Electric heat costs way less than reports say, new data suggests | Technology | The Guardian

"Each year, the federal Energy Information Agency publishes a winter fuels outlook, forecasting how much households using different fuels will pay for heat from November through March. This year, it says heating-oil customers will face the steepest costs, at $1,856; followed by propane users, at $1,337; electricity users, at $1,063; and finally gas users, at just $605.

But that number doesn’t distinguish between older electric-resistance appliances, such as electric baseboard heaters and electric space heaters – which are much more expensive to run – and highly efficient electric heat pumps.

“Both run on electricity, but they’re fundamentally different machines,” said Wael Kanj, a research associate at Rewiring America. “It’s like averaging the top speed of a Power Wheels [toy car] and a Tesla.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/nov/26/electric-heat-costs-way-less-than-reports-say-new-data-suggests

Electric heat costs way less than reports say, new data suggests | Technology | The Guardian

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program's Winter Heating Season to Begin November 1

Massachusetts Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program's Winter Heating Season to Begin November 1  

 

Applications are now open for eligible Massachusetts households to apply for financial assistance this heating season (Nov. 1, 2023 – April 30, 2024) 

 

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) is pleased to announce November 1 as the start of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) 2023-2024 winter heating season. LIHEAP is a free, statewide service funded by the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program that helps eligible households stay warm during the winter months by paying a portion of winter heating bills. 

 

Applications for home energy assistance are currently being accepted online at toapply.org/massliheap, and income-eligible households may receive financial help to offset heating bills from November 1, 2023, through April 30, 2024.  

 

Both homeowners and renters can apply online or through local administering agencies for LIHEAP assistance. Households must meet specific eligibility requirements to qualify for aid, which will be paid directly to their heating vendor.  

 

Eligibility is based on several factors, including household size and combined gross annual income of residents 18 and older. Qualifying households – including those with the cost of heat included in the rent – can receive assistance for all sources of heat, including oil, electricity, natural gas, propane, kerosene, wood and coal.  

 

"The Massachusetts home energy assistance program is free, because no resident should have to worry about heating their home during the wintertime," said Ed Augustus Jr., Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities. "High fuel costs can have a devastating effect on household budgets and can even endanger Massachusetts' most vulnerable residents. We encourage anyone who needs heating assistance to explore their eligibility by applying online or visiting the nearest administering agency. And to please share the information with loved ones or neighbors who could benefit from this free resource." 

 

For more information, or to find your local LIHEAP agency, visit www.toapply.org/MassLIHEAP. 

 

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program's Winter Heating Season to Begin November 1

About EOHLC 

The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) was established in 2023 to create more homes and lower housing costs in every region. EOHLC also distributes funding to municipalities, oversees the state-aided public housing portfolio, and operates the state's EA family shelter. 

 

From the clean heat report to decarbonization, Ted helps in this Making Sense of Climate episode #22 (audio)

FM #929 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 929 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Ted McIntyre, Franklin resident and climate activist via the Zoom conference bridge Tuesday, January 24, 2023.  

In this episode we covered the following topics: 

• End of year reports, status recap

• The MA roadmap

• Commission on Clean Heat issued report on Nov 30, 2022

• The Boston Foundation Climate Report Card

• story of three chairs

• Myths about appliances…  trust science! Or ?

This discussion continues our journey understanding the MA roadmap toward net zero and while it helps me “make sense of climate”, we hope it helps with your understanding as well. 

If you have climate questions or Franklin specific climate questions, send them in and we’ll try to answer them in a future session.  

