Tag Archives: energy news

Crowd-sourcing | Permit denied | Transformation

 

Happy beautiful Friday afternoon folks.

Let’s get to the news.

From CommonWealth Magazine, “Crowd-sourcing energy efficiency. Eversource Energy on Wednesday began offering businesses and homeowners incentive payments ranging from $20 to $1,000 a year if they allow the company to tap into devices that would allow the utility to remotely retrieve electricity stored by customers or lower their energy usage at peak demand periods. Developed as part of the state’s $2.8 billion, three-year energy efficiency program, Eversource said the incentive payment program would target customers with electric vehicle chargers, battery storage devices, or wireless thermostats. Customers with vehicle chargers or battery storage systems would allow Eversource to remotely link to the devices ‘a few hours a month,’ drawing electricity that would be shifted on to the regional power grid at peak demand periods. For homeowners with wireless thermostats, Eversource would remotely turn down the temperature on very hot days and help reduce demand on the power grid. By aggregating the devices of several thousand customers, Eversource estimated it could reduce the need for new power plants and transmission facilities. The company described the energy impact of the program as the equivalent of taking 20,000 homes off the power grid at peak demand times.”

Another pipeline permit is denied according to a story from Crain’s NY Business, “NJ joins NY in denying permits for hotly contested natural-gas pipeline. New Jersey regulators followed New York’s in denying key permits for the Williams Transco pipeline Wednesday, prompting its developer to promise to reapply in the Garden State. The proposed $1 billion pipeline, from Tulsa-based William Cos., would carry natural gas from Pennsylvania through New Jersey, under a bay and the ocean to New York. The company says the pipeline is necessary to ensure adequate heating fuel for the New York region. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection rejected the permits—including one for waterfront development and wetlands works—without prejudice, meaning the company can try again. The company was similarly rebuffed by New York regulators for a water-quality permit last month. The developer has reapplied there as well. In the meantime, National Grid has stopped processing new applications for natural-gas hookups in its Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island service territories until the project is approved.”

The last highlight for this week is a story you can read or listen to and comes from WBUR, “New England’s Electric Power Grid Is Undergoing A Transformation. Dan Dolan, president of the New England Power Generators Association, says the region has a problem: ‘It’s really hard to be half pregnant, but we’re trying.’ The problem: We’re creating a hybrid power grid, an electric-generating network that runs on a changing combination of fuels and technologies. He says the system is more complex and less predictable than the grid we had just a few years ago.”

That’s the recap for this week. Have a wonderful weekend.

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

Offshore drilling ban gets airing, Salem News

Healey intervenes in suit over oil transport, Cape Cod Times

Latest Federal Pipeline Safety Proposal Looks To Fix Problems Revealed In Merrimack Valley Gas Fires, WGBH

DEP Shows New Air Quality Data in Compressor Case, Associated Press

Weymouth compressor foes have more time to vet new air quality data, Wicked Local

Williams expects to overcome environmental concerns on Northeast Supply natgas pipe, Reuters

New Jersey joins New York in denying permits for hotly contested natural gas pipeline, Crain’s New York

Latest Federal Pipeline Safety Proposal Looks To Fix Problems Revealed In Merrimack Valley Gas Fires, WGBH

Water a big concern for utilities, but coal ash risk in billions, Bloomberg L.P.

Michael Bloomberg Promises $500 Million to Help End Coal, New York Times

 

Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI

Teen Climate Activist Greta Thunberg: ‘This Is Not Over Yet, Not Even Close,’ Greentech Media

In future Mass bids, offshore wind could be forced to compete with other green energy, South Coast Today

Bill to require greenhouse gas study of CMP project falters in House, Press Herald

Environmentalists tout offshore wind, plastic bag, solar measures, The Day

Springfield organizers, residents voice opposition to biomass burning, WWLP

New England Is Losing Its Native Plants. Researchers Say It’s Time To Stop And Smell The Wildflowers, WBUR

 

Wind

Connecticut takes a major step into offshore wind, CT Mirror

The rush is on: to double offshore wind power, that is, Boston Globe

Wind farm critics step up efforts, National Wind Watch

Jones Act? Not a Problem for US Offshore Wind Market, Avangrid Says, Greentech Media

Revolution Wind will use State Pier, The Day

Rhode Island’s Planned New Offshore Wind Farm Reflects Growing Trend. Here’s Why Some Are Concerned, WNPR

 

Solar

New York braces for solar fight as utility regulators mull fixed charge increase, Renewable Energy World

Proposed Bridgewater solar farm re-emerges after court battle, Enterprise News

Sununu Vetoes Net Metering Bill Again, Setting Up Repeat Override Battle, New Hampshire Public Radio

Proposed solar fee raises questions about who pays for grid upgrades, VTDigger

 

Efficiency/Storage

Crowd-sourcing energy efficiency, CommonWealth Magazine

US energy storage market sees 232% year-on-year growth, Utility Dive

 

EVs

New Jersey governor announces state interagency electric vehicle partnership; 330K ZEVs by 2025, Green Car Congress

 

Nuclear

Pilgrim’s shutdown ends nuke era in Mass., Sentinel & Enterprise

Group looks to monitor Seabrook power plant radiation, Seacoast Online

 

Market/Grid/Policy/Prices

New England’s Electric Power Grid Is Undergoing A Transformation, WBUR

Governor’s choice to lead Public Utilities Commission pledges to move to R.I., Providence Journal

Getting Offshore Wind Power on the Grid, T&D World

Lt. Governor Mckee announces $7.9 million in utility rate relief for Rhode Islanders, Newport Buzz

ISO-NE will require wind, intermittent hydro to bid into day-ahead energy markets, Utility Dive

New England Regulators Talk Wholesale Market Evolution, RTO Insider

The Multiple Problems With National Grid, Seeking Alpha

Growing number of towns revolt against CMP transmission line, Portland Press Herald

CMP defends competing job claims; critics cry foul, Associated Press

 

Editorial/Opinion

When companies say they’re using “100% renewable energy,” take it with a grain of salt, Fast Company

Energy forecast: Good today, future uncertain, CommonWealth Magazine

Debunking the fracked gas fairy tale, CommonWealth Magazine

To lawmakers: tread carefully on energy legislation, Foster’s Daily Democrat

Debunking the fracked gas fairy tale, Commonwealth Magazine

Callous disregard for neighbors of proposed Weymouth compressor, Boston Globe

Lilly Lombard: Climate crisis solution needs help from Columbia Gas, Daily Hampshire Gazette

Energy forecast: Good today, future uncertain, CommonWealth Magazine