Tag Archives: Footprint Power

June 1, 2018 · 2:38 pm

Energy News for week ending June 1, 2018

Carried Away | Footprint online | Investing in offshore wind

Happy Friday afternoon.

This week, Bruce Mohl at CommonWealth Magazine thinks Massachusetts’ Governor Charlie Baker “may have gotten a little carried away on Wednesday talking about the “terrific pricing” the state is going to get for offshore wind power…The governor’s comments seemed to imply that the price of electricity from the Vineyard Wind project selected last week under a state procurement would be competitive with existing forms of power generation. But that’s highly unlikely, unless analyst estimates are way off base. Prices for the electricity produced by Vineyard Wind are likely to be higher than electricity produced using natural gas and other fuels – just not as high as Baker and many other analysts had expected.”

After delays, the Salem News reported on Thursday that “Salem Harbor Footprint has officially flipped the switch. The $1 billion natural gas-burning power plant on Derby Street and Fort Avenue went online overnight. ‘Beginning at midnight, we’ll be in operation and providing power to Salem, the North Shore and the region,’ said Scott Silverstein, chief operating officer of Footprint Power, which runs the plant. The plant has been providing power to the grid off and on through a series of tests over the last several months. And while there’s still some work to be done at the site, Silverstein said the plant is ready to be fully operational. ISO-New England, the independent organization that oversees the region’s electric grid, was notified of the change on Wednesday.”

Investments in the offshore wind industry in New England continue. Hartford Business reports that $15 million in funding to repair and improve State Pier in New London was approved today. “Gov. Dannel Malloy’s office said Tuesday that the funding would allow the pier to compete with other ports to be used as a staging area by companies that have proposed seven offshore wind farms on the Northeast’s Atlantic coast. That includes an 800-megawatt proposal that’s moving forward in Massachusetts.” And in Rhode Island, the Providence Journal reports that “Deepwater Wind will invest $250 million in Rhode Island and use a local workforce of more than 800 to build a utility-scale offshore wind farm that would be able to meet the electric needs of 200,000 households in the state, CEO Jeffrey Grybowski and Governor Gina Raimondo announced Wednesday morning. The investment by the Providence-based company will include $40 million in improvements to the Port of Providence, the port facilities in the Quonset Business Park in North Kingstown and potentially one or more other ports in Rhode Island, where Deepwater would stage construction of the 400-megawatt project that is being called Revolution Wind.”

As always you can find more news and events at Northeast Energy News. Have a great weekend.

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

New Jersey is leading the resistance to offshore drilling, Stamford Advocate

Judge Shuts Down Work on Sunoco Pipelines, Cites Danger, US News & World Report

Canada to Buy Kinder Morgan Pipeline for $3.5 Billion, The Wall Street Journal

Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI

Vermont coffee roaster produces ‘green’ beans, WPTZ Burlington

Dan Haar: Fuel cell makers hoping state ends drought, Stamford Advocate

Statewide climate funds tilted toward Long Island, power plant owners, study claims, Albany Times Union

Ben & Jerry’s Bets On Blockchain To Cancel Out The Carbon In Every Scoop, Forbes

Environmentalists: Biomass bill bad for RI, The Pendulum

Boston’s Cardinal O’Malley leading effort to go green, Aleteia EN

Wind

Is Baker getting carried away with offshore wind?, CommonWealth Magazine

Baker: Offshore wind energy to feature ‘terrific pricing,’ South Coast Today

Deepwater Wind to invest $250 million in Rhode Island to build utility-scale offshore wind farm, Providence Journal

After a decade of dithering, the US east coast went all in on offshore wind power this week, Quartz

Malloy: $15M would position New London pier for offshore wind activity, Hartford Business Journal

America, your offshore wind is coming: 1.2GW in contracts awarded, Ars Technica

Falmouth insurer pays $255K to settle turbine lawsuits, Cape Cod Times

Fishermen’s lands NJ ‘lifeline,’ renews

New offshore wind farm project will dwarf nation’s 1st one, AP News

Solar

Massive solar project planned near wind farm in coastal Maine, Bangor Daily News

Sungrow Wins Deal to Supply Over 50MWh of ESS Solutions to North America, Market Watch

Sun surge in Hudson Valley as solar energy projects make gains, Poughkeepsie Journal

Natick could save nearly $1M with solar panels, MetroWest Daily News

Energy Efficiency/Storage

Big savings boost, The News-Times

Vermont law ‘ups the ante’ on energy efficiency, Utility Dive

N.J. sets ‘aggressive’ 2 GW storage target by 2030, Utility Dive

Zero Energy Modular home comes to town, The Valley Reporter

Nuclear

Nuke Advisory Panel Leader to Depart, Valley News

Millstone siren malfunctions in Lyme, going off despite no emergency, The Day

Competition drives nuclear industry to look for millions in subsidies, Washington Post

The 60-Year Downfall of Nuclear Power in the U.S. Has Left a Huge Mess, The Atlantic

Oyster Creek nuclear plant submits 60-year, $1.4 billion closing plan, Press of Atlantic City

Vermont Yankee Buyer Says Success Here Could Mean Big Business Elsewhere, Vermont Public Radio

N.J.’s oldest nuclear plant is closing, begins booting workers, NJ.com

EVs

California, New York, New Jersey see nearly $1.3B in new EV funding, Utility Dive

Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.