The conversation runs about 38 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Ted McIntyre as he helps me ‘make sense of climate’ Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-929-making-sense-of-climate-23-01-24-23

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Links to articles referenced:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1arTnyvQxTrOeV-Kdkxu7XldIWV3TLcqu/view?usp=share_link 

See the page that collects the “Making Sense of Climate” episodes -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/02/making-sense-of-climate-collection.html 

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

https://www.mass.gov/doc/massachusetts-commission-on-clean-heat-final-report-november-30-2022/download

Massachusetts Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) 2022-23 Winter Heating Season Begins November 1, 2022

LIHEAP is a free, statewide resource that helps eligible households by paying a portion of their winter heating bill from November 1 through April 30. The Massachusetts home energy assistance program (LIHEAP), which pays a portion of heating cost for eligible households, is now accepting applications. LIHEAP is a free, statewide resource that helps eligible households by paying a portion of their winter heating bill from November 1 through April 30. The LIHEAP program is administered by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development in partnership with a network of 20 agencies across the state. No matter what type of heating source you have, LIHEAP may be able to help you pay your winter heating bills. All Massachusetts residents are encouraged to explore eligibility for this free program and apply for assistance.

Eligible Massachusetts households, can apply online at www.toapply.org/MassLIHEAP

or find their local agency at hedfuel.azurewebsites.net (enter Franklin)

Note: when I followed both links, they agreed in determining that Self Help, Inc is the service provider for Franklin. You can apply online directly at -> https://www.toapply.org/SHI

Thanks for connecting with Self-Help, Inc

Boston Globe: "A better future for heating your home"

"As we prepare for colder weather, the choice has already been made for many residents that they will be burning euphemistically named “natural gas,” or methane. This fuel, which is no more natural than any other fossil fuel, is not only responsible for massive property damage and loss of life following explosions, as we saw in the Merrimack Valley disaster three years ago — it is also a potent fossil fuel, responsible for 27 percent of climate-altering emissions statewide, second only to transportation and significantly greater than even the energy generation sector.

If the state does not move away from our reliance on gas, we probably won’t hit our statutory emissions reduction goals set by the Global Warming Solutions Act and the recent 2050 net-zero roadmap legislation. Working in opposition to those goals, gas utilities are planning decades of new pipelines, projected to cost Massachusetts gas customers $20 billion — a Big Dig-sized project — according to a recent report commissioned by Gas Leaks Allies."

Continue reading the article online. (Subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/11/23/opinion/better-future-heating-your-home/

Olivia Cerf and Ben Butterworth stand near the heat pumps they installed at their Melrose home.ERIN CLARK/GLOBE STAFF

How to save money heating your home this winter

How to save money heating your home this winter by Colleen Tressler Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC The days are getting cooler — in fact, some parts of the U.S. have already seen snow. Experts report it's going to be an expensive winter to heat your home, but there are things you can do now to cut your energy costs. Read more ->  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2021/11/how-save-money-heating-your-home-winter?utm_source=govdelivery

How to save money heating your home this winter

Frequently Asked Questions - how to deal with rising heating and utility costs

The MA Attorney General's Office has prepared a Frequently Asked Questions page on how to deal with rising heating and utility costs this winter.

"Many residents are struggling to pay their bills, including their monthly utility bills. Electricity and Gas are essential services—that’s why it is important that customers know their rights and where they can go for help if they need it."

Visit https://www.mass.gov/info-details/frequently-asked-questions-about-electric-and-gas-utilities-during-covid-19

• English version PDF -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/17QqpZ0o9fkNhv3WBLVJ2jq-KJZYmaqvG/view?usp=sharing
• Spanish version PDF -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/17TQgZmfwrFKlTpi-8APKeA7sFLunvUge/view?usp=sharing

Frequently Asked Questions - how to deal with rising heating and utility costs

Tip of the hat to Tyngsborough for the info links ->

https://twitter.com/TyngsboroughMA/status/1456248576418500608

MassCEC launches pilot program for whole-home heat pumps

A total of $500,000 has been allocated by MassCEC to provide rebates for the installation of whole-home air-source heat pump systems

