Tag Archives: Eversource

February 12, 2021 · 4:25 pm

Energy News for week ending February 12, 2021

CMP Solar Problems | Unloved | So Long GTM

Happy Friday folks.

There was a ton of energy news this week and most was positive. We can’t highlight it all, but a few stories raised eyebrows and others made us sad.

Central Maine Power finds itself in the news again and this time over its solar policies:

Under pressure, CMP says it can do faster, cheaper solar hookups, Press Herald

Mills calls for investigation of CMP solar problems, Press Herald

CMP’s solar energy controversy prompts multiple state probes into Maine’s electric grid, Bangor Daily News

And from Connecticut As Finger-Pointing Over Unloved Gas Plant Continues, Who Really Gets To Call The Shots?, WNPR

This is story that makes us sad. GTM is a great news outlet that will surely be missed when it is shutdown in March, Greentech Media news group to be closed by oil, gas, energy research firm Wood Mackenzie, Energy Transition Now.

The Biden Administration’s love of EVs is causing this category of news to grow. We have several stories below that outline benefits and challenges. And if you’re in the market for an EV, check out this story from the Wall St. Journal. The New Electric Vehicles Now Hitting the Road. I have my eye on a Nissan Ariya – it will need to handle carrying kayaks, bicycles, and golf clubs though.

That’s the recap for this week. Enjoy the long weekend and stay safe!

MA Climate Bill

Spilka: Senate Taking Climate Amendments “Seriously,” State House News Service (subscriber content)

Baker takes more conciliatory tone on climate change bill, CommonWealth Magazine

Baker Sends Climate Bill Back With Amendments, State House News Service via WBUR

Amendments Weave Environmental Justice Into State’s Permitting, State House News Service

Lawmakers urged to reject changes to climate bill, Gloucester Times

Climate Change

NARUC, NASEO unveil 5 ‘blueprints’ to guide state energy planning on climate, other challenges, Utility Dive

How will McKee steer Rhode Island on environmental policy?, Boston Globe

There’s a Dirty Secret Behind Many Utility Climate Pledges, Greentech Media

Mass. Climate Change Undersecretary Resigns After Comments Come Under Fire, WBUR

Baker moves on quickly from Ismay, CommonWealth Magazine

Here’s how Elon Musk’s $100 million Xprize competition for carbon removal will work, TechCrunch

Panel: Tackle ocean acidity to save state’s shellfish, Gloucester Times

CT has big plans for tackling climate change. Now it has to make them happen., CT Mirror

Trump’s Environmental Policies Killed Thousands of People, Scientists Say, Bloomberg Green

Municipalities must now make climate change part of master-plan updates, NJ Spotlight

Renewables/RGGI/TCI

What Would It Take To Reach Biden’s Carbon-Free Electric Power Goal by 2035?, reason.com

Hydropower Jostles for Role in Global Green Recovery Programs, Greentech Media

Canada plans hydropower push as Biden looks to clean up U.S. grid, Reuters

Connecticut River dam debate shows that hydropower is more complex than just blocking a lot of water, Concord Monitor

Should biomass be considered a renewable energy source? The debate rumbles on, NS Energy

Wind

Floating Wind Turbines Buoy Hopes Of Expanding Renewable Energy, Wall St. Journal

The US offshore wind sector prepares for take-off., Lloyds Register

Mass. may go bigger in next offshore wind round, Fall River Herald News

Vestas Ups Stakes in Race for World’s Biggest Wind Turbine, Bloomberg Green

New training programme aids US businesses entry into offshore wind market, Renewable Energy Magazine

Wind developers eager for federal approvals for projects off Long Island, News Day

Before the wind turbine plant, a training academy to teach its workers, CBS 6 Albany

Solar

North Shore utilities partner again, this time on solar power, Salem News

National Grid seeks approval to expand access to solar energy for low-income customers, WWLP

Clean Energy, Lower Bills Are Stars of Croton’s New Solar System, River Journal

Under pressure, CMP says it can do faster, cheaper solar hookups, Press Herald

Mills calls for investigation of CMP solar problems, Press Herald

CMP’s solar energy controversy prompts multiple state probes into Maine’s electric grid, Bangor Daily News

Green Lantern completes sixth solar array for Vermont’s Sugarbush Resort, Solar Power World

Efficiency/Storage

Plus Power Breaks Open Market for Massive Batteries in New England, Greentech Media

DOE lab aims to answer the ‘big questions’ about storage and help dramatically increase deployment, Utility Dive

How US Grid Operators Plan To Tackle Energy Storage at Gigawatt Scale, Greentech Media

Charging Forward: Burlington’s Building Electrification Effort Hits the Ballot, Seven Days

GMP announces extra savings on heat pumps for low- and moderate-income customers, VT Digger

EVs

The New Electric Vehicles Now Hitting the Road, Wall St. Journal

Electric vehicles could be ‘imperfect substitutes’ for gas-powered cars, new study suggests, Utility Dive

Auto industry peers into an electric future and sees bumps ahead, Washington Post

Carmakers in US to spend $250B on electrification by 2023, push for national standard, group says, Utility Dive

Ford doubles electric vehicle investment to $22 billion through 2025, Electrek

E.V.s Force Carmakers to Reinvent the Wheel, and Brakes, and Mirrors, New York Times

Ford boosts investment plan for EVs and self driving vehicles, reports loss, Reuters

EV Company With Almost No Revenue Posts 3,000% Gain in 8 Months, Bloomberg

Study reveals EV secret: They are driven less than gas cars, E&E News

Middletown first in CT to have all-electric school bus, Middletown Press

Nuclear

Sea-level rise could threaten coastal nuclear waste facilities, Yale Climate Connections

Mini Nuclear Reactors Offer Promise Of Cheaper, Clean Power, Wall St. Journal

Is Nuclear Power Poised for a Resurgence?, Power Magazine

Natural Gas/Pipelines/Oil/Drilling

Environmental Groups Sue Federal Regulators Over Western Mass. Pipeline Plan, WBUR

Glick sees consensus on FERC considering climate, environmental justice in siting gas infrastructure, Utility Dive

Weymouth Mayor Hopes To Take Down Incinerator Plant With Compressor Station Money, Patch.com

As Finger-Pointing Over Unloved Gas Plant Continues, Who Really Gets To Call The Shots?, WNPR

Democrats Split Over Proposed Moratorium on Fossil Fuel Plants in Connecticut, CT Mirror

C-Zero Raises $11.5M to Scale Up ‘Turquoise Hydrogen’ Technology, Greentech Media

Burning fossil fuels kills an estimated 350,000 Americans a year, including 7,600 in Massachusetts, study finds, Boston Globe

