Reluctantly Rejected | Wind that Works
Happy Friday.
It’s been a fairly quiet week for energy news, so we’ll keep it short.
From Commonwealth Magazine, “Healey reluctantly rejects Brookline bylaw. Measure banned most oil, gas pipes in new buildings. Attorney General Maura Healey’s office on Tuesday reluctantly shot down a bylaw approved by the town of Brookline that would have barred the installation of most fossil fuel infrastructure in any new buildings or significant rehabs of existing buildings. In a 12-page ruling, Healey applauded the town’s bid to start addressing greenhouse gas emissions but said the bylaw approved overwhelmingly by town meeting members in November is preempted by the state building code, gas code, and a law giving the Department of Public Utilities oversight of the sale and distribution of natural gas in Massachusetts.”
Also from CommonWealth Magazine we have, “Bernhardt eager for offshore wind ‘that works.’ Secretary Of The Interior David Bernhardt flew into Boston on Tuesday where he defended putting Vineyard Wind, the nation’s first large-scale wind farm, on hold for more than a year and promised a key permitting decision on the project in December that will work for both wind developers and fishing interests. Bernhardt, whose boss, President Trump, has shown little interest in offshore wind, said he is eager to launch the offshore wind industry. ‘I am very eager to do it, but I am eager to do it in a way that works,’ he said. ‘Let me give you an example. In the West we do wind. You know where we don’t put a windmill? In the middle of a highway. You can drive all the roads in the west and you’re not going to drive into a windmill.’ His comment appeared to be a reference to concerns of fishing groups that wind turbines would block access to fishing grounds and hamper navigation. ‘We don’t whack people with an unnecessary burden if we can avoid it and do things sustainably,’ he said. ‘I need a development program that is done in a way that’s sustainable for everybody.’”
Have a great weekend and as always, stay safe.
Climate Change/Renewables/RGGI
The most powerful renewable energy, BBC
Study of emissions and virus deaths implicates EPA policy, E&E News
Climate Change Poses ‘Systemic Threat’ to the Economy, Big Investors Warn, New York Times
Global Warming Is Driving Polar Bears Toward Extinction, Researchers Say, New York Times
Rich Americans spew more carbon pollution at home than poor, AP
Major new climate study rules out less severe global warming scenarios, Washington Post
Hydrogen Becomes More Viable as a Microgrid Fuel, Microgrid Knowledge
Wind
Bernhardt eager for offshore wind ‘that works,’ CommonWealth Magazine
State lawmakers call for action on wind farm, Cape Cod Times
New York Issues Second Offshore Wind Solicitation, Overcoming Coronavirus Delays, Greentech Media
Development of East Providence marine terminal gains $15M in Rebuild Rhode Island incentives, Providence Business News
New Jersey drafts offshore wind solicitation for up to 2.4 GW, Utility Dive
Senate Republicans urge McConnell to include clean energy in COVID-19 recovery package, Utility Dive
Lake turbines part of new state power play, Observer Today (NY)
Solar
‘They need to be ready.’ Study warns of growing solar waste, E&E News
Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company Reports on Progress for Solar Project on Landfill in Brattleboro Vermont, Globe Newswire
EVs
Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities investigates advanced metering and time varying rates for customers with electric vehicles, Energy and Cleantech Counsel
Auto Makers Charge Ahead With Electric-Vehicle Plans, Wall St. Journal
New York investor-owned utilities to fund $701M make-ready EV infrastructure program, Utility Dive
In electric car market, it’s Tesla and a jumbled field of also-rans, Boston Business Journal (subscriber content)
Nuclear
Nuclear power has been top-down and hierarchical. These women want to change that., Vox
Bribery Scandals Taint Efforts to Save U.S. Nuclear Plants, Bloomberg Quint
Gas
Ashland Select Board requests AG’s aid in Eversource pipeline fight, MetroWest Daily News
Healey reluctantly rejects Brookline bylaw, CommonWealth Magazine
Market/Grid/Policy/Prices
Bill to replace CMP with public entity faces key vote Friday, Press Herald
New findings show Maine Power could produce $9 billion in benefits for Maine people, Maine House Democrats
Grid operators agree on short-term gas benefits, but say it shouldn’t limit renewables growth, Utility Dive
Events
Hydrogen and the Green Economy, NECA Webinar, July 29, 2020
EBC Second Annual New England Climate Change, Resilence & Adaptation Summit: Part One – State Leadership, July 31, 2020
Webinar: Retail Energy Choice in 2020: An in-depth discussion on what the most recent data really means for consumers, CT Power and Energy Society, August 25, 2020
Co-Keynotes—Forging Decarbonization Plans & Essential Policies, Implementing Decarbonization Strategies—It Takes The Whole Village, Online, Restructuring Roundtable, September 25, 2020