Re: [LincolnTalk] Fwd: Sara, help keep 'retail choice' in Massachusetts

2022-07-08 Thread Edward Kern 
The problem is that private companies like CleanChoice Energy have
previously scammed naive residential customers with "100% Green"
electricity offerings that are NOT based on regional sources of clean
energy.  Many used Texas-minted Renewable Energy Certificates that flood
the markets, are cheap and have little impact in fostering new investment
in renewable generation.  Recently I've been getting bombarded with emails
from CleanChoice offering what appears to be 100% regional electricity.
 But they are now seeking a price well above other legitimate 100% local
clean power providers. I recall 22-23 cents/kwh.   In comparison, Lincoln's
own municipal supply 100% option
costs about 14 cents/kWh and I believe is still open to Lincoln residents
that have not already joined it.  CleanChoice in the past profited from
greenwashing, and apparently is changing its tactics now that the AG has
been investigating its deceptive practices.  Twenty five years ago I was
involved in the restructuring of the electric power industry in
Massachusetts and the development of regional clean electric power.  Sadly
the complexity of  electric power systems and the many deceptive appeals to
well intended consumers has not led to a well functioning marketplace..

Lincoln's municipal Green Energy Choice program, which is regulated by the
state, is not affected by the draft legislation.


Edward C. Kern, Jr.
Laurel Drive


On Thu, Jul 7, 2022 at 2:51 PM Leslie Turek  wrote:

> I found some information in this article.
>
> https://www.utilitydive.com/news/massachusetts-rollback-retail-customer-electricity-choice-bill/624968/
>
> Leslie Turek
>
> On Thu, Jul 7, 2022 at 2:36 PM Sara Mattes  wrote:
>
>> Can some of the Green Energy folks explain that backstory here?
>> Thanks, in advance.
>> --
>> Sara Mattes
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Begin forwarded message:
>>
>> *From: *"CleanChoice Energy" 
>> *Subject: **Sara, help keep 'retail choice' in Massachusetts*
>> *Date: *July 7, 2022 at 2:10:13 PM EDT
>> *To: *samat...@gmail.com
>> *Reply-To: *supp...@cleanchoiceenergy.com
>>
>> [image: CleanChoice Energy®]
>> 
>> Sara,
>>
>> Thank you for being a CleanChoice Energy customer. We're proud to be your
>> 100% renewable energy supplier.
>>
>> *Unfortunately, the Massachusetts state legislature is considering a bill
>> that could end 'retail choice', which allows you to choose clean energy for
>> your home.* If passed, you would be forced back to receiving a fossil
>> fuel mix from Eversource, which would be a huge step backward in the fight
>> for a greener future.
>>
>> Please know that CleanChoice is doing everything in our power to fight
>> this bill. But your voice as a clean energy customer is vital to our
>> efforts.
>>
>> *To help save 'retail choice' in the Commonwealth, please take a few
>> seconds to tell your representatives and sign this petition
>> .*
>>
>> Thank you for protecting the Bay State's green future,
>>
>> Tom Matzzie, Founder and CEO of CleanChoice Energy
>>
>> Sign the petition ›
>> 
>> [image: facebook]
>> 
>> [image: twitter]
>> 
>> [image: instagram]
>> 
>> [image: linkedin]
>> 
>> © 2022 CleanChoice Energy, Inc.
>> 1055 Thomas Jefferson St NW, #650
>> Washington, DC 20007
>>
>> DC PSC Order 17035, MD Lic. Ref. No. IR-2843, NJ BPU Lic. No. ESL-0128
>> Renewable Energy Procurement
>>

Re: [LincolnTalk] Fwd: Sara, help keep 'retail choice' in Massachusetts

2022-07-07 Thread Paul Shorb 
Thanks to Sara for flagging this and to Leslie for digging out one of the
several misleading articles published on behalf of this industry group --
which so far as I can tell, generally uses a business model based on
greenwashing and other forms of consumer deception. Clean Choice Energy
certainly does.

There are two main problems with the marketing and billing practices of
Clean Choice Energy and their ilk. First, unlike Lincoln’s Green Energy
Choice program, their so-called “clean energy” is not based on buying Class
1 Renewable Energy Credits (“RECs”). Buying Class 1 RECs causes more wind
and solar capacity to be built, which is what we want; buying other,
cheaper RECs does not. Second, as the attorney general found and as I
personally experienced, they often start with a low teaser rate and then
later try to sneak past you a big rate hike.

A rare exception is Green Energy Consumer Alliance. You can buy as much
Class 1 RECs from them as you want. On their website you can find more
information on this topic, on how to buy a discounted electric vehicle, and
other things.

The article Leslie found ends with the statement “Abolishing energy choice
in Massachusetts and relying solely upon a utility with no competitive
incentive could leave Massachusetts unable to meet the state’s climate goals”.
That is complete BS. Progress towards our state’s climate goals via
“greening” our electricity supply is being made through a variety of
government mandates and incentives, which work much better and more fairly
than would relying on this pack of deceptive greenwashers.

I would suggest that, every time you receive another marketing piece from Clean
Choice Energy, you treat that as a reminder to sign up instead for the 100%
Green option in the Lincoln’s Green Energy Choice program, if you haven’t
already. At least though our current contract period, it’s fixed rate is
currently cheaper than Eversource’s standard rate. And you can feel good
knowing that you thereby are actually helping reduce emissions of
global-warming gases.

