title

Email*

example@example.com

Phone Number*

Please enter a valid phone number.

Address

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code

Please provide a brief description of organization/individual and reason for interest in this topic.*

1. Are there resources, case studies, or pilots related to neighborhood electrification that you wish to highlight for MassCEC?

2. Are there technological innovations and/or gaps related to neighborhood electrification that you wish to highlight for MassCEC?

3. What type of support do you think MassCEC could provide that would be most useful to advancing neighborhood electrification demonstration projects? Please rank the choices below by dragging the boxes into the desired order from 1 (most useful) to 6 (least useful). Provide comments below as desired.

Comments and/or other types of support that MassCEC could provide to advance neighborhood electrification:

4. What types of data collection should MassCEC prioritize from a neighborhood electrification pilot? How could MassCEC design a pilot to optimize for informative data and outcomes?

Building heating strategies that the MassCEC could consider for a neighborhood electrification pilot include:

Whole home electrification using individual air-source heat pumps;
Whole home electrification using individual ground-source heat pumps;
Networked geothermal; or
Partial electrification, while maintaining non-pipeline gas backup heat options such as propane or pellet stoves

5. What building heating strategies should be considered in neighborhood-scale electrification? What strategies should be prioritized? What strategies should be excluded? Are there special considerations that should be taken into account with each strategy?

6. What size and scope of pilot site do you think would be appropriate for an initial neighborhood electrification demonstration project?

For an initial neighborhood electrification pilot, MassCEC could prioritize sites that meet the following criteria:

Near-term (but not immediate) replacement of gas pipeline planned
Hydraulically feasible to decommission the gas pipeline segment with no or minimal impacts to the broader gas system
Sufficient electrical capacity to support electrification (preferred but not required)

7. Do you have any feedback on these criteria or other suggestions for criteria that MassCEC should consider? For example, should MassCEC prioritize residential, non-residential, or mixed buildings? Should MassCEC prioritize owner or renter occupied buildings? What other factors should MassCEC consider?

8. Should MassCEC prioritize pilot sites in Environmental Justice Communities? Or avoid piloting neighborhood electrification in Environmental Justice Communities? If MassCEC were to conduct pilots in Environmental Justice communities, what factors should be considered in the design and implementation of such pilots?

9. What steps should MassCEC take to prioritize equity when designing a neighborhood electrification demonstration project?

10. What legal or regulatory barriers should MassCEC consider in designing a neighborhood electrification pilot?

11. On December 6, 2023, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities released an "Order on Regulatory Principles and Framework" in their 20-80 docket. If applicable, how has this order impacted your thinking on neighborhood electrification and the role that MassCEC could play on the topic? https://fileservice.eea.comacloud.net/FileService.Api/file/FileRoom/18297602

12. How should a potential pilot approach neighborhood and customer education and engagement?

13. What steps do you think that MassCEC could take to ensure that a neighborhood electrification pilot was attractive to potential participating building owners? Would current financial incentives be sufficient for supporting customer transitions in a neighborhood electrification pilot or would supplemental financial incentives be necessary?

14. Please identify whether you would be interested in participating in a neighborhood electrification pilot either as a large landowner (e.g., university, affordable housing owner), as a potential community champion, or in another role.

15. Should building load flexibility (e.g., grid integrated buildings, thermal and/or electrical storage, virtual power plants) be incorporated into a neighborhood electrification pilot? Why or why not? What considerations or strategies for building load flexibility relevant to neighborhood electrification should MassCEC be aware of?

16. Is there any other information or feedback related to neighborhood electrification that you would like to share?

17. Would you be willing to be contacted by MassCEC staff to set up a follow-up conversation?

YesNo

Neighborhood Electrification Request for Information (RFI)

Respondent Information

RFI Questions