Happy FriYAY! An arctic storm front is expected to move through this evening so bundle up – winter is back, but the forecasters say it’s just for a couple of days.
In this week’s news, we have a story from Vox that explains RGGI. But, they note there is good and bad news. The good news is that it’s working. The bad news is that it’s not reducing carbon. To clarify that they wrote, “it (RGGI) has benefitted from emission reductions in the Northeast, but it hasn’t really caused any, or at least not many. Whether it can serve as an instrument of meaningful decarbonization — and retain its integrity and popularity — largely remains to be seen.”
Speaking of decarbonization, North American Windpower reports that Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo is seeking to grow renewable energy in the state by a “whopping” 1,000 percent. In the press release she said, “The goal will include energy from a broad portfolio of clean energy resources, including offshore and onshore wind and solar.” The article goes on to note that a Providence Business News article brings up a notable point: There is not yet any legislation to go along with the governor’s goal. Further, as of June 2016, approximately 95% of Rhode Island’s net electricity generation was derived from natural gas.
Last note for today – Wicked Local Woburn tells a story of how a monster slowly made its way through several Massachusetts towns. A high capacity autotransformer, weighing approximately 467,000 pounds, was moved from a dock in Everett to Eversource’s Woburn substation on Pond Street. The 35-foot long, 13-feet wide, 18-feet tall piece of equipment was moved with State Police escort on a 12-axel transport trailer through Everett, Chelsea, Malden, Melrose, Stoneham, Medford, Arlington and Winchester. The convoy traveled at about 5 miles per hour over several hours, Eversource officials said. Here’s to improved electric capacity and reliability!
Have a great weekend.
Natural Gas/Pipeline
3 million Americans at risk from human-induced earthquakes this year, USA TODAY
Residents quietly protest proposed pipeline, Wicked Local Shrewsbury
Rehoboth selectmen unhappy with Spectra Energy, The Sun Chronicle
Cities, Enviros Urge FERC To Pull Pipeline Project OK, Law360
Propane for schools removed from budget; Town to explore natural gas, New Canaan Advertiser
Earthquakes Have to Do with One Very Specific Part of Fracking, Big Think
Trump’s new pipelines are going to get a ‘dog fight’ in some parts of the United States, CNBC
Renewable Energy
Eversource solar array project stalled once again, Berkshire Record
Wind Turbines Loom on Off-Cape Waters, Wicked Local Wellfleet
NH’s wood heat efforts slow, NH Business Review
Making it happen: 2017 is the year for US offshore wind energy, Windpower Engineering
Rhode Island Governor Plots Whopping 1,000% Renewables Increase, North American Windpower
The Northeast’s carbon trading system works quite well. It just doesn’t reduce much carbon, Vox
Vermont among leaders in solar jobs per capita, Vermont Biz
Environmental groups to make hard push to reverse Maine’s new solar rules, Press Herald
Trump Can’t Stop This: Global Renewable Energy Booms, Natural Resources Defense Council
How to Support Renewable Energy (and Why You Really Should), Scientific American
N.Y. tries to balance solar power growth with land-use issues, USA Today
Energy Efficiency
Don’t Underestimate the Secondary Benefits of Energy Efficiency, Energy Manager Today
Heating (Or Cooling) Costs Too High? Heat Pump Technology Has The Answer, Hartford Courant
A Carbon Tax Gains Traction Among Some Conservatives, MainePublic.org
Nuclear
Entergy takes step toward Pilgrim shutdown, Cape Cod Times
State schedules Vermont Yankee sale hearing, vtdigger.org
Pilgrim Station decommissioning panel has four Plymouth members, Wicked Local Plymouth
Scientists Say They’re Finally Getting Close To Fusion Power, Daily Caller
2 Connecticut energy bills aim to help Millstone owner, spur fuel cell use, New Haven Register
NRC bans fired Seabrook Station nuclear plant guard, Seacoastonline.com
California Nuclear Closures Resulted in 250% Higher Emissions from Electricity, The Energy Collective
Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.
Renewables and Microgrids and Nothing Else: Crazy or Maybe?, Microgrid Knowledge
Wholesale electric prices reach new low in New England, but retail prices remain high, Boston Globe
Suppliers see lower electric prices ahead, NH Union Leader
Exelon: Millis water not needed for Medway plant, MetroWest Daily News
State approves transmission line to run under Winchester roads, Wicked Local Winchester
ISO-NE Begins Discussing Order 1000 Public Policy Tx Projects, RTO Insider
2 Vermont utilities say customers targeted by phone scam, Penn Energy
Wholesale electricity prices drop to 13-year low, CommonWealth Magazine
Needham selectmen dig deeper into Eversource project, Wicked Local Needham
Public Hearings to Discuss Eversource’s Proposed Rate Hike, CapeCod.com
Public counsel fires back over businesses’ Northern Pass claims, New Hampshire Business Review
How Secure Is Our Smart Grid?, Government Technology
Woburn autotransformer to up energy output, Wicked Local Woburn
Editorial/Opinion
Editorial: Making ‘dirty energy’ a thing of the past, MetroWest Daily News
Should Massachusetts commit itself to 100 percent renewable energy?, Boston Globe
Support RGGI for cleaner, healthier air, Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel
Columnist Marty Nathan: Massachusetts leads on renewable energy, GazetteNET
Your Turn, NH — David Worthen: RGGI is good for NH businesses, The Union Leader
Fracking Is Dangerous To Your Health — Here’s Why, Forbes
Invenergy plant provides today’s power needs, Valley Breeze
OPINION: Energy efficiency saves money, adds jobs, Daily Record
You Can’t Have Offshore Wind Power Without Petroleum, Forbes
Guy Page: Earlier decommissioning of Vermont Yankee has multiple benefits, vtdigger.org
The trials and triumphs of offshore wind, GreenBiz
Northeast Energy News 