Shell’s Falling Oil Output Ends Century-Long Business Model, Bloomberg

Market/Grid/Policy/Prices

New Tech, Gadgets Helping Balance Renewable Energy Resources in Today’s Electrical Grid, Microgrid Knowledge

Grid operators to request extension on FERC Order 2222 compliance, regulator cites ‘short’ timeline, Utility Dive

Company trying to purchase Hampden plant eventually wants to mix trash with sewage sludge, Bangor Daily News

Town, state officials resist RMLD’s biomass power deal, Daily News

Eversource Operating in the New Reality of a Pandemic, Utility Products

Burlington enters Phase 3 in creating district energy system, Vermont Biz

Controversial power line caught up in high-stakes power struggle, Press Herald

CMP raises 1st pole as construction on contested $1B corridor begins, Bangor Daily News

Electric sector can learn from the Florida water utility hack, say experts, Utility Dive

When power most needed, ‘peaker’ polluters fire up in Berkshires. Should that continue,? Berkshire Eagle

SolarWinds security to-do list post hack, Utility Dive

Grid operators to request extension on FERC Order 2222 compliance, regulator cites ‘short’ timeline, Utility Dive

Rockland energy broker accused of fleecing customers in $100M lawsuit, Westfair Online

Many NJ customers fall way behind on utility bills. State urged to extend moratorium on shutoffs, NJ Spotlight

Raimondo appoints former RI Senate majority leader Revens to PUC, ProJo

Greentech Media news group to be closed by oil, gas, energy research firm Wood Mackenzie, Energy Transition Now

Opinion

The Big Picture Of Wind Power – Editorial, Falmouth Enterprise

Will developers block clean energy standards?, CommonWealth Magazine

Cleaning up the power grid requires a federal-state partnership, Utility Dive

Commentary: Maine needs CMP to be a partner to clean energy, not an obstacle, CentralMaine.com

Developing floating offshore wind can help protect Maine’s seafaring culture, marine environment, Penobscot Bay Pilot

Campbell Andersen: Why we need climate resolutions in 2021, Vermont Biz

Commentary: Floating offshore wind is a new industry by Maine, for Maine, MaineBiz

Oversight of wind energy and fisheries should calm overblown fears, Press of Atlantic City

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Filed under Climate Change, Electric Grid, Natural Gas Pipelines, New England Energy News, Northeast Energy News, offshore wind, solar

Tagged as Central Maine Power, Eversource, EVs, FERC, Greentech Media, Mayflower Wind, National Grid, offshore wind

November 13, 2020 · 3:36 pm

Energy News for week ending November 13, 2020

Lawsuit and Opposition | OSW Delays | Absorbent Mural

Happy Friday folks.

We’re keeping the recap short today, but did want to draw your attention to the following stories.

More trouble in Maine for NECEC, Lawsuit seeks to stop construction of $1B transmission line, AP News and CMP corridor project facing opposition on both sides of the border, Franklin Journal.

More delays for offshore wind projects:

U.S. agency again delays key permit for first major U.S. offshore wind farm, Reuters

Orsted announces Skipjack Wind Farm project may be delayed again, Delmarva Now

And on the good news front, we think this is a great idea –pollution control combined with public art, This Mural Absorbs as Much Pollution as 780 Trees, Oddity Central. (We promise there are more good news stories below.)

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

Efficiency/Storage

14 states, advocacy groups sue DOE over failure to update 25 appliance efficiency standards, Utility Dive

Hotels Lag in Energy Sustainability. One Project May Change That., New York Times

Climate Change

A Biden victory positions America for a 180-degree turn on climate change, Washington Post

How Joe Biden plans to use executive powers to fight climate change, Vox.com

Trump Administration Removes Scientist in Charge of Assessing Climate Change, New York Times

In first for Fed, U.S. central bank says climate poses stability risks, Reuters

Declining Snow Cover in U.S. Northeast Will Have Major Impacts on Rivers, Study Finds, Yale Environment 360

Hurricanes are staying stronger even over land as oceans warm from climate change, study finds, Washington Post

Long-awaited Maine climate plan leans on existing initiatives, ducks some funding questions, Bangor Daily News

Facing the future: Worcester’s green plan to prepare for climate change, Worcester Magazine

Renewables/RGGI/TCI

Senate uncertainty muddies clean energy path, but offshore wind, EVs poised to gain with Biden: analysts, Utility Dive

Several renewable energy initiatives passed in the 2020 election. Here’s what you need to know., The Hill

Building a renewable future poses daunting task for Maine, Maine Monitor

Report links Maine’s post-pandemic economic recovery to clean energy efforts, Press Herald

Bennington hydro plant to have new owner, Bennington Banner

Activists Alarmed by Pace of T’s Zero-Emission Transition, State House News Service

Investors Bet Biden Will Accelerate Shift to Renewable Energy, Wall St. Journal

200 Organizations Urge Northeast, Mid-Atlantic Governors To Move On “Ambitious And Equitable” Transportation And Climate Initiative (TCI), Insider NJ

This Mural Absorbs as Much Pollution as 780 Trees, Oddity Central

Danvers among 21 light departments to sign hydropower deal, Salem News

Green Energy Industry Jobs Are Lit, In Connecticut: Report, Patch.com

Report links Maine’s post-pandemic economic recovery to clean energy efforts, Press Herald

Coxsackie greenlights hydroelectricity project, Hudson Valley 360

Wind

U.S. agency again delays key permit for first major U.S. offshore wind farm, Reuters

Mass. DPU approves Mayflower Wind contracts with utilities, South Coast Today

Orsted announces Skipjack Wind Farm project may be delayed again, Delmarva Now

With Energy Deal, Ocean Winds Now Behind Mayflower, WBUR

Falmouth beaches to serve as Mayflower Wind test sites, Cape Cod Times

A Looming Transmission Crunch for the US East Coast’s Offshore Wind Ambitions, Greentech Media

ENGIE and EDPR launch North American offshore wind company, Power Engineering International

South Korean Firm Touts Novel Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine Tower Concept, Greentech Media

Maine Offshore Wind Demo Project Starts Search for vendors, suppliers, Press Herald

Power cable from massive offshore wind farm to make landfall at Smith Point Park, Newsday

Equinor suggests Port of Albany for offshore wind tower manufacturing facility, Windpower Engineering

Solar

Environmental official: Proposed solar project in New Milford shouldn’t continue, News Times

State says host a solar or wind farm and get a rebate on your bill, Albany Times Union

Philadelphia architecture firm installs wild solar project to maximize onsite power production, Solar Power World

Rangeley joins efforts for state’s first multi-town solar power project, Daily Bulldog

