Tag Archives: Vermont

October 23, 2020 · 2:17 pm

Energy News for week ending October 23, 2020

Here to Stay | Save Billions | Construction this Year

Happy Friday folks.

We start this week’s energy news recap with a story from Greentech Media, “From Pilot to Permanent: Green Mountain Power’s Home Battery Network Is Here to Stay. The Vermont utility now controls several thousand Tesla Powerwall batteries sited in customers’ homes. The results have been promising. Utility pilot projects aren’t famous for being standout financial successes. Usually, the goal is to verify a technology in the field before attempting broader deployment. Sometimes nothing follows the pilot. Vermont utility Green Mountain Power not only verified the efficacy of residential batteries for meeting grid needs, but it also saved its customers millions of dollars with them. Now, that program has been ratified by the state’s Public Utility Commission as a permanent residential storage tariff, which means battery installations — and utility savings — will continue to rise.”

Speaking of savings, according to a new study, a big push to renewables could save Americans a lot of money. From The Guardian, “Aggressive push to 100% renewable energy could save Americans billions – study. An aggressive push towards 100% renewable energy would save Americans as much as $321bn in energy costs, while also slashing planet-heating emissions, according to a new report. Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee, has vowed to eliminate greenhouse gases from the US power grid within 15 years and essentially zero out emissions by 2050, a plan assailed by Donald Trump as costly and detrimental to the American economy. But a new analysis by Rewiring America, an energy policy organization, finds that households would benefit financially from a complete switch to clean energy sources such as solar and wind. More than 40% of energy emissions are determined by appliances in and around the home, according to the report, such as heating, electricity, refrigeration and car use. Should all of these related factors be fully electrified and sourced from clean energy, households could save as much as $321bn in energy costs, the report finds, or up to $2,500 a household a year. Households would be faced with the upfront costs of installing solar panels and electric devices such as stovetops and heat pumps, but Rewiring America says strong government assistance for renewables would help deliver long-term savings.

Each week there seems to be something new going on with the NECEC project in Maine. This week, the State House News Service reports we can expect to see action. “Utility Sees Maine Transmission Project Construction This Year. Utility company executives behind the project that would deliver clean power from Hydro-Québec to the Massachusetts and New England power grid said Wednesday construction should start before the end of 2020, about a year later than the company once projected. New England Clean Energy Connect, a 145-mile transmission project of Central Maine Power Company, is expected to link the electrical grids in Quebec and New England to provide cleaner and more reliable hydropower directly to a converter station in Lewiston, Maine, and into the regional grid. Bay State utilities and Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration chose the project to help Massachusetts meet its statutory requirements to increase renewable energy supplies. During an earnings call for CMP parent company Avangrid on Wednesday morning, CEO Dennis Arriola said the project is ‘on track to start construction in Q4 2020, once we receive the approval of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which we expect by the end of this month.’”

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

Efficiency/Storage

NRDC Sues US Department Of Energy Over Efficiency Standards Process Changes, CleanTechnica

From Pilot to Permanent: Green Mountain Power’s Home Battery Network Is Here to Stay, Greentech Media

Looking towards a net-zero future, Burlington considers requiring all-electric buildings, VT Digger

The town that built back green, Washington Post

Climate Change/Renewables/RGGI

Aggressive push to 100% renewable energy could save Americans billions – study, The Guardian

In the nation’s asthma capital, plans to burn wood for energy spark fury, Boston Globe

BDCC drops biomass project, Brattleboro Reformer

In defense of the sturgeon, green group wants to put brakes on Canadian hydropower plan for the Hudson, lohud.com

New York City Is About to Get an Injection of Tidal Power. Is This Time Different?, Greentech Media

Geothermal energy is poised for a big breakout, Vox.com

Belching Cows and Endless Feedlots: Fixing Cattle’s Climate Issues, New York Times

Promise or Peril? Importing Hydropower to Fuel the Clean Energy Transition, The Revelator

Keene’s future energy plan put before public, Sentinel

FERC commissioner: Listen to the scientists, Rutland Herald

Cease-and-desist order sought, Ellsworth American

New York Reforms Clean Energy Standard, Power Magazine

Wind

So, What Exactly Is Floating Offshore Wind?, Greentech Media

Wind Energy Hub Project in Cortlandt Withdrawn by Developers, The Examiner

Democrats push expansion of offshore wind, block offshore drilling with ocean energy bill, The Hill