Salem power plant online, Salem News

Ratepayers’ group planning class-action lawsuit against CMP, Portland Press Herald

National Grid begins turning Somerset into power hub, Fall River Herald News

Bloomberg Baystate Business: Power, Betting, Beer, Bloomberg

Virtual power plants are now powering electrical grids without fuel, Quartz

Officials: Bird flew into substation, knocked out power, Stamford Advocate

‘Smart’ electric meters come to NJ, bringing fears of Big Brother, The Record

Trump Prepares Lifeline for Money-Losing Coal Power Plants, Bloomberg

Quebec’s electricity deal with cryptocurrency miners makes sense, The Next Web

Hydro Power Not Green Enough for New Hampshire As Regulators Reject Northern Pass Proposal, Inside Sources

Editorial/Opinion

LETTER: State doesn’t need the PennEast pipeline, MyCentralJersey.com

Letter to the editor: CMP customer demands answers on big increase in bills, Portland Press Herald

Letter to the editor: Officials abet plundering by Central Maine Power, Portland Press Herald

It’s Time To Take Climate Change Personally, WBUR Boston

My Turn: Scott Wolf: R.I.’s ‘Wild West’ of renewable energy, The Providence Journal

New York is a bad neighbor to New England, CommonWealth Magazine

Renewable Energy and DERs Are a Better Deal than New Gas Generation Almost Every Time, Renewable Energy World

The clock is ticking to save TMI and keep our air clean | Opinion, The Patriot-News

Our view: Time for utilities to share in tax cut windfall, Salem News

My Turn: Meredith Angwin: We’ll lose power in future winters, The Providence Journal

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Filed under New England Energy News, Northeast Energy News, nuclear, offshore wind

Tagged as Charlie Baker, climate change, Connecticut, energy efficiency, Footprint Power, Kinder Morgan, Rhode Island

April 20, 2018 · 4:12 pm

Energy News for week ending April 20, 2018

RGGI Pays Off | Palm Trees | Sox Go Green

Happy Friday Afternoon.

First up in the news this week is from Inside Climate News where we learn that our friends at the Analysis Group released a report Tuesday about the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) that showed some unexpected benefits. They report, “The nine Eastern states gained $1.4 billion in economic benefits from RGGI over the past three years because of the way they invested proceeds from the cap-and-trade program…The biggest payoff came in investments in energy efficiency programs, which have led to more businesses and jobs in activities such as energy audits and installing energy-efficiency equipment. The analysts also found that the cap-and-trade system has not undermined the reliability of the electricity grid, and it has not led to a net increase in electricity bills.”

Who doesn’t love palm trees? Greentech Media reports “A team of researchers is working to complete the design for a novel 50-megawatt offshore wind turbine…The blades for the so-called Segmented Ultralight Morphing Rotor (SUMR) wind turbine would…face downwind. The “go-with-the-flow” design was inspired by palm trees, which have evolved to withstand hurricane gales. Just as palm fronds bend and yield to the direction of the wind, the segmented blades for the SUMR turbine will fold together, aligned with the wind direction, in strong winds.”

The Red Sox are on quite a roll this season. For some activists though the chant of “Let’s Go Red Sox” should be “Sox Go Green.” From the Eagle Tribune, “Fenway Park already has its Green Monster — and now environmental activists want the whole ballpark to ‘go green’… activists from Environment Massachusetts and MASSPIRG Students have announced the launch of their “Sox Go Green” campaign. They’re asking the franchise to obtain 100 percent of the energy used for Fenway Park, team operations, and the team’s spring training facility in Florida from renewable resources like solar and wind power within five years.” Whatever the Red Sox decide, we certainly don’t want them to change whatever energy they have going in their bats right now.

As always you can find energy events at Northeast Energy News. Have a great weekend.