On Thu, Jul 7, 2022 at 2:51 PM Leslie Turek  wrote:

> I found some information in this article.
>
> https://www.utilitydive.com/news/massachusetts-rollback-retail-customer-electricity-choice-bill/624968/
>
> Leslie Turek
>
> On Thu, Jul 7, 2022 at 2:36 PM Sara Mattes  wrote:
>
>> Can some of the Green Energy folks explain that backstory here?
>> Thanks, in advance.
>> --
>> Sara Mattes
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Begin forwarded message:
>>
>> *From: *"CleanChoice Energy" 
>> *Subject: **Sara, help keep 'retail choice' in Massachusetts*
>> *Date: *July 7, 2022 at 2:10:13 PM EDT
>> *To: *samat...@gmail.com
>> *Reply-To: *supp...@cleanchoiceenergy.com
>>
>> [image: CleanChoice Energy®]
>> 
>> Sara,
>>
>> Thank you for being a CleanChoice Energy customer. We're proud to be your
>> 100% renewable energy supplier.
>>
>> *Unfortunately, the Massachusetts state legislature is considering a bill
>> that could end 'retail choice', which allows you to choose clean energy for
>> your home.* If passed, you would be forced back to receiving a fossil
>> fuel mix from Eversource, which would be a huge step backward in the fight
>> for a greener future.
>>
>> Please know that CleanChoice is doing everything in our power to fight
>> this bill. But your voice as a clean energy customer is vital to our
>> efforts.
>>
>> *To help save 'retail choice' in the Commonwealth, please take a few
>> seconds to tell your representatives and sign this petition
>> .*
>>
>> Thank you for protecting the Bay State's green future,
>>
>> Tom Matzzie, Founder and CEO of CleanChoice Energy
>>
>> Sign the petition ›
>> 
>> [image: facebook]
>> 
>> [image: twitter]
>> 
>> [image: instagram]
>>

Re: [LincolnTalk] Fwd: Sara, help keep 'retail choice' in Massachusetts

2022-07-07 Thread Leslie Turek 
I found some information in this article.
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/massachusetts-rollback-retail-customer-electricity-choice-bill/624968/

Leslie Turek

On Thu, Jul 7, 2022 at 2:36 PM Sara Mattes  wrote:

> Can some of the Green Energy folks explain that backstory here?
> Thanks, in advance.
> --
> Sara Mattes
>
>
>
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> *From: *"CleanChoice Energy" 
> *Subject: **Sara, help keep 'retail choice' in Massachusetts*
> *Date: *July 7, 2022 at 2:10:13 PM EDT
> *To: *samat...@gmail.com
> *Reply-To: *supp...@cleanchoiceenergy.com
>
> [image: CleanChoice Energy®]
> 
> Sara,
>
> Thank you for being a CleanChoice Energy customer. We're proud to be your
> 100% renewable energy supplier.
>
> *Unfortunately, the Massachusetts state legislature is considering a bill
> that could end 'retail choice', which allows you to choose clean energy for
> your home.* If passed, you would be forced back to receiving a fossil
> fuel mix from Eversource, which would be a huge step backward in the fight
> for a greener future.
>
> Please know that CleanChoice is doing everything in our power to fight
> this bill. But your voice as a clean energy customer is vital to our
> efforts.
>
> *To help save 'retail choice' in the Commonwealth, please take a few
> seconds to tell your representatives and sign this petition
> .*
>
> Thank you for protecting the Bay State's green future,
>
> Tom Matzzie, Founder and CEO of CleanChoice Energy
>
> Sign the petition ›
> 
> [image: facebook]
> 
> [image: twitter]
> 
> [image: instagram]
> 
> [image: linkedin]
> 
> © 2022 CleanChoice Energy, Inc.
> 1055 Thomas Jefferson St NW, #650
> Washington, DC 20007
>
> DC PSC Order 17035, MD Lic. Ref. No. IR-2843, NJ BPU Lic. No. ESL-0128
> Renewable Energy Procurement
> 
> Terms of Service
> 
> Privacy Policy
> 
> Unsubscribe
> 
>
>
> --
> The LincolnTalk mailing list.
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[LincolnTalk] Fwd: Sara, help keep 'retail choice' in Massachusetts

2022-07-07 Thread Sara Mattes 
Can some of the Green Energy folks explain that backstory here?
Thanks, in advance.
--
Sara Mattes




> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> From: "CleanChoice Energy" 
> Subject: Sara, help keep 'retail choice' in Massachusetts
> Date: July 7, 2022 at 2:10:13 PM EDT
> To: samat...@gmail.com
> Reply-To: supp...@cleanchoiceenergy.com
> 
>  
> 
> Sara,
> 
> Thank you for being a CleanChoice Energy customer. We're proud to be your 
> 100% renewable energy supplier. 
> 
> Unfortunately, the Massachusetts state legislature is considering a bill that 
> could end 'retail choice', which allows you to choose clean energy for your 
> home. If passed, you would be forced back to receiving a fossil fuel mix from 
> Eversource, which would be a huge step backward in the fight for a greener 
> future. 
> 
> Please know that CleanChoice is doing everything in our power to fight this 
> bill. But your voice as a clean energy customer is vital to our efforts.
> 
> To help save 'retail choice' in the Commonwealth, please take a few seconds 
> to tell your representatives and sign this petition 
> .
> 
> Thank you for protecting the Bay State's green future, 
> 
> Tom Matzzie, Founder and CEO of CleanChoice Energy
> 
> Sign the petition › 
> 
>  
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
>  
> 
> © 2022 CleanChoice Energy, Inc.
> 1055 Thomas Jefferson St NW, #650
> Washington, DC 20007
> 
> DC PSC Order 17035, MD Lic. Ref. No. IR-2843, NJ BPU Lic. No. ESL-0128
> Renewable Energy Procurement 
> 
> 
> Terms of Service 
> 
> 
> Privacy Policy 
> 
> Unsubscribe 
> 

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