Coming Apart at the Seams | Battery Week | Cows Join Carbon Market | Facing Opposition
Good Saturday afternoon.
Apologies for the delayed delivery of this week’s energy news. I’d blame the USPS, but you know…electronic mail.
Here are a few interesting stories from this week.
Somerset coming apart at the seams, CommonWealth Magazine
Why lithium-ion batteries are so important, Volts
Cows Join Carbon Market in Quest to Curb Planet-Warming Burps, Bloomberg Green
Peabody gas plant faces opposition, Salem News
Enjoy the rest of the weekend and stay safe!
Climate Change
RI Gov. Dan McKee signs ‘landmark’ Act on Climate, Providence Journal
Vermont Electric Cooperative plans to go carbon-free by 2023, VT Digger
White House considers doubling Obama-era carbon reduction targets: BNEF, Utility Dive
Climate change law codifies environmental justice, CommonWealth Magazine
How high-tech robotic surfboards could change our understanding of the Gulf Stream, Washington Post
Satellite Constellation Set to Unmask World’s Super Polluters, Bloomberg Green
Massachusetts just passed a landmark climate bill. Here’s why Ben Downing thinks it doesn’t go far enough., Boston.com
Senate Democrats float climate diplomacy plan ahead of White House summit, Axios
Biden Says His Climate Plan Means Jobs. Some Union Members Are Skeptical, NPR
Renewables/RGGI/TCI
New rules require more efficient biomass energy plants, WWLP
A Green Grid by 2035? New Report Says We’re Halfway There, Bloomberg Green
Granholm: Reconciliation possible for clean energy standard, but no decisions made, Politico
Wind
New Bedford mayor calls offshore wind ‘generational opportunity,’ CommonWealth Magazine
Interior bolsters offshore wind by revoking Trump-era legal opinion, The Hill
How an offshore wind boom in the US could boost ocean research, The Verge
Samsung Heavy Industry Unveils New Wind Turbine Installation Vessel Design, GCaptain
‘Rapid innovation’: Oil giant Chevron backs new floating wind design for US Atlantic debut, Recharge News
US crew secures Vineyard onshore wire job, ReNews
A Favorable Fetch for US Offshore Wind, Marine Link
Angry Somerset residents elect ally to select board, CommonWealth Magazine
Somerset selectman Holly McNamara resigns ‘effective immediately’ over Brayton Point fight, Herald News
Solar
How a 2019 Maine law spurred $100 million in solar investment, Press Herald
State fines Eversource, builder up to $310,000 for solar project runoff in Southampton, Daily Hampshire Gazette
Efficiency/Storage
Pandemic raises the profile of decarbonization — and clean air — tech for buildings, Canary Media
Energy Efficiency Contractors Say PUC Delays On State Plan Could Harm Their Businesses, NHPR
Eversource honored with award from U.S. Department of Energy, WTNH
How do lithium-ion batteries actually work? David Roberts explains, Canary Media
South Korean battery makers reach last-minute settlement, Washington Post
QuantumScape says its technology is ready to move from the lab to VW’s dealerships. But this secretive startup is very familiar with failure. Bloomberg Green
UMass Dartmouth receives second grant for LED light fixture upgrades, UMass News
EVs
Eversource Energy : Partners with Major Utilities to Increase Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Across the Country, Market Screener
DOE commits $100M in grants to put electric trucks on the road, Canary Media
How to get the US to 100% electric vehicles by 2035, Canary Media
Biden’s infrastructure plan goes big on EVs, but his first budget starts small, analysts say, Utility Dive
Nuclear
Indian Point Is Shutting Down. That Means More Fossil Fuel., New York Times
Former NRC chair questions economic feasibility of new nuclear in US, Utility Dive
Atomic Superyacht to Offer $3 Million Eco-Tours With Scientists, Bloomberg Green
Attorney General reaches tentative agreement for dismantling and cleaning up Indian Point, Mid-Hudson News
Natural Gas/Pipelines/Oil/Drilling
Glick spells out views on FERC’s reach amid tempest over Weymouth gas compressor, S&P Global
Replace Your Gas Stove With Induction to Save Energy and Impress Guests, Bloomberg Green
Quincy city councilors call for halt to compressor operations, vow to keep fighting, Patriot Ledger
Shell to Let Shareholders Vote on Shift to Cleaner Energy, Wall St. Journal
U.S. Startup Plans to Build First Zero-Emission Gas Power Plants, Bloomberg Green
Market/Grid/Policy/Prices
Comparing the actual US grid to the one predicted 15 years ago, Ars Technica
Why is Connecticut No. 1 in the cost of electricity among the 48 lower states? Here are 7 reasons., Hartford Courant
Transmission strategy takes shape as Congress, FERC press ahead with reforms, S&P Global
Glick, Chatterjee clash on RTO expansion incentive as FERC announces transmission initiatives, Utility Dive
US House Bill Would Give Microgrids 30% Tax Credit, Microgrid Knowledge
Eversource raps Connecticut regulators’ report on Tropical Storm Isaias response as error-prone and failing to comply with state law, Hartford Courant
New York approves Con Edison’s proposed $800 mln power line projects, Reuters
How lessons from a microgrid project can lead the way to decarbonizing the electric grid, Tech Republic
NERC finding 25% of utilities exposed to SolarWinds hack indicates growing ICS vulnerabilities, analysts say, Utility Dive
Biden Rushes to Protect Power Grid as Hacking Threats Grow, Bloomberg
Opinion
Op-ed: Offshore wind procurement should use ‘Massport model,’ Boston Business Journal
MBTA needs to get on decarbonization train, CommonWealth Magazine
Why Closing a Nuclear Plant Could Hurt N.Y.’s Environment, New York Times
A Climate Back Door to Watch, Wall St. Journal
Letter: Put gas in the past, Salem News
We Are Living in a Climate Emergency, and We’re Going to Say So, Scientific American
Cleaner by the mile: Electric trucks can have outsized environmental and health benefits, Utility Dive