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

FERC issues NOI seeking comments on gas pipeline evaluations, Utility Dive

Zinke hints at Maine exemption for offshore gas drilling, Penn Energy

For public hearing on fracking, public shows up, but hearing is delayed, Thehour.com

Oil leaking into Mystic River in Boston believed to be coming from Eversource pipe, The Boston Globe

Footprint cuts ties with Iberdrola, The Salem News

Two years after pipeline shelved, opposition groups continue fighting fossil fuel development, The Keene Sentinel

Columbia Gas seeks rate hike, MassLive.com

As FERC Review of NatGas Pipeline Policy Nears, House Lawmakers Divided Over Priorities, Natural Gas Intelligence

FERC Whipsawed on Pipeline Policy in House Hearing, RTO Insider

Parents Didn’t Want Fracking Near Their School. So the Oil Company Chose a Poorer School, Instead., Mother Jones

The Secret of the Great American Fracking Bubble, DeSmog

Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI

Greenhouse gas emissions from power plants plunge, EPA report shows, Washington Examiner

Going Green? Activists push Red Sox to use 100 percent renewable energy, Eagle Tribune

Bills setting 100 percent renewable energy goal for Pa. draws bi-partisan support, PennLive

Carbon Markets Pay Off for These States as New Businesses, Jobs Spring Up, InsideClimate News

Green Mountain Power’s Distributed Energy Business Isn’t Scaling Fast Enough, Greentech Media

Danbury-based company submits seven fuel cell proposals for energy procurement, New Haven Register

Wind

Fishermen air concerns about Vineyard Wind, MV Times

Connecticut Evaluates Bids for First Offshore Wind Farm, Engineering News Record

Concerns, support aired at offshore wind hearings in Hyannis, on Nantucket, Cape Cod Times

Fate of Fall River waterfront waits on offshore wind decision, Herald News

How fishermen could thwart Cuomo’s offshore wind master plan, City and State NY

US East Coast Offshore Wind Benefits Vary Significantly Depending On Location, Finds Berkeley Lab, CleanTechnica

Design for 50-MW Offshore Wind Turbine Inspired by Hurricane-Resilient Palm Trees, Greentech Media

Cape Cod Chamber Supporting Competitive Offshore Wind Development, CapeCod.com News

Construction unions back Bay State Wind project, SouthCoastToday.com

New Massachusetts offshore wind energy auction, and New Jersey project gets a boost, WorkBoat

Solar

WorkinCT: Greenskies bringing solar energy to Connecticut schools, FOX 61

Bifacial Plus Tracking Boosts Solar Energy Yield by 27 Percent, Greentech Media

Low-income housing represents huge solar opportunity, new study from NREL finds, Solar Power World

New Brunswick’s first solar farm located near Sussex, Global News

Energy Efficiency

From Lenox to Nantucket, 36 Massachusetts communities get state energy efficiency grants; see how much your city or town got, MassLive

Rigorous Energy Standards Should Put Massachusetts Growers on Alert for Best Practices, Compliance, Cannabis Business Times

Eversource agreement with Lindt could serve as energy saving template for state, Seacoastonline.com

New York state unveils energy efficient standards, CT Post
Over 100 Groups Call on Gov to Lead Nation on Energy Efficiency, Artvoice

Shining new light on Smith Hill: RI shows off new State House lighting system, WPRI 12 Eyewitness News

Grafton sees cost savings from energy contract, Worcester Telegram

Energy Storage

Energy storage problem dates back to the ol mill pond, Energy Central

Graphene Could Be Next Battery Breakthrough, Renewable Energy World

New Jersey Gets 40 MWh of New Utility-Scale Energy Storage, Renewable Energy World

Report: Gravity-based energy storage could prove cheaper than batteries, Business Green

Tesla is teaming up with BP on an energy storage project, Business Insider

New Jersey could get 2GW of storage to help reach 50% renewables target, Energy Storage News

New York advances REV, moves to bring more energy storage online, Utility Dive

Nuclear

States Are Breathing New Air Into Nuclear Energy To Preserve Jobs And Environment, Forbes

EPSA rails against FirstEnergy emergency request, New Jersey nuke subsidies, Utility Dive

Report: Losing FirstEnergy’s Nuclear Fleet Would Wipe Out Two Decades of Solar and Wind Progress, Greentech Media

C-10 allowed to challenge Seabrook nuclear plant relicensing, Seacoastonline.com

Debate over Millstone rages on, theday.com

Environmentalists and Nuclear Power? It’s Complicated, New York Times

Feds seek financial data on sale of Vermont nuke to private decommissioning firm, MassLive.com

Exelon, FE nuke closures would reverse PJM wind, solar benefits: Brattle report, Utility Dive

MIT Spin-off Faces Daunting Challenges on Path to Build a Fusion Power Plant in 15 Years, IEEE Spectrum

Electric Vehicles

Short term pain for long term gain: EPRI assesses expanding US electrification, Utility Dive

Wireless Charging Seen as a Game Changer for EV Infrastructure, Renewable Energy World

Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.

