Commonwealth Organics-to-Energy Program

March 10, 2023

Summary

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) offers a Commonwealth Organics-to-Energy grant program. Organics-to-Energy grants support the use of anaerobic digestion and other technologies that convert source-separated organic wastes into electricity and thermal energy.

Grants are available to electricity customers served by the following Massachusetts investor-owned electric utilities, which pay into the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust Fund: Fitchburg Gas and Electric Light (Unitil), Massachusetts Electric (National Grid), Nantucket Electric (National Grid), and Eversource. In addition, customers of any Municipal Light Plant (MLP) Department that pays into the Renewable Energy Trust are also eligible (see MassCEC's website for additional information on which MLPs have joined the Renewable Energy Trust Fund.)

There are three separate solicitations under this program. Each solicitation has specific eligibility and requirements, the information provided here is a summary only.

1. Technical Services/Technical Study Grants

Only public entities are eligible for the technical services grants. Up to $50,000 is available per grant and a 10% cost-share is required. Specific eligible activities include:

• Technical assistance in the development, evaluation, and procurement of contracts through a Request for Qualifications/Request for Proposals process
• Technical assistance for proposals to site organics-to-energy facilities within a public entity's jurisdiction
• Public engagement processes for matching community needs with organics processing options
• Pre-feasibility studies for sites, generator clusters, or technical approaches to handling identified organic waste streams

The current solicitation does not cover technical services or technical study grants.

2. Feasibility Studies

Both public and private (profit or not-for-profit) entities are eligible to apply. Activities supported include assessing feedstock, the technical and engineering feasibility of the project, interconnection requirements, identifying any community impacts or issues, among other activities. Up to $45,000 is available with a 5% cost share for public entities and 20% cost share for non-public entities. The current solicitation does not cover feasibility studies.

3. Implementation and Pilot Projects

Both public and private (profit or not-for-profit) entities are eligible to apply. Activities supported include designing, permitting, and construction as well as installation and/or commissioning of equipment.  There are some key differences and eligibility requirements between "implementation projects" and "pilot projects" and there are corresponding funding amounts available. Implementation projects may be eligible for up to $500,000 and pilot projects may be eligible for up to $250,000. 

Cost-share requirements are a minimum of 25% for design phase costs and a minimum of 50% for construction phase costs.

View the current solicitation here.