Northern Pass Wins it All | A Disaster | Wind to Beat Hydro
Happy sunny Friday.
Some of the biggest anticipated news this week was the selection of winning bids in Massachusetts’ Section 83D RFP. What was interesting is that there was just one winner. Eversource’s Northern Pass project to bring Canadian hydro to New England beat out dozens of other bidders. From WBUR, “’We had a lot of good options and this is the one that rose to the top,’ said Judith Judson, Massachusetts’ commissioner of energy resources. Evaluators determined the project would provide the ‘greatest overall value,’ to the state’s electric ratepayers, she added. When completed, the line is expected to deliver the equivalent of 17 percent of the state’s current electric load.” Not everyone is happy about the choice though. See below for statements released by several energy and environmental organizations. And as the Boston Globe article notes, years of litigation is possible.
From the Worcester Telegram, Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and the Environment, Matthew Beaton speaking to the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change on Wednesday, reported that “During the frigid 15 days between Christmas and Jan. 9, power generators in Massachusetts burned about 2 million barrels of oil — more than twice the amount of oil they burned during all of 2016. ‘Economically, this is a disaster for us in New England. Equally as important, environmentally the emissions and the profiles of what occurred in this timeframe is nothing but a disaster,’ Beaton said. He added, ‘We can’t ignore this and I think this has to be part of an honest conversation of how we look at the challenges facing our system.’” One of the answers seems to be Siberian gas (Boston Globe).
The EIA released its short-term energy outlook this week and as the Daily Energy Insider reported the EIA revealed that “natural gas will hold its lead as the top supplier of electricity in the United States over the next two years.” However, as Utility Dive notes, the EIA also predicts that wind will beat hydro as leading US renewable resource in the same time frame.
We have a good number of articles below on Trump’s 30 percent solar tariff that was announced this week including one from Greentech Media that asks, Did Trump’s Solar Tariffs Just Launch a US Manufacturing Renaissance? And from the “Jetson’s” category we have a few articles on electric vehicles, including barges (The Guardian) and planes (Greentech Media) and another from Bloomberg that reveals, Off-the-Shelf Nuclear Plants Could Soon Help Power Electric Cars.
That’s it for this week. As always, be sure to check out Northeast Energy News for events. Have a great weekend.
83D
Mass. Taps Eversource’s Northern Pass For Hydropower Project, WBUR
Baker goes with Eversource’s Northern Pass, CommonWealth Magazine
Eversource wins big contract to build power line project through New Hampshire, Boston Globe
Northern Pass prevails in Mass. Clean Energy RFP, handing victory to Eversource and Hydro-Quebec, MassLive
Northern Pass wins entire Massachusetts clean energy bid process, Concord Monitor
Massachusetts Picks Northern Pass For Major Energy Contract, Maine Public
Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling
As Siberian gas awaits US landing, a second ship may be coming, Boston Globe
The end of natural gas is near, GreenBiz
EIA expects natural gas to hold lead as source for electricity generation through 2019, Daily Energy Insider
AG opposes gas-pipeline price break for new Back Bay high rise, Universal Hub
Pipeline advocates renew calls for expansion, MetroWest Daily News
Invenergy withdraws lawsuit challenging power-plant connection costs, The Providence Journal
Invenergy Ends Water Deal With Narragansett Indian Tribe, Rhode Island Public Radio
Invenergy Lawyer Accuses Town of Burrillville of Lying, ecoRI news
Pipeline in Holyoke stirs up conversation, The Massachusetts Daily Collegian
Massive oil burn during cold snap a ‘disaster,’ says Beaton, Worcester Telegram
New England About To Get Liquefied Natural Gas From Unusual Source, NewBostonPost
Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI
The trouble with Trump leaving climate change to the military, Vox.com
EPA loosens Clean Air Act rules for major pollution sources, Utility Dive
CT’s clean energy edge: Going, going . . . or coming back?, The CT Mirror
RI Environment Council Focused on Climate Change, ecoRI news
State Lawmakers Not Just Blowing Smoke About Rejoining RGGI, NJ Spotlight
City Council aims for 100 percent green, Daily Hampshire Gazette
Wind
EIA: Wind to beat hydro as leading US renewable resource in next 2 years, Utility Dive
A small town in SLC just got cut from a multimillion-dollar wind deal. Its reaction? “Relief.”, NCPR