Vineyard carries out cable corridor research, ReNews

Scores more wind turbines proposed for Long Island’s South Shore, Newsday

Solar

Maffei looks to reduce solar project, Hometown Weekly (Norfolk, MA)

Regulators Approve N.H.’s First Large Solar Array, Planned By NextEra In Fitzwilliam, NHPR

Ellsworth will buy all its electricity through local 11,000-panel solar project, Bangor Daily News

Borrego Solar Expands Maine Distributed Solar Portfolio, Solar Industry Magazine

Clifton Park residents oppose solar array, Times-Union

South Burlington to add solar array to Market Street complex, WCAX

SunBug Solar Announces Solar Tech Meets Tradition on A Monson Family Farm, Massachusetts Newswire (press release)

EVs

Auto Makers Grapple With Battery-Fire Risks in Electric Vehicles, Wall St. Journal

GM to Plan Third Electric-Vehicle Plant in Big Plug-In Bet, Bloomberg

An Electric Car With Swedish Roots, and a Rebellious Streak, New York Times

Nuclear

MIT Validates Science Behind New Nuclear Fusion Reactor Design, Greentech Media

Nuclear Panel Says ‘Logjam’ Is Baked Into Their Voting Rules, WCAI

Schumer & Gillibrand Call for Nuclear Regulatory Commission Before Transfer, Kings County Politics

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

Fuel oil prices flirt with 16-year low in Maine as the heating season approaches, Press Herald

Market/Grid/Policy/Prices

Hydro contract ruling offers clarity in clean energy law, State House News Service via WWLP

Utility Sees Maine Transmission Project Construction This Year, State House News Service

CMP Spinoff Company Gets Final Approval, Maine Public

First Transmission Project Moves Forward Under NY Renewable Energy Growth Act, T&D World

It’s not just your perception, weather-related power outages are increasing, News Center Maine

At PURA hearing, customers get their turn to criticize Eversource and UI over outages caused by Isaias; power companies face fines, Hartford Current

Towns Ask N.H.’s Public Utilities Commission For Regulations That Would Enable Community Power, NHPR

Gas generators ask FERC to apply PJM MOPR logic to NYISO, Utility Dive

The lockdown increased NH electricity use – wait, increased it?!?, Granite Geek

So, What Exactly Are Virtual Power Plants?, Greentech Media

Opinion

When it comes to solar geoengineering, we’re still very much in the dark, Boston Globe

Most N.E. governors want the power grid to change (guess which one doesn’t?), Granite Geek

Fossil fuels endanger communities of color | Opinion, NJ.com

Ben Edgerly Walsh: Gov. Scott has failed to demonstrate leadership on climate crisis, Brattleboro Reformer

The Impact of New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, Bloomberg Law

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

Tagged as energy storage, Maine, New England Clean Energy Connect, renewable, Vermont

February 15, 2019 · 4:31 pm

Energy News for week ending February 15, 2019

Glacial Changes | Maryland | Moooo

Happy Friday afternoon folks.

We’re starting out this week with a couple of climate change stories.

First, from the New York Times, in what is a graphically cool piece as well as interesting relative to adapting to climate change, is a story about how Switzerland (yeah, I know it’s not the “Northeast”) is rethinking how they use hydropower. Check it out, if for nothing other than the presentation of the information.

Our second climate change story comes from the AP which reports that Matt Fitzpatrick, an ecology professor at the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Sciences in Frostburg, Maryland, “looked at 12 different variables for 540 U.S. and Canadian cities under two climate change scenarios to find out what the future might feel like in a way a regular person might understand. He averaged the climate results from 27 different computer models then found the city that most resembles that futuristic scenario.” For those of you in greater Boston and other coastal New England cities, it looks like we’re all going to experience what’s typical weather right now for various areas in Maryland. For those that reside inland, your weather is more west. For example, Burlington, VT will feel like Taylorville, IL and Hartford, CT like Sikeston, MO. All in all it looks warmer and wetter. The link to the interactive map is https://fitzlab.shinyapps.io/cityapp/

