On August 3, 2012, Massachusetts Governor Patrick signed new energy legislation that, among other things, expands the incentives and opportunities for developing wind, solar, hydro and other forms of renewable power generation to serve the state’s electricity consumers. This law, Senate Bill 2395, An Act relative to competitively priced electricity in the Commonwealth (the “Act”), also includes provisions that aim to manage some of the drivers of energy cost increases.

In regard to renewable energy, the Act...