Baker mentions offshore wind project in speech, Martha’s Vineyard Times
Vineyard wind takes more comment from the public, Cape Cod Times
LePage blocks new wind energy projects, creates secretive commission to study impacts, Press Herald
World’s biggest wind farm would have its own artificial island, NBCNews.com
Getting to ‘head-spinning’ low prices for US offshore wind, Utility Dive
Solar
Trump issues 30% tariff on solar imports, Utility Dive
Will utilities keep investing in solar after Trump’s tariffs?, Utility Dive
Mass. solar industry ‘just got a hit in the nose’ from Trump’s new tariff, (subscriber content) Boston Business Journal
Critics say Eversource’s new fee casts a shadow on solar power, Boston Globe
Will the Eversource rate design that DER advocates couldn’t stop slow the Massachusetts solar boom?, Utility Dive
Did Trump’s Solar Tariffs Just Launch a US Manufacturing Renaissance?, Greentech Media
At Davos, Gore defends Trump solar tariff: report, Fox News
Solar groups balk at DPU Eversource decision, Trump tariffs, The Recorder
Massachusetts “SMART” Rates to Boost Community Solar, (press release) Energy Central
Energy Efficiency/Storage
A better battery? MIT researchers say discovery could improve storage of energy from wind, sun, Boston Globe
Saving Watts to Save Drops: Inclusion of Water Efficiency in Energy Efficiency Programs, (report) ACEEE
6 months after target adoption, Massachusetts sees energy storage growth, challenges, Utility Dive
Dover, Sherborn join Green Communities, Wicked Local Dover
Nissan announces energy storage solution using solar, Energy Digital
Electric Transportation
‘Every New Vehicle Will Be Electric’ by 2025, Disruption Expert Says, Renewable Energy World
World’s first electric container barges to sail from European ports this summer, The Guardian
How many electric cars can the grid take? Depends on your neighborhood, arstechnica.com
Electric Airplanes Could Remake Aviation, Greentech Media (Audio)
Nuclear
Can We Make A Nuclear Reactor That Won’t Melt Down?, Forbes.com
State Nuclear Bailout Lawsuit Moves Forward, NY Law Journal
Vermont Yankee sale settlement may be imminent, vtdigger.org
Off-the-Shelf Nuclear Plants Could Soon Help Power Electric Cars, Bloomberg
CT to move ahead with nuke power auction, Hartford Business Journal
Indian Point: Owners, workers reach tentative deal, The Journal News
Dominion’s Millstone nuclear plant could warrant subsidies, draft report says, Utility Dive
NextEra: Nuclear plant operator ‘uncompromising’ with safety, Gloucester Daily Times
Vermont Yankee fuel plan gets environmental OK, vtdigger.org
Report: Nukes should be allowed to compete with wind, solar, Penn Energy
Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.
Milford power plant gets a boost, Milford Daily News
Attleboro area electricity collaborative renews contract, Sun Chronicle
FERC Denies New England Tx Owners ROE Rehearing, RTO Insider
FERC, RTOs: Grid Performed Better in Jan. Cold Snap vs. 2014, RTO Insider
ISO New England power study highlights fuel-security risks, Daily Energy Insider
New England Energy Grid Pushed To Brink During Recent Cold Snaps, Vermont Public Radio
Eversource customers could see another rate increase, WFSB
Advocacy groups oppose National Grid rate hike, Albany Times Union
Brayton Point sale price: $8.5 million, Herald News
State investigates National Grid’s storm response, Gloucester Times
Everett sues Baker administration to nix tax deal for power plant, Boston Globe
In Quebec, it’s power versus a people on hydroelectricity, Boston Globe
Van Welie takes energy analysis to Capitol Hill, CommonWealth Magazine
Will the New Solar Tariffs Hurt the Microgrid Industry? Yes and No, Microgrid Knowledge
Editorial/Opinion
Our Opinion: Unintended consequences of solar panel tariff, Berkshire Eagle
Union: Money is clouding CLF’s judgment, CommonWealth Magazine
What’s happened to CLF?, CommonWealth Magazine
CLF denies financial ties to TDI, CommonWealth Magazine
To the Editor: CLF has a conflict of interest, Foster’s Daily Democrat
Maine Compass: State has reached its limit on wind power, Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel
COLUMN-Commentary: A tale of a tanker, Russian gas, sanctions and energy politics, Reuters
Trusting industry to police industry standards leads to lasting harm, (nuclear) Commons
Editorial: Murphy says yes to RGGI and no to Christie, NorthJersey.com
How US Tariffs Will Hurt America’s Solar Industry, New York Times
YOUR VIEW: The outrageously high cost for energy in Massachusetts is an issue that matters, SouthCoastToday.com
LETTER: Climate change demands voices be heard at State House, Wicked Local Cambridge
Northeast Energy News 