EVs

Why backing for electric cars seen as key to cleaner Berkshires commutes, Berkshire Eagle

The drive toward vehicle electrification in Maine, Maine Monitor

New York faces a long road on electric vehicle commitments, Politico

As EV infrastructure expands, researchers show charging stations vulnerable to low-cost hacking, Utility Dive

General Motors to add 3,000 jobs focused on electric vehicles, CNBC

Cummins and Navistar prototype hydrogen truck with 300-mile range, Utility Dive

$11M in Volkswagen settlement funds to fund statewide expansion of electric vehicle charging stations, informnny.com

Rural Communities Could Benefit Most from Electric Vehicles, Union of Concerned Scientists

MTA Bus Boss: All-Electric Fleet is Still Years Away, Even With Fed Help, NYC Streetsblog

Nuclear

Nuclear power rises with shifting political tides, Stockhead

Groups line up to challenge nuclear subsidies, NJ Spotlight

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

Weymouth councilors want review of impact of compressor deal, Patriot Ledger

Quincy vows to continue compressor station fight, Patriot Ledger

No more natural gas in new San Francisco buildings starting next year, San Francisco Chronicle

Portsmouth wants second opinion on heating options, EcoRI News

Generation share for gas in the US Northeast likely to fall this winter as prices rise, S&P Global

Market/Grid/Policy/Prices

Lawsuit seeks to stop construction of $1B transmission line, AP News

ISO-NE commits to address regional energy security challenges as FERC rejects proposal, Utility Dive

Successful Appeal Sends Eversource Profit Case Back to DPU, State House News Service

Eversource submits prices for winter supply costs in CT, Wilton Bulletin

Cities pass all-renewable plans: A grid threat?, E&E News

Could COVID-19 provide a windfall to utilities from shifting demand? Report says yes, but it’s complicated, Utility Dive

Transmission troubles? A solution could be lying along rail lines and next generation highways, Utility Dive

Court ruling throws Pennsylvania smart-meter plan into turmoil, Philadelphia Inquirer

Utility Regulators Ignored Conflict Of Interest Concerns For National Grid Audit, WBUR

Chatterjee says exclusion of state regulators from carbon pricing conference was a ‘mistake,’ Utility Dive

PECO: Billions of investment at risk with Pennsylvania court’s rejection of smart meter mandate, Utility Dive

Electricity Maine’s $14 Million Deal Over False Rate Claims OK, Bloomberg Law (subscriber content)

JCP&L to sell off last generating station. Some of profits to offset storm-recovery costs, NJ Spotlight

CMP corridor project facing opposition on both sides of the border, Franklin Journal

Opinion

Was Massachusetts right to adopt new rules limiting financial incentives for solar projects on sensitive lands?, Boston Globe

Why Biden Can Unite America With Nuclear Power — Or Divide It With Renewables, Forbes.com

When Will Electricity Companies Finally Quit Natural Gas,? New York Times

Support Mayflower Wind – Letter, Capenews.net

Another Voice: Renewable energy siting law has strong protections, Buffalo News

A bipartisan energy proposal for carbon capture and Pennsylvania jobs, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Poison pill provision undermines Massachusetts climate legislation, Boston Herald

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Filed under Climate Change, Electric Grid, hydro, New England Energy News, Northeast Energy News, offshore wind

Tagged as climate change, Eversource, Maine, Mayflower Wind, National Grid, New England Clean Energy Connect, offshore wind, Orsted

November 6, 2020 · 2:17 pm

Energy news for week ending November 6, 2020

Survive the transition? | New referendum | Seaweed to the rescue

Happy warm and sunny Friday!

It’s been a very interesting week politically so let’s distract ourselves with a bit of energy news.

Up first is a story from Grist about Massachusetts’ look into the future of the natural gas industry. While we covered this in last week’s edition, there are a few more insights in this story. “Massachusetts may be a climate leader in the U.S., with a goal to reduce economy-wide emissions in the state to net-zero by 2050, but it will face a major obstacle along the way: More than 1.3 million of its households make it through those cold New England winters by burning natural gas. Roughly one-third of the state’s emissions come from the fuels burned in buildings for heating, hot water, and cooking. Now the state is responding to pressure from its attorney general, Maura Healey, to take a look at what the path to net-zero in the building sector might look like, particularly for the gas companies whose entire reason for existing could be eliminated in the process. Last week, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) officially opened a new proceeding to start guiding utilities into a decarbonized future while protecting their customers. As the number of people using the gas system shrinks over time, the cost of maintaining reliable service for remaining ratepayers could balloon. ‘It’s a really complicated set of issues as you look at what’s going to be happening on the gas side as people peel off,’ said Susan Tierney, a senior advisor and energy expert at the Analysis Group, an economic consulting firm. ‘There’s real trade-offs about affordability of supply, safety of service.’…Audrey Schulman and Zeyneb Magavi, co-executive directors of the Massachusetts–based environmental nonprofit HEET, applauded the new inquiry, but they are concerned that the process it outlines will result in a one-sided picture of what’s possible, and could stymie more creative solutions.”

The fight in Maine against the New England Clean Energy Connect project hasn’t ended. From the Press Herald, “A new referendum drive aimed at stopping a 145-mile hydropower transmission corridor in western Maine is underway. The Maine secretary of state on Friday provided the paperwork necessary for signature collection to begin, and referendum supporters plan to be at polling places with petitions on Election Day. ‘With a decision this important, Mainers deserve to be heard, but so far during the permitting process, their overwhelming opposition to this project has fallen on deaf ears,’ said Tom Saviello, a former state lawmaker who opposes the project. It would be the second referendum targeting Central Maine Power’s $1 billion New England Clean Energy Connect, which aims to serve as a conduit for up to 1,200 megawatts of Canadian hydropower to reach New England. The project would be fully funded by Massachusetts ratepayers, but the entire region would benefit through reduced greenhouse emissions and stabilization of energy prices, supporters say. Critics say the benefits are overstated and that the project would spoil part of Maine’s North Woods.”

Last up this week is an interesting story from the Wall St. Journal about a new way to help stem methane emissions. “Cows Make Climate Change Worse. Could Seaweed Help? Scientists have spent years coaxing a fussy red seaweed called asparagopsis into cultivation. Their plan: to feed the underwater plant to cows and sheep in an effort to make the animals less environmentally destructive. The belching and flatulence of livestock release large quantities of methane and make up around 4% of global greenhouse-gas emissions, according to data from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization. That’s equivalent to the amount contributed by Japan and Germany combined. Seaweed alters bovine digestion, reducing the methane an animal produces by 80% or more, according to scientists at the University of California, Davis, and Australia’s national science agency. It is one of the plants and chemicals that meat and dairy businesses are experimenting with to reduce their contribution to global warming.” And if you’re looking for ways to cut back on your beef and lamb intake, the Bangor Daily News offers up this alternative, How to hunt and prepare squirrel meat.