Electricity Demand, Prices Heat Up After 2017 Slowdown, Commercial Property Executive

New State Energy Policy Aims to Lower Rates, Let Nuclear & Gas Compete With Renewables, NHPR

Connecticut utility regulators slash Eversource Energy’s distribution rate hike request, New Haven Register

New Hampshire governor’s energy plan leans on nuclear, gas, Utility Dive

Sen. Murphy calls for investigation into Eversource’s high shutoff rates, The Ridgefield Press

Central Maine Power responds to higher-than-average electricity bills, Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel

Utility Could Set Standard for Reducing Energy Costs, U.S. News & World Report

Exelon, ISO Hopeful on Stopping Proposed Closure, Everett Independent

Northern Pass Back Before NH SEC Next Month, New Hampshire Public Radio

RI regulators ask PUC to slash National Grid’s requested rate hikes, The Providence Journal

Over 500 National Grid Employees to Volunteer on Earth Day, GoLocalProv

Editorial/Opinion

LETTER: Closure of Pilgrim Power Plant would result in additional CO2 emissions, Wicked Local Yarmouth

American energy dominance means Mass. Wind, Boston Globe

Costly infrastructure is driving up Maine’s electricity costs, Bangor Daily News

Getting to grid modernization, CommonWealth Magazine

Editorial: Wishing away our energy challenges, The Providence Journal

My Turn: Matt Brown: Wind turbines off coast can provide energy RI needs, The Providence Journal

Letter: The high price of fracking, Concord Monitor

Op Ed: Offshore Wind Competition Benefits Massachusetts, Cape Cod Today

Letter to the editor: Maine PUC should back offshore wind development, Press Herald

Letter: State, utilities need to take energy strategy seriously, Concord Monitor

Shame on legislators who voted against solar, Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel

Letter: Richard H. Lee: Governor’s criticism of National Grid ignored facts, The Providence Journal

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

Tagged as climate change, electric rates, energy efficiency, energy storage, Footprint Power, offshore wind, RGGI

December 22, 2017 · 2:42 pm

Energy News for week ending December 22, 2017

Bids are in | Rate Hike Appeal | Smoke and Noises

Happy holidays everyone!

Perhaps this week’s biggest energy news was the submission of bids for Massachusetts’ offshore wind solicitation. CommonWealth Magazine reports, “The three companies vying to build the first major offshore wind farm in the United States filed their proposals on Wednesday with Massachusetts officials. Each of the firms kept their pricing a secret, so they publicly tried to differentiate their projects based on size, transmission approaches, construction timetables, and partnerships. Size was the biggest difference. Each of the companies was required to submit a bid for a 400 megawatt project, but they were free to submit additional proposals for less or for more, up to a high of 800 megawatts. The state procurement, which will be spread out over many years, calls for 1,600 megawatts in total.”

It appears MA Attorney General Maura Healey is saying just a minute, with respect to Eversource’s rate hike. Jim Kinney over at MassLive.com reports that “Healey filed an appeal Wednesday in Boston against an Eversource electric rate hike approved last month by the state Department of Public Utilities and scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1. She is asking the DPU to reconsider the decision, according to a press release. Such actions often result in a negotiated settlement between the attorney general’s office and the utility, according to Healey’s website.”

If your holiday travels take you to the North Shore, the Salem News says, “Don’t be alarmed by the loud noises and apparent smoke coming from Salem Harbor Footprint later this week. It’s actually steam, and it’s just the $1 billion project cleaning out its pipes. The project is still a long way from being done, and due to significant delays on that front, Footprint is vulnerable to possible penalties from the entity that manages the New England power grid. Sometime late this week, the new natural gas-firing power plant will conduct “what, in the industry, you call ‘hot commissioning,'” explained Footprint chief operating officer Scott Silverstein. “This is the beginning of the process of starting up the turbines and boilers, and getting those up and running.”

That’s it for us this year. We’ll be back in your in-boxes on January 5, 2018.

All of us at McMahon Communications wish you all a safe, happy, wonderful, and joy-filled holiday season and a prosperous New Year.

Natural Gas/Pipeline

FERC reaffirms its approval of Atlantic Bridge pipeline, with compressor station planned in Weymouth, MassLive

Con Edison seeks ‘non-pipe’ solutions to address peak gas demand, Utility Dive

Residents hold pipeline vigils outside State House, Wicked Local Wellesley

National Grid seeks increase for gas bills, Gloucester Daily Times

Anti-fracking protester court case thrown out, Gazette & Herald

US tax overhaul likely to spur spending by refiners, pipeline cos, Reuters

Insidious Gas Leaks Are Casting Doubts Over Shell’s Clean Credentials, Bloomberg

Gas Under Threat? California Regulators Target PG&E Natural Gas Plants With Energy Storage, Greentech Media

Renewables Policy, etc.