Last story for this week is from Seven Days in Vermont about cheese – Cabot Creamery’s farms to be specific. While this long read has a lot of details about their operations including “Fitbits for cows” (who knew?) there is a section on their energy efficiency and renewable energy measures. “Consider electricity: Fairmont’s East Montpelier milking parlor is active nearly 24-7…Fairmont recently installed energy-efficient LED lighting in its barns, recommended by Efficiency Vermont. And it now has solar panels on the roofs. The company that installed the panels last year now sells power to the farm at a reduced rate. Ayer expects that arrangement to shave 11 percent off the farm’s annual power bill. Gladstone noted that Newmont runs on alternative energy, too. The farm worked with Green Mountain Power, Catamount Solar and Yankee Farm Credit to install a solar array in Fairlee that produces 50 percent of the farm’s power…Blue Spruce Farm in Bridport generates some of its energy using a wind turbine, but the cows there also create some renewable energy of their own — with help from a biodigester. The digester provides the right environment for the manure to break down and release methane gas, which in turn powers a generator producing renewable electricity for Vermont homes and businesses. Aptly dubbed “Cow Power,” it’s available to Green Mountain Power customers, who can choose to pay an extra four cents per kilowatt for it; the money flows back to the farm.” So this weekend when you might be enjoying some wine and cheese, you can say that you’re supporting renewable energy and helping to keep us the heck out of Maryland.

That’s it for this week. Enjoy the long weekend.

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

Holyoke utility, citing pipeline constraints, halts natural gas hookups, CommonWealth Magazine

Enbridge wins lawsuit over town’s opposition to compressor station, Reuters

Legislators want gas system study, Newport Daily News

National Grid pays out $360K to those affected by Newport gas outage, WPRI 12

State to consider reopening door for proposed Killingly natural gas plant, The Day

Enbridge gave Massachusetts studies by climate denier, ALEC associate in gas project assessment, NationofChange

Salem YMCA closed following gas explosion outside, Salem News

Head Of Mass. Pipeline Safety Division Stepping Down, WBUR

Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI

Report recommends action to transition to a clean-energy economy for New England, Portland Press Herald

State kickstarts Western Massachusetts wood chip industry with renewable thermal energy grants, MassLive

Eversource plugs into green power with offshore wind, solar projects, Boston Globe

9 Northeastern states share $115M from carbon sale, Adirondack Daily Enterprise

No, the Green New Deal won’t threaten the grid, Vox.com

Where Glaciers Melt Away, Switzerland Sees Opportunity, New York Times

Clean Energy Solutions Must Include Nuclear, (Whitepaper) Clearpath.org

A dozen power plant and pipeline projects could derail Phil Murphy’s clean energy goals, NorthJersey.com

State kickstarts Western Massachusetts wood chip industry with renewable thermal energy grants, MassLive

Heading south: Warming to change how US cities feel in 2080, AP News

Wall Street Is More Than Willing to Fund the Green New Deal, Bloomberg L.P.

Wind

Vineyard Wind submits 1,200 MW proposal to New York’s 800 MW offshore wind RFP, Utility Dive

ISO New England Interconnection Queue Has More Offshore Wind Than Gas, CleanTechnica

ISO-NE capacity prices fall amid controversy over Vineyard Wind participation, Utility Dive

R.I. offshore wind price bit higher than Mass., CommonWealth Magazine

In $225 million partnership, Eversource takes deep dive into offshore wind projects in Atlantic, Hartford Courant

Shell, innogy, & Stiesdal Offshore Technologies To Partner On Floating Offshore Wind, CleanTechnica

Eversource To Pay $225 Million For A Half Share In 2 Offshore Wind Projects, WBUR

Rhode Island to run rule over Revolution power play, Renews.biz

Betting $1 Million on Offshore New Jersey Wind Paid Off Big Time, Renewable Energy World

National Grid contract with Orsted would save customers $90 million over 20 years, ProJo

Falmouth Wind Turbines Called ‘Disaster’ On National Stage, Falmouth Enterprise

Solar

Vast swarm of homes with solar-battery systems poised to act as ‘virtual power plant’ in New England, MassLive

Solar Panels, Smartphones and a FitBit for Cows: Cabot Creamery Farmers Adapt to the Digital Age, Seven Days

Sunrun Wins Milestone Solar, Storage Contract In ISO New England Auction, Solar Industry

Another solar array proposed for Franklin, Milford Daily News

CT sees slight uptick in solar jobs, Hartford Business Journal

How much is Cohasset saving? Stats from town’s solar array now available online, Wicked Local Cohasset

U.S. solar jobs down for second year as Trump tariffs weigh, Reuters

Energy Efficiency/Storage

Maine Town Sees LED Streetlights Paying for Themselves Fast, Government Technology