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

Efficiency/Storage

Study: Long Island’s smallest power plants could be replaced by trailer-sized batteries, Newsday

New York City Becomes The Most Energy Efficient City In ACEEE Scorecard 2020, Construction Review

Revamped Energy Efficiency Programs Are the Key to Deep Carbon Reductions, Greentech Media

New York Housing Authority announces new bold commitment to electrification, Greenbiz

Efficiency meets style in this net-zero home in Jamestown, Rhode Island Monthly

Climate Change/Renewables/RGGI

Hydrogen is having a moment, and power generation is leading the way, Utility Dive

The State of Carbon Capture, Removal and Utilization, Greentech Media

Cows Make Climate Change Worse. Could Seaweed Help,? Wall St. Journal

Look Ahead, Vermont: Global Warming Solutions Act takes first steps as Climate Council appointees named, Brattleboro Reformer

Environmental groups press Murphy to reject regional anti-pollution pact. They say it’s not bold enough, NJ Spotlight

Maine regulators deny requests to reconsider renewable energy projects, Bangor Daily News

Voters give non-binding ballot questions on renewable energy, open-door government widespread support, Hampshire Daily Gazette

Museum of the Earth unable to promote climate change exhibit amid 2020 election, Ithaca Voice

Local elections are changing America’s energy mix, one city at a time, The Verge

Are renewable energy targets useful? Analysts dispute new study questioning their value, Utility Dive

If true geothermal arrives here, it’ll have to be around Conway, Granite Geek

Latest Rhode Island Green Report Card Gives Statehouse an ‘Incomplete and Lacking Leadership,’ EcoRI

A Bipartisan Climate Policy? It Could Happen Under a Biden Administration, Washington Veterans Say, Inside Climate News

Wind

First offshore wind farm goes offline: An industry warning,? E&E News

Shipbuilding on the ballot? Offshore wind sees an opening, E&E News

Rhode Island in Position for Offshore Wind Power Grab, EcoRI

Solar

New firm will optimize performance of New England solar projects, Vermont Biz

Farmington approves land lease for solar project, Sun Journal

EVs

Patchogue Village purchases first electric car, Long Island Advance

Nuclear

Shipping industry should consider nuclear option for decarbonizing: experts, S&P Global Platts

Holtec accelerates US NRC design certification for SMR-160, Nuclear Engineering International

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

Can gas utilities survive the energy transition? Massachusetts is going to find out., Grist

Gas workers call on lawmakers to improve safety, Salem News

In effort to curb emissions, state regulators probe the future of natural gas in Massachusetts, Boston Globe

Gas supply rates rise for Eversource customers; increase driven by market forces, not purchase of former Columbia Gas, MassLive

Tennessee Gas and contractor to pay $800,000 in penalties, repairs over controversial natural gas project in Otis State Forest, MassLive

Final order on Eversource gas rates announced, WickedLocal Hanover

Cold Weather Thaws Natural-Gas Prices, Wall St. Journal

Thousands in Derby, Ansonia lose natural gas service, Stamford Advocate

St. Albans meadery converting to 100% renewable natural gas to fight climate change, Burlington Free Press

Market/Grid/Policy/Prices

Opponents of CMP hydropower corridor launch new referendum drive, Press Herald

PURA Opts for Existing Programs Over Shutoff Moratorium, CT Examiner

CMP hydropower project wins key permit, likely to start construction soon, Bangor Daily News

Trump ousts Chatterjee, taps Danly to lead FERC, Utility Dive

Eversource: Tropical Storm Isaias restoration topped $275 million, still counting costs, CT Insider

Larger, vertically-integrated utilities better prepared to face cyber threats, says Moody’s, Utility Dive

Massachusetts Blazes Its Own Trail on Distributed Energy Policy, Greentech Media (subscriber content)

National Grid’s Massachusetts president to retire, Boston Globe

MASSCAP, Action Inc. launch heating help awareness campaign, Wicked Local Gloucester

Eversource Proposes Rate Increase In CT, Cites Generation Costs, Patch.com

Eversource submits proposal for winter rate increase, says they won’t profit, Fox 61

‘Totally worth it’: Chatterjee speculates DER order, carbon pricing are behind Trump ousting him, Utility Dive

Opinion

Maine Voices: New plan to kill CMP corridor will have unintended consequences, centralmaine.com

How to Overcome Barriers to Community Microgrids, Microgrid Knowledge

Give community power a chance, by Mary Ewell, Keene Sentinel

Tree Talk: Renewable wood energy, Sun Journal

Op-Ed: NJ needs to rethink Energy Master Plan, prioritize affordable energy, NJ Spotlight

We don’t have to wipe out farmland to grow solar energy in N.J. | Opinion, NJ.com

Pull plug on destructive Quebec hydropower proposal, Albany Times Union

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Filed under Climate Change, Electric Grid, Electricity Costs, New England Energy News, Northeast Energy News, offshore wind, solar

Tagged as climate change, Eversource, geothermal, hydrogen, methane, National Grid, natural gas, New England Clean Energy Connect

October 2, 2020 · 5:06 pm

Energy News for week ending October 2, 2020

Compressor Shut Down Again | The Blob | Driven Out

Happy Friday folks.

Here are a few articles that piqued our interest this week:

Feds warn of ‘serious harm’ without compressor fixes, Herald News

‘The Blob’: Low-oxygen water killing lobsters, fish in Cape Cod Bay, Cape Cod Times

Coalition of solar advocates say Massachusetts pro-utility legislation would drive out independent solar installers, Solar Power World

Have a great weekend, and as always, stay safe.