Announcing the Whole-Home Air-Source Heat Pump Pilot Program The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center ("MassCEC") is excited to announce the launch of our Whole-Home Air-Source Heat Pump Pilot. MassCEC has allocated $500,000 to provide rebates for the installation of whole-home air-source heat pump ("ASHP") systems at residential properties – specifically at existing homes with natural gas and new construction projects designed to operate without fossil fuels. This pilot is meant to support ASHP systems that function as the sole source of heating in a home without the need for supplementary or back-up heat. The Pilot will accept applications until December 31, 2019 or until all allocated funding has been awarded.  HVAC contractors interested in becoming a participating installer should review the requirements in the Pilot Program Manual and reach out to ashp@masscec.com with any questions. Through the pilot program, MassCEC will promote projects at the leading edge of Massachusetts' strategic electrification efforts. A major goal of the pilot is collecting learnings and information on whole-home ASHP systems, so we look forward to sharing preliminary results, lessons learned, and case studies through the pilot program. Read our blog post to learn more about the goals of the pilot, and please reach out to us if you have any questions or ideas. Further program information can be found at www.masscec.com/clean-heating-and-cooling/air-source-heat-pumps. Warmly, The MassCEC Air-Source Heat Pump Team Massachusetts Clean Energy Center The MassCEC Air-Source Heat Pump Team Massachusetts Clean Energy Center 63 Franklin St, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02110 617-315-9300 | ASHP@masscec.com Massachusetts Clean Energy Center   Grow the state's clean energy industry while helping to meet the Commonwealth's clean energy and climate goals. Copyright © 2019 Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, All rights reserved 63 Franklin Street, 3rd Floor Boston, MA 02110 Phone: 617-315-9300 Fax: 617-315-9356

In the News: home heating assistance sought; "the multi-pronged process that is social emotional leaning"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Human service activists and lawmakers rallied Wednesday outside the Statehouse, calling for the state to help offset a cut in federal funding by allocating $30 million to help low-income families afford winter home heating bills. 

Most of the 48,000 households in Massachusetts that heat with oil have used up their benefits or will do so by the end of January, according to the Massachusetts Association for Community Action, which said 160,000 households in Massachusetts are served under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. 

Funding for the federal program was reduced by $11 million this year, and has over several years been cut from $200 million a year to $136 million per year, MASSCAP said."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190109/advocacy-group-seeks-30m-for-heating-bills

Keep Warm in Massachusetts: Need help paying your heating bills?

"For Beverly Hugo, teaching works best when educators focus on a student’s overall well-being, the key element to what academics call social-emotional learning. 

“We are trying to put child development back into the curriculum and less emphasis on testing - especially in K-12” Hugo said. “We use positive behavioral intervention and support.” 

Hugo, president of Massachusetts Association of School Committees, was one four panelists invited to speak Tuesday night at Senate President Karen Spilka’s forum on social-emotional learning, sponsored by Framingham State University. 

“We agree that we need to teach and support the whole child,” Spilka said in her opening remarks. “Tonight, we are focusing on successful implementation strategies for SEL (social- emotional learning) in our schools and our communities.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190109/at-ashland-confab-parents-teachers-talk-about-nurturing-well-rounded-students

Social and emotional learning (SEL)

MassCEC's HeatSmart Mass Program Overview - via webinar Aug 1

Access webinar recording and slides

HeatSmart Mass Technology and Program Overview Webinar MassCEC is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, August 1st 3:30 - 5:00 PM, to provide an overview of the HeatSmart-eligible heating technologies and the HeatSmart Mass program, as well as to answer questions about the recent HeatSmart RFP. HeatSmart Mass is a community-based outreach and education program that encourages the adoption of clean heating and cooling technologies, including air-source heat pumps, ground-source heat pumps, modern wood heat, and solar hot water. Webinar Details: When: August 1, 2018, 3:30 - 5:00 PM Presenters: Josh Kessler, Lisa Dobbs, and Jonah Ury from MassCEC All inquiries related to HeatSmart Mass should be submitted by email to HeatSmartMass@masscec.com. Best, The HeatSmart Mass Team  Click here to register for the webinar https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4302753329880930050?mc_cid=648460a536&mc_eid=952cc7b7a1 Massachusetts Clean Energy Center   Grow the state's clean energy industry while helping to meet the Commonwealth's clean energy and climate goals. Copyright © 2018 Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: 63 Franklin Street, 3rd Floor Boston, MA 02110 Phone: 617-315-9300 Fax: 617-315-9356