Massachusetts agrees to slash power plant emissions under 9-state system, MassLive.com

Massachusetts Report Tallies Clean Energy Jobs, Solar Industry

Why French Utility EDF Is Entering the US Distributed Storage Market, Greentech Media

Carbon Loophole: Why Is Wood Burning Counted as Green Energy?, Yale Environment 360

DEEP tees up retooled renewable energy purchase plan, Hartford Business

Wind

Neighbor demands shuttered Falmouth turbine be removed, Cape Cod Times

Acoustic tech for wind farms proves whale effective, Energy Live News

Block Island sees benefits from 1st US offshore wind farm, News Times

Nonprofit group pushes to keep Falmouth turbines spinning, Cape Cod Times

Wind turbines could soon be banned in this tiny Western Massachusetts town, MassLive

After 16 Years, Hopes for Cape Cod Wind Farm Float Away, New York Times

Lessons from the Country’s First Off-Shore Wind Farm, WCAI

Falmouth official orders plan to dismantle wind turbine, Cape Cod Times

LUPC declines to expand expedited permitting area for wind power project, Daily Bulldog

National Grid commits $20 million to the NEK as part of new Power Link line, Vermont Biz

Wind RFP

Offshore wind: Start big or small?, CommonWealth Magazine

Bay State Wind pledges $1 million to BCC if it wins contract, South Coast Today

Bids Are in for Massachusetts Offshore Wind Procurement; Storage Included, Renewable Energy News

Offshore wind bidders identify Brayton Point benefits, Fall River Herald News

Three companies submit bids for offshore wind power, Cape Cod Times

Developers Proposing Large-Scale Offshore Wind Farms, Maine Public

Solar

Congressional lawmakers urge ‘strong and effective’ remedies in solar trade case, Utility Dive

Town opposes New Milford solar project, The Greater New Milford Spectrum

Somerville Solar Array Awarded to Local Non-Profit, Patch.com

Energy Efficiency

Smart buildings save energy and improve occupant comfort, ACEEE

New York advances efficiency plans, focusing on load control and demand management, Utility Dive

Large buildings may soon get report cards for energy efficiency, The Real Deal

Clean Energy 2017: States and Cities Shine Despite Trump, Natural Resources Defense Council

Europe Inches Closer to Strong Energy Efficiency Target, Energy Collective

Nuclear

Millstone nuclear plant is profitable, new Connecticut draft report says, Utility Dive

Millstone Owner Argues Costs Are Driven Up By Being In Connecticut, Energy Central

Advocates Use Millstone’s Profitability To Question Push For New Markets, Hartford Courant

Entergy Asks FERC to Clarify Indian Point Retirement Process, RTO Insider

Nuclear regulator ignores employee safety warnings, watchdog report finds, Utility Dive

Hinkley Point: the ‘dreadful deal’ behind the world’s most expensive power plant, The Guardian

After Indian Point, power needs hinge on three proposed plants, report says, Lohud.com

N.J. committee sends nuclear subsidy bill to state legislature, Reuters

Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.

Framingham reaches $500K settlement with Eversource over polluted site, MetroWest Daily News

Vermont Lawmakers Eye New Incentives For Electric Vehicle Purchases, Vermont Public Radio

EPA Funding Will Help Clean Diesel Projects in New England States, U.S. EPA.gov (press release)

California Sues Trump Administration, This Time Over Oil Industry Rules, Governing

Natural gas, water heaters, connected devices and EVs lead DR trends to watch, Utility Dive

Hopkinton officials still charged up over double utility poles, MetroWest Daily News

Meet the microgrid, the technology poised to transform electricity, Vox.com

Massachusetts labor union backs Eversource transmission line through New Hampshire, MassLive

Major testing of power plant begins soon, Salem News

Massachusetts AG Maura Healey appeals Eversource rate hike, MassLive.com

Blockchain shows promise for energy companies, ZD Net

2018 Promises to Be a Year of Innovation in the Energy Sector, (press release) Alt Energy Magazine

Editorial/Opinion

The Hoobub and the Grinch: Northern Pass Edition, InDepthNH.org

Approval of Electric Vehicle Utility Proposal in Massachusetts A Sign of What’s Coming Down the Pike in Northeast & Mid-Atlantic, HuffPost

A vulnerable power grid: Let’s invest in critical national infrastructure, The Hill

Nuclear Energy Pros And Cons: The True Advantage Of Nuclear Power Science Trends

Rendall: Warm wishes from Vermont Gas, Vermont Biz

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Filed under Electricity Costs, Energy Efficiency, offshore wind, Renewables

Tagged as biomass, Eversource, Footprint Power, Maine, natural gas, Northern Pass, Vermont

July 21, 2017 · 12:12 pm

Energy News for week ending July 21, 2017

TGIF to all! A few news items of note…

The Patriot Ledger reports Gov. Charlie Baker has broken his long silence on the controversial natural-gas compressor station Monday, ordering state agencies to review the Fore River project’s potential impact. Spectra Energy wants to build a 7,700-horsepower compressor on the river bank.

Construction has started on what is expected to be Maine’s largest municipally owned solar array. The one-megawatt solar array will be composed of 2,944 solar panels. Officials expect the array to generate 1.2 million kilowatt-hours of energy per year according to U.S. News & World Report.

Lawmakers on the House Appropriations Committee recently voted to slash Energy Star funding in the fiscal year 2018 budget — an improvement over previous calls to cut the program entirely, but advocates say the impact could still be “crippling.”

Natural Gas

Baker’s review of Weymouth compressor station applauded, Patriot Ledger

Stepping up the pressure, Boston Globe

State to look into health, safety concerns around Weymouth compressor station, (subscriber content) Boston Business Journal

Gov. Baker orders state to investigate compressor station issues, Greenfield Recorder

Catholic nuns in Pa. build a chapel to block the path of a gas pipeline planned for their property, Washington Post

Unitil to expand natural gas line through downtown, Fosters.com

Pipeline Construction, And Protests, Continue In Sandisfield, NEPR

Finding leaks while they’re easy to fix, MIT News

Renewables

South Portland’s Major Solar Array Project Begins, U.S. News & World Report

New Hampshire law benefits biomass power production, Biomass Magazine

Record Demand Puts Popular N.H. Renewable Energy Rebate Program On Hold, NHPR

Federal SunShot program funds $5.5M in Mass. solar projects, (subscriber content) Boston Business Journal

California Leads Off: Now RGGI Must Grab the Climate Baton, Natural Resources Defense Council

Eversource rate case poses woes for solar projects, Patriot Ledger

Solar debate heats up again, Boston Globe

Falmouth ruling bolsters cause for neighbors of Plymouth turbines, Cape Cod Times

In New England, Cooperative Values Drive Solar Growth – Episode 41 of Local Energy Rules Podcast, Renewable Energy News

Brookline launches renewable energy program with opt-out system, Wicked Local Brookline

Bay State Wind Receives First Offshore Wind Site Assessment Plan Approval in the United States, (Press Release) Business Wire

Maine large-scale manufacturers eligible for energy rebates, Mainebiz

Energy Efficiency

House Appropriations Committee votes to cut Energy Star funding 40%, Utility Dive

Green Energy Committee: Lincoln residents complete 162 home energy assessments, Wicked Local Lincoln

Energy Efficiency Upgrades Illuminate Six Ion Bank Branches, Patch.com

Nuclear

EXCLUSIVE: Gov’t Red Tape Costs Every Nuclear Plant $63 Million Annually, Daily Caller

Washington, DC firm signed to dismantle Vermont Yankee reactor, Commons

US Finds ‘Apparent Violations’ of Security at Millstone, Hartford Courant

Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.

Delays Push Burrillville Power Plant Toward Irrelevance, ecoRI news

More than 100 state legislators join opposition against Northern Pass, Concord Monitor

New Energy Alert Can Do More Than Save You Money, ecoRI news

Vermont regulators to examine grid modernization, Utility Dive

Options for Energy Storage that Aren’t Batteries, WCAI

Electric meter mistake costs Monson family big bucks, Western Mass News

Indigenous Community Airs Long-Standing Grievances at Northern Pass Hearing, NHPR

Footprint plant work extension to go forward, The Salem News

In Webster, Residents Weigh In On New Proposed Power Line, New Hampshire Public Radio

Quakers go on 60-mile pilgrimage from Portsmouth to Bow in protest of coal-fired plants, The Union Leader

Grid threats require ‘imagining the unimaginable’ — report, E&E News

Editorial/Opinion

Pilgrim closure requires oversight, not panic, Cape Cod Times

A lousy electric bill: Concord not on ratepayers’ side, The Union Leader

CMP chief: Lawmakers should sustain Gov. LePage’s veto of solar bill, Press Herald

Editorial: Bridging the gap of energy eras, Concord Monitor

Letter: Let Pessamit Innu speak on Northern Pass, Concord Monitor

Letter: Fight the power, Concord Monitor

Events

2017 Fuels Conference, Northeast Energy and Commerce Association, Marlborough, MA, September 27, 2017

Microgrid 2017 Conference, IDEA, MRC and Microgrid Knowledge, Boston, MA, November 6-8, 2017

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Filed under Electric Grid, Energy Efficiency, Natural Gas Pipelines, nuclear, Renewables, solar, Wind Power

Tagged as Charlie Baker, energy efficiency, Footprint Power, natural gas, Northern Pass, nuclear, renewable, solar, Vermont Yankee, wind

June 23, 2017 · 4:10 pm

Energy News for week ending June 23, 2017

Good Friday Afternoon.

