Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) officials said renewable energy contracts with BP Energy Company and Direct Energy LLC would reduce its carbon footprint and save over $3 million annually.
“These important investments in fully renewable energy, highlighted by the purchase of Renewable Energy Credits for the entirety of our electricity load, mean that the T has a dedicated commitment to electricity produced from renewable energy sources,” MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said. “With the beginning of these new contracts, the T continues to expand its use of renewable energy in its portfolio, and furthers its commitment to supporting sustainable transit.”
The agreements make the MBTA the largest transit agency in the nation to be 100 percent renewable while yielding a significant reduction in the agency’s carbon footprint. Before the agreements, 36 percent of the MBTA’s carbon emissions came from electricity usage, but as of Jan. 1, the carbon emissions are effectively avoided.
The combined 100 percent renewable power contract total is $12.13 million per year for a three-year term, down from approximately $15.5 million per year during the previous 5-year contract with BP.
The pacts include the purchase of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) for 100 percent of the MBTA’s electricity load, in addition to provisions for providing 70 percent of the electricity at a fixed price.
Purchasing RECs means the MBTA has purchased electricity from a renewable power source with each certificate equivalent to the generation of one megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity.