Client: Berkshire Environmental Action Team
Authors: Jordan Burt, Elisabeth Seliga, Tanya Stasio, PhD, Lila McNamee, and Elizabeth A. Stanton, PhD
December 2024
On behalf of the Berkshire Environmental Action Team, Researcher Jordan Burt, Assistant Researcher Elisabeth Seliga, Researcher Tanya Stasio, PhD, Research Assistant Lila McNamee, and Principal Economist Liz Stanton, PhD, prepared a report that reviews case studies of fossil-fuel plant conversions to clean energy resources across the country and discusses the replacement of existing peaker plants in Massachusetts to achieve statewide climate goals. The report identifies three key takeaways for the Commonwealth:
1. Fossil-fuel sites can be desirable locations for clean energy siting
2. Reducing reliance on fossil-fuel generation can help lessen the burden of environmental and health impacts on already overburdened communities
3. Fossil-fuel plant conversions are a tool that can be used to achieve state and local greenhouse gas emission limits.