Efficiency/Storage

Governor Phil Scott signs S.337 which directs funding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in thermal energy and transportation sectors, VT Digger

Want lower utility bills? Companies to push customers to use less gas, electricity, NJ Spotlight

GMP program cuts costs, reduces carbon, Rutland Herald

Climate Change/Renewables/RGGI

It’s Time to Stop Confusing Key Climate Terms, Bloomberg Green

Wolf vetoes bill that would keep Pennsylvania out of RGGI, State Impact PA (NPR)

‘The Blob’: Low-oxygen water killing lobsters, fish in Cape Cod Bay, Cape Cod Times

Wind

US funds Maine offshore wind roadmap, ReNews

Trump’s Offshore Oil Ban to Halt Coastal Wind Farms Too, Bloomberg via GCaptain.com

Solar

Coalition of solar advocates say Massachusetts pro-utility legislation would drive out independent solar installers, Solar Power World

Study: Solar projects driving down home values in R.I. suburbs, Providence Journal

Supporters and foes of Greene County solar farm speak out, Times Union

U.S. solar generation grows 22.2% even through coronavirus pandemic, Solar Power World

Power company throws shade on solar plans for new school, Harvard Press

EVs

Ninety Percent of U.S. Cars Must Be Electric by 2050 to Meet Climate Goals, Online EV

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

Lynch: FBI Asked to Explore Possible Cyberintrusion at Compressor, State House News Service

Second ‘Unplanned’ Gas Release At Weymouth Compressor This Month, WBUR

Feds warn of ‘serious harm’ without compressor fixes, Herald News

Enbridge Agrees To Pause Weymouth Compressor Station Startup, WBUR

Weymouth gas compressor on pause as feds order investigation, Patriot Ledger

Daily on Energy: Unions look to keep natural gas and nuclear in Biden energy plan, Washington Examiner

Officials: Columbia Gas caused recent gas leak, Eagle Tribune

Eversource Energy expects state OK for Columbia Gas acquisition next week, MassLive

Nuclear

New radiation monitor installed near Seabrook nuke plant, Seacoast Online

Plymouth: Update on the Decommissioning of Pilgrim with Duxbury’s Nuclear Advisory Committee, WATD

PSEG applies to keep $300M annual subsidies for South Jersey nuclear plants, NJ Spotlight

Lowey secures $3.2 million for Town of Cortlandt as Indian Point shuts down, Mid-Hudson News

Compact Nuclear Fusion Reactor Is ‘Very Likely to Work,’ Studies Suggest, New York Times

Market/Grid/Policy/Prices

Southern Maine Group Seeks To Launch Petition Drive Aimed At Creating A Consumer-Owned Utility, Maine Public

Backers of consumer-owned power utility move to put question on Maine ballot, Press Herald

Coronavirus Has Propelled Us Into the Future of Energy Spending, Bloomberg Green

Despite Dead DOE Rule, Grid Resiliency Persists as a Major Concern, Power Magazine

CT House of Representatives passes Energy bill targeting utility companies’ response to Tropical Storm Isaias, Fox 61

Millions of Americans risk losing power and water as massive, unpaid utility bills pile up, Washington Post

Opinion

U.S. Energy Secretary: New England needs natural gas for energy choice, cost reduction, MassLive

Outside of a Small Circle of Friends . . . at ISO New England, In Depth NH

Building out our energy infrastructure can help speed economic recovery, The Hill

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Filed under Climate Change, Electricity Costs, Energy Efficiency, New England Energy News, Northeast Energy News, nuclear, offshore wind, solar

Tagged as climate change, electric vehicles, Eversource, Maine, National Grid, Rhode Island, Weymouth

September 25, 2020 · 4:02 pm

Energy News for week ending September 25, 2020

Left Behind | 2^nd Highest | Is it a win?

Happy Friday folks.

Here are a few articles that piqued our interest this week:

Have a great weekend, enjoy the beautiful weather, and as always, stay safe.

Energy Efficiency/Storage

Needham Small Businesses Get Energy Efficient Boost, Patch.com

New York offers $50m to boost energy efficiency of buildings, Energy Live News

With PSE&G’s new $1B efficiency program, New Jersey takes early moves toward new utility business model, Utility Dive

Some Mass. Communities Left Behind By Energy Efficiency Program, Study Finds, NBC Boston

New York sets minimum 3-year term for new load management programs to drive more energy storage, Utility Dive

New York Regulators Approve Demand Response Change to Spur Storage, Microgrid Knowledge

Trump administration moves closer to ensuring many furnaces, water heaters keep wasting gas, ACEEE Blog

House backs bill to boost ‘clean energy,’ enhance efficiency, Washington Post

‘Button Up NH’ home weatherization workshop goes virtual, Seacoastonline.com

Climate Change/Renewables/RGGI

Is New England’s Biggest Renewable Energy Project Really a Win for the Climate?, The Revelator

Environmentalists split in their opposition to New England’s latest power transmission line, Hartford Courant

Panelists: Keep heat on emissions and energy bills, Taunton Gazette

Climate change since 2000 will cut U.S. growth over next 30 years – CBO, Reuters

Coastal study reveals Falmouth spots vulnerable to climate change, Cape Cod Times

Climate Disruption is Now Locked In. The Next Moves Will Be Crucial., New York Times

Senate overrides veto of Global Warming Solutions Act, making it law, VT Digger

WoodMac: Energy Sector Faces ‘Darwinian Challenge’ to Tame Climate Change, Greentech Media

John Kerry takes the climate change fight to Wall Street, Boston Globe

Ginsburg death leaves ‘no environmental voice’ on bench, E&E News

Springfield Councilor Jesse Lederman submits petition opposing favorable biomass legislation, MassLive

Wind

Falmouth Conservation Commission Approves Testing For Undersea Cables, Falmouth Enterprise

UMass Dartmouth wind turbine comes down after stormy history, South Coast Today

FISHING REPORT: Wind farm studies yield food for thought, Providence Journal

New London argues State Pier project will need local approvals, The Day

Solar

Solar Dominates Maine’s Largest Renewables Procurement on Record, Greentech Media

Vermont solar industry concerned about net metering reduction, Times Argus

EVs

The Age of Electric Cars Is Dawning Ahead of Schedule, New York Times

Electric Car Sharing Program Receives MassCEC Award, (press release) Alt Energy Mag

BPU Moves to Increase Electric Vehicle Infrastructure in NJ, New Jersey Business Magazine

MAPC receives grant for electric school bus expansion, Wicked Local Cambridge

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

Markey, Warren join call for compressor shutdown, Gloucester Times

Feds Give Weymouth Natural Gas Compressor Station Final Green Light To Begin Operations, WBUR

Columbia Gas donating $10M to area nonprofits, Eagle Tribune

Nuclear

Proposed nuclear decommissioning bill carries big bonus for Vernon, Brattleboro Reformer

Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Gas pipeline rupture wouldn’t pose danger for Indian Point, Lowhud.com

Market/Grid/Policy/Prices

Massachusetts residents see 2nd highest utility bills in United States, new study shows, MassLive

Prep Your Tech for Power Outages and Other Emergencies, Wall St. Journal

Pollution Payday: Analysis of executive compensation and incentives of the largest U.S. investor-owned utilities, (Eversource) Energy and Policy Institute

New electricity agreement will save Plymouth residents millions of dollars, Wicked Local Plymouth

Opinion

Utilities aren’t rewarded for saving money. FERC now has a chance to fix this, Utility Dive

OPINION: Local and state initiatives are how to address climate change, Herald News

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Filed under Climate Change, Electric Grid, Electricity Costs, Energy Efficiency, New England Energy News, Northeast Energy News, offshore wind

Tagged as biomass, energy efficiency, energy storage, Eversource, New England Clean Energy Connect, Weymouth

September 18, 2020 · 4:25 pm

Energy News for week ending September 18, 2020

Save $72B | Compressor Woes | 2222

Happy Friday folks.