U.S. Energy Storage Market is set to exceed an annual deployment of 3,000 MW by 2024, MarketWatch

Eversource Charges Forward with Cutting-Edge Battery Storage on Martha’s Vineyard, CapeCodToday

EVs

Electric car charging stations planned for downtown, Eagle Tribune

Pennsylvania prods utility investment in charging as part of EV growth plan, Utility Dive

Nuclear

Supporters Say Seabrook Nuke Protects Climate; Critics Worry About Cracks In The Concrete, WBUR

With concrete degrading in critical parts of Seabrook, environmental advocates urge to delay renewal of license, Boston Globe

NRC defends Seabrook Station’s license extension, Keene Sentinel

CEOs Ask Trump to Help Them Sell Nuclear Power Plants Abroad, Bloomberg L.P.

A Look Inside Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station Before Its Reactor Goes Quiet, WGBH

Exelon: Need Pa. Action by May to Save TMI, RTO Insider

Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.

New England efficiency advocates raise alarm over potential capacity market changes, Utility Dive

Mills shows new support for CMP transmission line, Portland Press Herald

$1.1 million in funds approved to buy Augusta streetlights from CMP, replace with more efficient lights, Kennebec Journal

Glick calls for ‘new approach’ to capacity markets in wide-ranging NARUC talk, Utility Dive

New Hampshire grid mod proposal recommends ‘tempered’ approach to AMI, Utility Dive

Auction for New England’s future power needs yields lowest clearing price in six years, New Haven Register

Big Win for Local Energy: First Virtual Power Plant Snags Contract in US Wholesale Capacity Auction, Microgrid Knowledge

Editorial/Opinion

Commentary: Let’s go 100 percent renewable to protect the North Shore, Daily Item

Klaber’s viewpoint: The problem with New York regs, Business Journals

Eversource mandate, New Hampshire Union Leader

Positive signs state is ready to seize offshore wind-energy opportunity, The Day

The Answer Is Blowin’ in the Wind, New York Times

My Turn: Dissecting the Northern Pass appeal narrative, Concord Monitor

Editorial: The cost of rolling back bulb standards, MetroWest Daily News

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

Tagged as biomass, energy storage, Eversource, natural gas, Vermont

May 11, 2018 · 2:07 pm

Energy News for week ending May 11, 2018

Grid Mod in MA | Duck Curve Arrives | All Turbines Mapped

Happy Friday afternoon.

This week we begin with grid mod as the topic and a State House News Service story in the Sentinel and Enterprise that Massachusetts “State officials on Thursday issued an order authorizing utilities to spend $220 million statewide on upgrades to the electrical grid over the next three years, and set up a process that could result in some smart meter investments ushering in more dynamic ways of pricing power. The grid upgrades would be targeted at preventing future outages, allowing areas to more quickly bounce back from a power outage, and better accommodating renewable energy generation…Installing smart meters for every residential ratepayer would cost $1.5 billion, according to the Baker administration, which has opted instead to set up a process that could result in using smart meters in situations where they would render the highest benefits for the least cost, according to an official.”

All of those solar installations out there have brought something bird-like to New England that, from a US perspective, is mostly seen in California. From PV Magazine, “As solar comes to more regions of the United States, it is beginning to alter the dynamics of electricity supply and demand. These are most noticeable on weekend days in the spring, when solar output is high but electricity demand is lower than during the week and not inflated by air conditioning use, as it is in the summer.

The result of this is the “duck curve”, as documented in California. There the output of solar is suppressing mid-day demand, with a steep ramp-up in demand that must be met by other resources as the sun goes down. When coupled with a lack of sufficient flexibility in the rest of the electricity fleet and operation of the grid, this can result in negative prices and curtailment of resources…New England’s grid operator has reported that on April 21 behind-the-meter solar met sufficient demand that for the first time net daytime demand fell to a lower level than overnight demand…the increase in solar led to a fall in the region’s wholesale electricity price to -$2.65 per megawatt-hour around 3 PM.”

We end this week with an article from the Washington Post titled, “Every one of America’s 57,636 wind turbines, mapped.” From the article, “To create the database, the USGS partnered with the Department of Energy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the American Wind Energy Association. The organizations merged their individual data sets to create a new database that was more accurate and comprehensive than previous efforts. Once they compiled the new database, researchers attempted to visually verify the precise location of each turbine using satellite imagery. They intend to update it periodically in the coming years as the wind industry grows.” The piece not only gets into geographical reasons for why wind is more popular in some parts of the country than others, but also speaks to political climates that create certain disparities.