This week’s energy news includes a story in the MIT Technology Review about a new paper from nearly two dozen “prominent researchers” that sharply critiqued an influential paper arguing that wind, solar, and hydroelectric power could affordably meet most of the nation’s energy needs by 2055. The researchers said the 2015 paper “contained modeling errors and implausible assumptions that could distort public policy and spending decisions.” That the 2015 paper was influential is right. Massachusetts, California and other states are now considering 100 percent renewable energy targets not only for electricity generation, but for transportation and heating as well. Greentech Media pulled together a podcast on the “bitter debate” that ensued after the critical paper was released. It also includes some links to Tweetstorms that erupted after the paper was released.

Also this week, the Consumer Energy Alliance released the results of a poll that showed “a large majority of voters in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York embrace affordable and reliable energy in New England, but a much smaller majority embrace natural gas pipelines to make that happen.” The article in Natural Gas Intelligence reported, “CEA noted that the polling shows only 6% of respondents thought that a lack of natural gas or oil infrastructure was the cause for the region’s high electric rates. This shows ‘an apparent disconnect or lack of understanding from respondents as to how pipelines and other related energy infrastructure impact fuel and electricity prices,’ the group said.”

The last highlight this week is a story from the Cape Cod Times about the ongoing battle to shut down Wind 1 and Wind 2, the two turbines at the Falmouth Wastewater Treatment Facility. According to the story, “a Barnstable Superior Court judge on Tuesday ordered the town of Falmouth to shut down [the] two town-owned wind turbines. Judge Cornelius Moriarty issued his decision at about 4:30 p.m. in the case which pitted the town against its own Zoning Board of Appeals and a neighbor of the turbines. The Board of Selectmen had appealed a decision by the zoning board that found the turbines are a nuisance.” More court cases over the turbines are in process so this order to shut them down isn’t necessarily ‘case closed.’

Have a great weekend.

Natural Gas/Pipeline

FERC says no environmental review for ‘heavy-duty’ vehicle use variance, says it will trust Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co., Berkshire Eagle

New England Poll Finds ‘Disconnect’ Between Voter Support for Affordable Energy, Pipelines, Natural Gas Intelligence

18 Arrested At Kinder Morgan Pipeline Project Will Go To Court, WAMC

Despite trespassing arrests, Sugar Shack Alliance members vow to begin ‘summer days of resistance’ protest, Berkshire Eagle

Keene City Council backs natural gas proposal, delays climate change vote, Keene Sentinel

Weymouth residents continue air quality testing in the Fore River Basin, The Patriot Ledger

Court Issues Burrillville Power Plant a Setback, ecoRI news

Defending Burrillville from Invenergy may cost town millions, RI Future

API positions gas as all-purpose resource for grid reliability, Utility Dive

Renewable Energy

Scientists Sharply Rebut Influential Renewable-Energy Plan, MIT Technology Review

Major Simsbury Solar Project Opposed By State Officials Moving Ahead Thanks to Mass., R.I., Hartford Courant

Grafton solar project helps preserve Knowlton Farm, Telegram.com

Your Guide to the Bitter Debate Over 100% Renewable Energy, Greentech Media

Maine legislators get set for net metering vote that could impact PUC ruling, Daily Energy Insider

Falmouth ordered to shut down turbines, Cape Cod Times

Murphy and Esty Want $5 Billion for ‘National Green Bank’, Hartford Courant

Supporters tout carbon pricing plan from Lexington state senator, Wicked Local Lexington

What’s Next For Climate Change Efforts in NH?, New Hampshire Public Radio

Can Offshore Wind Power Revive US Ports?, Scientific American

Battle for US offshore wind jobs hots up, Recharge

Offshore Wind Faces Stiff Test From Hurricanes, ecoRI news

House and Senate Approve Solar Bill, More Votes Ahead, WAGM

Massachusetts Businesses Taking Climate Change Seriously, CBS Boston / WBZ

Vivint Solar Continues Huge Month With Expansion Into Vermont, CleanTechnica

Wind noise should be overseen by state, not developer, Brattleboro Reformer

Video: P.E.I. wind farm brings in special scaffolding to repair turbine blade, CBC News

At Pittsfield stop on Clean Energy Future Tour, anti-turbine sentiment a frequent topic, Berkshire Eagle

Report: Renewable energy is no threat to power reliability, Utility Dive

Rhode Island Considering Legislation to Streamline Process of Developing Renewable Energy Projects, JD Supra

Energy Efficiency

Critics of RI budget take aim at one-time revenue transfers, The Providence Journal

National Grid named one of the most energy efficient utilities in US, Daily Energy Insider

Donovan joins suit against US Department of Energy, Vermont Biz

Green Massachusetts, green Harvard, Harvard Press

Hinds, Pacheco Host MA Clean Energy Future Tour In Pittsfield, WAMC

6 towns get Green Communities grants totaling $830211, The Recorder

Nuclear

New York Senate narrowly passes bill to reallocate funds for nuclear subsidies, Utility Dive

Pilgrim advisory panel ‘ready to get to work’, Cape Cod Times

Judge blocks sale of Vermont Yankee disposal company, Brattleboro Reformer

Activists And Climate Scientists Push For Support Of Millstone Nuclear Power, WSHU

Entergy prepares to leave Plymouth; Emera hopes to enter, Wicked Local Plymouth

Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.