Given the lateness of the afternoon we’re going to keep this short.

Here are a few articles we draw your attention to:

Transition to EVs could save $72B in health costs: American Lung Association, Utility Dive
Enbridge Asks to Start Up Compressor in Two Weeks, WBUR
‘Game-Changer’ FERC Order Opens Up Wholesale Grid Markets to Distributed Energy Resources, Greentech Media

Have a great weekend and as always, stay safe.

Energy Efficiency/Storage

How New York is Changing the Energy Storage Play in US Competitive Markets, Microgrid Knowledge

Eversource visits Medfield businesses to conduct energy assessments, Wicked Local Medfield

Homes of Wealthy Americans Spew 25% More Emissions, The Good Men Project

Live Efficient: Financing a green lifestyle, Fosters.com

Climate Change/Renewables/RGGI

Senators reach compromise on greenhouse gas amendment stalling bipartisan energy bill, The Hill

Earth Hasn’t Warmed This Fast in Tens of Millions of Years, E&E News

7 investment priorities for a green COVID-19 recovery: report, Utility Dive

Why this sustainable energy accelerator chose Boston as its U.S. hub, BostonInno

In contentious vote, Pennsylvania takes formal step towards joining regional cap and trade market, Utility Dive

Scott vetoes Global Warming Solutions Act, VT Digger

Vermont House Votes to Override Scott’s Veto of Climate Bill, Seven Days

What Trump’s Environmental Rollbacks Mean for Global Warming, New York Times

New York proposes rules to speed renewable projects, but local control, other issues could be contentious, Utility Dive

Wind

Ad Aims to Keep Offshore Energy Transmission Plan in Mix, South Coast Today

Offshore Wind Promised New Jobs and Economic Development. Where Are They?, NJ Spotlight

Could Offshore Wind Turbine Manufacturing Replace Indian Point?, Westchester Magazine

Solar

Solar market limits pandemic’s ill effects, but states with strict restrictions see big installation drop, Utility Dive

EVs

T notes: Battery buses not ready for primetime yet, CommonWealth Magazine

Transition to EVs could save $72B in health costs: American Lung Association, Utility Dive

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

Appeals court rules in favor of Eversource, Avangrid in $3.6B natural gas lawsuit, CT Post

Emergency Shutdown At Weymouth Compressor Station After Unplanned Gas Release, WBUR

Lynch demands suspension of Weymouth compressor station opening after incident, Wicked Local Weymouth

Enbridge Followed Protocol After Gas Release, Secretary Says, State House News Service

Critics Call For Shutdown, Safety Review Of Weymouth Compressor After Emergency Shutdown, WBUR

Enbridge Asks to Start Up Compressor in Two Weeks, WBUR

Global oil demand may have passed peak, says BP energy report, The Guardian

Earth Matters: The Proposed Danskammer Natural Gas Plant, Nyack News and Views

Gas Companies Are Abandoning Their Wells, Leaving Them to Leak Methane Forever, Bloomberg

Nuclear

Federal Ruling Will Require Closer Monitoring Of Seabrook Nuclear Plant’s Concrete Cracks, NHPR

Seabrook nuclear power plant’s license extension upheld, with conditions, Seacoastonline.com

Market/Grid/Policy/Prices

CMP Corridor Opponents Launch 2nd Referendum Bid Aimed At Killing The Project, Maine Public

‘Game-Changer’ FERC Order Opens Up Wholesale Grid Markets to Distributed Energy Resources, Greentech Media

Eversource says its response to Isaias was stronger than Connecticut officials realize, CT Mirror

Cuomo keeps pushing enhanced utility penalties, Politico

Boston Properties, Eversource propose underground substation in Kendall Square, Boston Business Journal (subscriber content)

Opinion

Opinion: A boon to wind power, Wicked Local Plymouth

David Watters and Michael Behrmann: Launching the offshore wind industry in NH, Union Leader

Big changes may be ahead for natural gas pipelines, if FERC does its job, Utility Dive

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Filed under Climate Change, Electric Grid, New England Energy News, Northeast Energy News, offshore wind

Tagged as climate change, Eversource, FERC, Maine, New England Clean Energy Connect, Weymouth

September 11, 2020 · 3:19 pm

Energy News for week ending September 11, 2020

High Energy Burden | Big Oil Goes Green | Where are the yeses?

Happy Friday folks.

Busy day and week. So I need to keep this short.

I direct your attention to these two articles:

67% of low-income households face high energy burden: ACEEE, Utility Dive

Oil Major BP Gives a Taste of How It Will Go Green, WSJ

One more interesting article to share, which was a result of yesterday’s MIT CEEPR event that featured former Energy Secretary Moniz.

From Axios:

Amy: What is the state or region that you think will have the most difficult time transitioning to a clean-energy economy? Why?

Moniz:

New England. Moniz then went on to say that that region has in recent years opposed new and existing energy infrastructure, like natural-gas pipelines, hydropower and nuclear power plants that could help reduce emissions.

“There are a lot of nos. Where are the yeses? … If we are going to go to low carbon, where is it all going to come from? It’s not all going to come from offshore wind. That’s why we need pragmatic, realistic solutions.”

That’s the recap for this week. Have a great weekend and as always, stay safe.

Energy Efficiency/Storage

67% of low-income households face high energy burden: ACEEE, Utility Dive

NYISO allows full participation for energy storage in wholesale power markets, Utility Dive

FERC Order May Undermine Renewables, Energy Storage in New York’s Capacity Markets, Greentech Media

How to Keep Firefighters Safe From Batteries, Greentech Media

Climate Change/Renewables/RGGI

Utilities Look to Green Hydrogen to Cut Carbon Emissions, Wall St. Journal

AWEA Introduces New Trade Group, the American Clean Power Association, Greentech Media

FERC details carbon pricing conference as groups blast renewables, consumer and women exclusions, Utility Dive

Amid a Pandemic, Green Electricity Charts a Course Forward, S&P Global Market Intelligence

United in Science report: Climate change has not stopped for COVID19, UN Environment Programme

Federal report warns of financial havoc from climate change, Boston Business Journal (subscriber content)

Oil Major BP Gives a Taste of How It Will Go Green, WSJ

House to probe US lag on leveraging clean energy for COVID-19 recovery, consider bipartisan energy bill, Utility Dive