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

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

Energy giant sues Weymouth over pipeline station, saying federal law overrides zoning, Boston Globe

Burner Tips: Collaboration between utilities and environmental groups might not be the norm, but in Massachusetts, the two sides have come together to find mutual solutions, American Gas Magazine

Reducing Methane Emissions Amidst a ‘National Leadership Void,’ BrinkNews.com

CT regulators ignore health and climate destroying methane leaks, Stratford Star

Connecticut Senate votes to gut net metering, extend renewable energy mandate, pv magazine USA

Rick Perry suggests using ‘national security’ to override opposition to pipelines, ThinkProgress

Weymouth compressor station opponents seek stories of illness, Wicked Local

Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI

State Clean Energy Laws Make New England Grid More Resilient, Natural Resources Defense Council

Commission reduces fees for popular renewable energy program, vtdigger.org

Under the Sea: A Roadmap for Renewable Energy, MarineLink

Scientists Say Ocean Circulation Is Slowing. Here’s Why You Should Care., InsideClimate News

NYSERDA Announces $10 Million Available for Commercial and Industrial Carbon Challenge Initiative, North America Clean Energy

Earth’s atmosphere just crossed another troubling climate change threshold, Boston Globe

Wind

What’s the best bet on wind?, CommonWealth Magazine

Every one of America’s 57,636 wind turbines, mapped, Washington Post

Offshore wind developer, unions partner on workforce training initiative, Boston Business Journal (subscriber content)

Wind-energy meetings scheduled amid concerns about East End, Newsday

US Offshore Wind Can Realize 25 GW through Synergies with Oil & Gas Sector, Renewable Energy World

Council passes bill to encourage wind energy, Queens Ledger

Offshore-wind developers want more details on state straw proposal, NJ Spotlight

Lawyers for wind developer want Hopkinton to increase turbine height to 600 feet, National Wind Watch

Offshore Wind’s Value Exceeds Its Construction Costs In New York And New England, Energy Collective

Bay State Wind signs agreements to build training center in New Bedford, SouthCoastToday.com

AWEA 2018: Offshore hubs to spring up on Atlantic coast, Windpower Monthly

Offshore Wind’s Value Exceeds Its Construction Costs In New York And New England, Energy Collective

East Hampton Town Trustees Move Forward With Plans For Joint Hearing On Deepwater Project, 27east.com

Solar

Sun And Solar Power Cut Electricity Demand From New England Grid To Lowest Ever, Hartford Courant

It’s Official. All New California Homes Must Incorporate Solar, Greentech Media

The duck curve comes to New England, pv magazine USA

Solar power helps New England hit historic milestone, Concord Monitor

US Navy leases photovoltaic solar panels near Rhode Island station, Electric Light & Power

Five New England Colleges To Buy Solar From Maine Project, Solar Industry

Vermont reduces incentives for renewable energy program, Penn Energy

Solar-Panel Makers Ramp Up U.S. Manufacturing Plans, Wall Street Journal (Pay wall)

Energy Efficiency/Storage

State Strategic Plan Looks to Boost Energy Efficiency, Cut Customer Costs, NJ Spotlight

Rutland family receives $5K to make their home energy efficient, Mountaintimes

Why The Energy Storage Problem Won’t Be A Problem For Long, CleanTechnica

As energy storage costs decline, market changes needed to increase deployment, Platts

New York City moves to streamline energy storage permitting, Utility Dive

Energy storage, wind, and solar companies are recruiting coal miners for their work ethics and high-tech skills, Environmental Defense Fund

Nuclear

Bill seeks to prioritize nuclear waste removal at Pilgrim, Patriot Ledger

Vermont Yankee resumes fuel move, Brattleboro Reformer

Seabrook officials analyze financial issues, The Daily News of Newburyport

Indian Point task force study urges Entergy to turn over property, The Journal News | LoHud.com

Nuclear Energy Institute Recommends Rejection of PJM Capacity Proposals, Daily Energy Insider

One Thing Trump, Some Environmentalists Both Love: Nuclear Power, Bloomberg

Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.