New England, California could see tight spots with reliability this summer, says FERC, Utility Dive

DOE grid study deadline delayed as Perry defends budget proposal, Utility Dive

MassDEP reaffirms Exelon plant in Medway is safe, despite project criticism, MetroWest Daily News

Medway: Exelon, law group spar over contractor suspension, MetroWest Daily News

Northern Pass foes show up in force, The Union Leader

From Yale to the North Country, Northern Pass elicits strong opinions, The Keene Sentinel

University statement on the Northern Pass hydropower transmission line, Yale News

Weymouth school gets energy assist from Celtics, National Grid, Wicked Local Weymouth

Senate Chair on Global Warming Takes Input on Energy Policy, iBerkshires.com

New York lawmakers clear bill creating an energy storage mandate, Utility Dive

A Massachusetts Co-op Makes A Powerful Vintage, Renewable Energy World

Enel to Buy EnerNOC for $250M, in Bid for Demand Response and Energy Software Market Share, Greentech Media

Editorial/Opinion

Finally – A Market-Based, Investable Approach to Energy Efficiency, Electric Light & Power

Another View — Richard Sampson: Yale could stop Northern Pass, The Union Leader

Our View: Solar bill would let Maine grow clean energy jobs, Press Herald

Exports explain interest in gas pipeline, CommonWealth Magazine

Our view: Footprint’s deal is a good one for neighbors and the city, Salem News

The upside of renewables, CommonWealth Magazine

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Filed under Natural Gas Pipelines, nuclear, Wind Power

Tagged as Falmouth, Footprint Power, Medway, natural gas, Northern Pass, pipeline, Rhode Island, solar

January 13, 2017 · 1:55 pm

Energy News for week ending January 13, 2017

Happy Friday the 13^th! So what do you think your energy use is equivalent to in toasters? According to an article in GeekWire, Nathan Myhrvold explains, “Each American draws an average of 11 kilowatts of electrical power, which translates to having 11 toasters working all day, every day…In comparison, the global average is 2.5 kilowatts (or 2.5 toasters)…Africa is at 800 watts, which isn’t quite a toaster’s worth, but equivalent to a coffeemaker.” He adds that, “In the decades ahead, the whole world wants to have 11 toasters’ worth of electricity.” Myhrvold uses this interesting illustration to make the case that in order to meet this growing demand we need to invest in “next-generation technologies aimed at making fission-generated power safer and easier to manage” such as TerraPower, which has developed a “new type of nuclear reactor that makes use of depleted uranium and can sustain the fission process indefinitely.”

In other news, Bruce Mohl of CommonWealth Magazine reminds us that renewables aren’t cheap by comparing the cost of renewables-based residential electricity supply options with utilities’ basic-service offerings. And, while you’re on the CommonWealth Magazine site, be sure to read Gordon van Welie’s piece titled, “Grid in the balance.” There’s no sugar coating here – just plain facts about “suboptimal solutions” that may be required without infrastructure development. Speaking of which, we included an article from Utility DIVE in which Dominion has said blackouts will be the norm for a Virginia peninsula later this year because of coal plant closings and opposition to bring electricity to the area via a transmission line from a nearby nuclear plant. Hmmm. Perhaps they could use the TerraPower solution?

One last note for this week, Massachusetts comes in first again in another positive analysis – it’s the most friendly state for rooftop solar (Greentech Media).

Have a great weekend.

Natural Gas/Pipeline

National Grid: West Roxbury gas metering and regulating station is operational, Wicked Local West Roxbury

Eversource appeals state’s pipeline ruing to NH Supreme Court, Concord Monitor

Tough Road Seen For Access Northeast, LNG Storage, Too, Natural Gas Intelligence

Gas leak stopped at Spectra Energy Weymouth station, The Boston Globe

Gas leak heightens concerns over proposed Weymouth project, The Patriot Ledger

Spectra says pipeline unaffected by frozen valve in Weymouth, The Patriot Ledger

Weymouth mayor calls for changes at metering station after release, Patriot Ledger

Invenergy Identifies Johnston As Water Supplier For Burrillville Power Plant, Rhode Island Public Radio

Invenergy’s John Niland delivers false information at Woonsocket City Council meeting, RI Future

Local Pipeline Leaks Source of Climate Emissions, ecoRI news