FERC rejection of NYISO renewables plan could prompt state-managed capacity market, advocates say, Utility Dive

Wind

Coalition, including UMass Dartmouth, backs expanded research of offshore wind, Herald News

Vineyard Wind partners with Nantucket for support, Cape Cod Times

Floating Offshore Wind Turbines Blast Off, With Help From US Taxpayers, CleanTechnica

Study Finds Offshore Wind and Lobstering Can Coexist, EcoRI

Offshore Wind in NJ Gets Boost, But Lawmakers Demand a Halt to One Project, NJ Spotlight

Wind Farm Benefits Package Totals $29 Million for East Hampton Town, East Hampton Star

Solar

US Solar Market Performed Better Than Expected During Pandemic’s Worst Months, Greentech Media

Final approval given by the Town of Glocester for new solar project, WPRI

U.S. Solar Market Insight, SEIA

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

Weymouth compressor station starts testing, Patriot Ledger

Natural gas lobby charts course for fuel in carbon-constrained world, Washington Examiner

Natural Gas Is the Rich World’s New Coal, Bloomberg

Nuclear

Nuclear Energy Among the Least Popular Sources of Power in the U.S., Polling Shows, Morning Consult

So, What Exactly Are Small Modular Nuclear Reactors?, Greentech Media

Market/Grid/Policy/Prices

Maine Microgrid Project Lands USDA funding, Microgrid Knowledge

Obama energy secretary on blackouts, campaign scrutiny, Axios

PURA holds a final hearing for public comment on energy bill ratehikes, Fox 61

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Filed under Climate Change, Electric Grid, Electricity Costs, New England Energy News, Northeast Energy News, offshore wind, solar

Tagged as energy efficiency, Eversource, FERC, offshore wind, Rhode Island, solar

September 4, 2020 · 1:06 pm

Energy News for week ending September 4, 2020

Ambitious Goals | Kill the Zombie | 99 Turbines

Happy Friday folks.

We start this week’s recap with a story from NHPR, “N.H. Electric, Gas Utilities Propose ‘Ambitious’ New Energy Efficiency Goals. New Hampshire’s electric and natural gas utilities are proposing an increase to their energy efficiency savings goals for the next three years, in a plan that aims to cut costs and carbon emissions but could slightly increase customers’ bills in the short-term. The proposal centers on the utility-run NHSaves rebate program, which gives ratepayers incentives to use less energy by upgrading things like appliances, insulation or machinery. The utilities’ new goal for that program would have them sell 5% less electricity and 3% less gas between 2021 and 2023. The current goal, spanning 2018 to 2020, was to sell 3% less electricity and 2% less gas. Eversource, Unitil, Liberty Utilities and the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative filed their proposal with the Public Utilities Commission Tuesday. They say it would save customers $1.3 billion overall – more than a third of the total amount they’ve saved with this program since 2002. And they say reducing New Hampshire’s gas and electricity use, particularly in the summer, will lower carbon emissions by the equivalent of taking nearly a million cars off the road for a year.”

Next stop is Western MA with a story from MassLive, “Kill the ‘zombie’: Springfield demonstration calls for end to biomass proposal after decade-long battle. More than 75 people gathered on the steps of City Hall on Thursday calling for an end to a long-proposed biomass project in East Springfield, saying it is a threat to public health and an environmental hazard. Some of those speaking used the phrase “we can’t breathe” in expressing their strong opposition to the wood-to-energy plant proposed by Palmer Renewable Energy LLC at 1000 Page Blvd. Verne McArthur, of the Springfield Climate Justice Coalition, led the activists and residents in chants against the biomass project, including, ‘We will, we will, block you, block you.’ ‘This event is about the zombie project — this biomass plant that Palmer Renewable wants to build and keeps pulling political strings to get loopholes to go do it,’ McArthur said. ‘We’ve been fighting it for 10 years and they’re now trying to come back.’ There is a climate bill before the state Legislature, in conference committee, that includes one proposed clause that would list biomass energy plants as “non-emitting sources” — a designation that would help the developers receive subsidies, opponents said. Ten city councilors have urged legislators to reject the clause, and there is also a signature petition.”

Next up is a visual story – but you’ll need a VR headset for the full effect. From NBC Philadelphia, “Here’s What 99 Wind Turbines Will Look Like Off the Jersey Shore. The company building New Jersey’s first offshore wind farm is providing a glimpse into the future — what beachgoers and residents will see when turbines are erected. Massive turbines, with blades as long as football fields, will one day spin in the Atlantic Ocean off the Jersey Shore. The first wind farm off New Jersey is expected to begin generating clean energy by 2024, according to Ørsted, the Danish company that received New Jersey’s initial permit for an 1,100-megawatt project last year. It will generate enough electricity to power 500,000 homes. The company has released a first look at what the farm’s 99 turbines will look like from the beaches of Atlantic City and Stone Harbor once they are up and running. The ‘virtual reality tour’ also provides a view from one of the turbines, which will be roughly 15 miles out to sea and in an area off southern New Jersey between Cape May and Atlantic City.”

That’s the recap for this week. Have a great Labor Day weekend and as always, stay safe.

Energy Efficiency/Storage

N.H. Electric, Gas Utilities Propose ‘Ambitious’ New Energy Efficiency Goals, NHPR

Why Aren’t Home Efficiency Scores Standard in Online Real Estate Listings?, Greentech Media

City of Framingham Hosting Home Energy Efficiency Workshop, Framingham Source

Climate Change/Renewables/RGGI

The US and climate: New York’s bold green plans hit opposition, Pop Times UK

Biggest U.S. Utility Says Going Green May Cost You $58 a Month, Bloomberg Green

The quest for renewable energy could wreak havoc on wildlife, report warns, mic.com

Kill the ‘zombie’: Springfield demonstration calls for end to biomass proposal after decade-long battle, MassLive

$320,703 in grants awarded to transition rural businesses to renewable energy, Press Herald

Dartmouth Study Models Bioenergy Scenarios With Major Climate Benefits, NHPR

Renewable power grid would require $338B of improvements: Industry study, Washington Examiner

Wind

Groups say Boston electric grid upgrades should anticipate offshore wind, Energy Central

An inside look at NYSERDA’s award-winning offshore wind program, Windpower Engineering and Development

Seven Policies To Tap U.S. Offshore Wind’s $166 Billion Economic Growth And Emissions Reduction Potential, Forbes.com

Here’s What 99 Wind Turbines Will Look Like Off the Jersey Shore, NBC Philadelphia

Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Opens Educational and Community Outreach Center in Atlantic City, Yahoo! Finance

Solar

Orsted, the World’s Offshore Wind Giant, Gets Serious About Solar, Greentech Media

Solar investment group buys former Tee Bird South golf course in Saratoga County, Albany Business Review (subscriber content)

Advocates say over 200 shovel-ready community solar projects await legislative action in Pennsylvania, Solar Power World

EVs

Rhode Island initiates vehicle charging station project, Transportation Today

Electric vehicle charging stations increase in a county that barely uses them, Bangor Daily News

CMP starts up incentive program for high-power electric vehicle chargers, Press Herald

Electric trucks are gaining ground over natural gas in the waste industry, Utility Dive

The great battery race, Axios

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

State Ends State Of Emergency For Merrimack Valley Gas Explosions, Patch.com

Clean Energy Fuels’ RNG to fuel New York transit buses, Bioenergy Insight

Algonquin Gas Gets Massachusetts Plant OK’d Despite Permit Suit, Bloomberg Law (subscriber content)

New Jersey Natural Gas Strengthens Sustainability Commitment, New Jersey Business

Nuclear

Bill Gates’ Nuclear Startup Unveils Mini-Reactor Design Including Molten Salt Energy Storage, Forbes.com

NuScale Becomes First Modular Nuclear Reactor to Receive NRC Design Approval, Engineering News Record

Market/Grid/Policy/Prices

Engineering Group Sees Increase in Power Outages, Costs, Microgrid Knowledge

Springfield councilors, Eversource slate meeting to discuss rising electric bills amid coronavirus pandemic, MassLive

Facing scrutiny over rate increases, power outages, Eversource quietly files $500M smart-meter plan, Hartford Business Journal

State’s Electric Utilities Make Plans to Roll Out Smart Meters, NJ Spotlight

Massachusetts top court denies NextEra bid to block state’s PPAs with Hydro-Québec, Utility Dive

Tesla ramps up interest in electricity utility business, CNET

Local Legislators Looking For Answers From Eversource, Cheshire Herald

Connecticut customers who lose power for three days or more would receive $500 in compensation for spoiled food or medicine under draft legislation, Hartford Courant

PURA to hold another public hearing on Eversource rate hikes, WFSB

Opinion/Editorial

Anna Gyorgy and Patricia Hynes: State Senate should remove biomass from climate bill, Daily Hampshire Gazette

Outage outrage was phony; legislators should get back to work, Journal Inquirer

School buses should go electric – here’s how, CommonWealth Magazine

Jon Lender: After storm, now comes test of whether lawmakers can enact an effective utilities reform bill, Hartford Courant

Climate action key theme of primary races, CommonWealth Magazine

Solar energy makes more sense all the time. Why build another gas plant?, Hartford Courant

Tackling the biggest obstacle to new transmission — power providers’ commitment phobia, Utility Dive

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Filed under Electric Grid, Energy Efficiency, New England Energy News, Northeast Energy News, offshore wind, solar

Tagged as biomass, electric vehicles, Eversource, New England Clean Energy Connect, offshore wind

August 28, 2020 · 7:49 am

Energy News for week ending August 28, 2020

Doesn’t Have to Happen | OSW Coalition | Paint it Black

Happy Friday folks.

Coming at you early this week.

Let’s start with news from the CT Mirror, which is perhaps one of the best explainer articles we have read in a while. It’s certainly worth sharing. Kudos to Jan Ellen Spiegel for her great reporting. “CT keeps losing power when storms strike. But that doesn’t have to happen. As the power outages from Tropical Storm Isaias piled up in every single community in Connecticut on Aug. 4, the finger pointing began. The utilities were seen as unprepared, leading critics to suggest they should pay for everything from snapped poles to spoiled food. But even if Eversource and United Illuminating had stationed armies of repair crews ready to roll as soon as it was safe, the high likelihood is that all that power would still have gone out. Arguably the questions Isaias begs are not who to blame and how to punish them, energy experts say, but ‘How do we keep the lights on?’ The answers may require a good bit of soul searching, not just by the utility villains of the moment, but by state officials, lawmakers, advocates, and residents themselves, who for years have focused on short-term costs and electric rates instead of long-term solutions that could eventually lower those rates and provide more storm resilience.”

When it comes to getting things done, the saying goes there is strength in numbers. Hence a new coalition has been formed to support offshore wind, From the Cape Cod Times, “Coalition formed to further offshore wind initiatives. Sena Wazer addressed the online press conference announcing a new coalition supporting offshore wind through the eyes of a 16-year-old peering into a potentially bleak future. ‘I’m fearful for my future,’ the co-founder of the Sunrise Movement in Connecticut said. ‘In 10 years, when I’m only 26, I don’t know if I’ll have a safe planet to live on.’ Experts describe actions taken in the next decade as critical to staving off the worst-case global warming scenarios. This summer gave us an inkling of how bad it could get, with unbearably long heat waves and drought in the Northeast and California wildfires in the West… ‘This crisis will only go away if we commit to do everything in our power to make sure we have a livable home going forward,’ Wazer said. It was that sense of urgency that impelled environmentalists, businesses, researchers and labor unions to form New England for Offshore Wind, a coalition focused on pushing state legislatures and governors in the region to make commitments by 2022 to offshore wind farms that could provide for one third of the region’s power needs.”

Our “new technology” of the week is less about tech but is effective none the less. From E&E News, “Study: Black turbine blades reduced bird mortality by 72%. Painting one of a wind turbine’s three blades black led to a dramatic decline in bird mortality along the Norwegian coast, new research shows. Bird death from turbine collisions dropped by 71.9% where a turbine blade was black, compared with unpainted turbines at the same wind farm, according to findings published last month in the peer-reviewed journal Ecology and Evolution. Researchers observed a nearly 50% reduction in mortality from collisions involving towers with a single black blade. Bård Stokke of the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, one of the study’s lead authors, said the findings could address the evolving wind industry’s Achilles’ heel, its impact on birds.”

That’s the recap for the week.

Have a great weekend and as always, stay safe.

Energy Efficiency/Storage

$13M in funds for clean energy projects across Massachusetts, WWLP

Connecticut’s first ‘net-zero’ schools, tapping solar and geothermal energy, to be built in Manchester and Mansfield, Hartford Courant

Over 20 percent energy use reduction in New York State buildings since 2010, informnny.com

Bloomfield bearing pioneer sets sights on wasted energy market, Hartford Business Journal

Cambridge partners with All In Energy to assist residents, Wicked Local Cambridge

Time for a diet: Today’s US homes have super-sized into “energy gluttons,” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Learn How You Can Take Advantage of Horticulture Energy Efficiency Programs, Greenhouse Grower

Climate Change/Renewables/RGGI

Energy experts warn over green hydrogen ‘shortfall,’ Renews.biz