New Hampshire rethinks distributed generation-only pilots for non-wires alternatives, Utility Dive

How CMP plans to pipe clean energy to Massachusetts through Maine, Bangor Daily News

Baker, Healey split on electricity sellers, CommonWealth Magazine

Do Healey, Baker have a truce?, CommonWealth Magazine

Connecticut lawmakers pass sweeping energy bill, Utility Dive

Solar, efficiency drive declining peak load in ISO New England, Utility Dive

DPU issues electric grid modernization order, Sentinel & Enterprise

Under Pressure: Steam Pipe System Draws Scrutiny, NBC Boston

Eversource customers can get $3000 rebate on Nissan Leaf electric car, Concord Monitor

Eversource Looks to Offshore Wind, New Rates for Growth, RTO Insider

Eversource pushes ahead with pursuit of Connecticut Water, Journal Inquirer

PUC refuses to intensify inquiry into CMP billing problems, Press Herald

Utilities commission won’t ramp up CMP billing investigation, Bangor Daily News

Maine Lawmakers Signal Opposition to NECEC, RTO Insider

Worried About Grid Resilience? Don’t—You Can Sleep Well, Natural Resources Defense Council

Eversource generation rate to fall July 1, Hartford Business

New Hampshire’s Coming Energy Crunch Is A Job Killer, InsideSources

Colleges To Train Next-Gen Utility Workers, New Haven Independent

Editorial/Opinion

What’s up with the Globe and natural gas?, CommonWealth magazine

SUZANNE TORRES, Weymouth: An issue of credibility in Spectra debate, The Patriot Ledger

Climate Change Shouldn’t Need a Salesman, Wall Street Journal

Maurice Kreis: Rolling blackouts in New Hampshire? Not a chance, Concord Monitor

LETTER: Expanding natural gas pipelines is not the right energy solution, SouthCoastToday.com

Viewpoint: Climate change is here. Boston has no time to waste., Boston Business Journal

Time to hit the off switch on electricity sellers, CommonWealth Magazine

NextEra’s Robo Is Wrong About Offshore Wind, Energy Collective

Connecticut Energy Legislation a Mixed Bag for Clean Energy, North American Clean Energy

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Filed under Climate Change, Electric Grid, New England Energy News, Northeast Energy News, Wind Power

Tagged as energy efficiency, ISO New England, methane emissions, Pilgrim, smart grid, smart meters, solar, Spectra, Vermont

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

November 17, 2017 · 2:47 pm

Energy News for week ending November 17, 2017

Class Action | Presidential Permit | 20M dollars for Western MA

Happy Friday afternoon folks.

There are a ton of stories this week, but here are three that stood out for us.

Vermont Business Magazine reports that on Thursday afternoon Eversource Energy and Avangrid Inc were hit with a class-action lawsuit stating that the two energy companies caused electricity consumers in New England to incur overcharges of $3.6 billion in a years-long scheme that impacted six states and affected 14.7 million people. The lawsuit was filed November 14, 2017, in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The complaint alleges the scheme violates multiple federal and state competition laws and state consumer protection statutes.

Good news this week came for Northern Pass in the form of receiving its Presidential Permit from the US Dept. of Energy. The Telegram reported that the permit allows for the $1.6 billion project to take hydropower across an international border and connect to the United States grid. There is still a ways to go before it’s done though. The article reports that the New Hampshire Site Evaluation Committee, or SEC, is expected to announce its final written decision on the project by March 31, 2018. And, along with the state approval, the project also is awaiting a permit from the U.S. Forest Service allowing the project to pass through parts of the White Mountain National Forest and a wetlands permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is expected by the end of the year.

Speaking of transmission projects, over at MassLive.com, Mary Serreze reports that TDI New England has pledged 20 years of funding, at $1 million annually, to Community Action of the Franklin, Hampshire and North Quabbin Regions for deep energy retrofits to low-income homes, if its New England Clean Power Link wins a major utility contract in the Bay State. TDI plans 98 miles of underwater and 56 miles of underground cable to deliver 1,000 megawatts of hydro, or hydro and wind, from Canada. Christmas comes a month late for bidders. Serreze notes that the winners will be announced Jan. 25 by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities and electric utilities Eversource, National Grid and Unitil.

That wraps it up for this week. As always, you can find more news and events at NEEnergyNews.com.

Oh, and we’re taking next Friday off so we’ll be back in your in boxes on December 1. In the meantime, you can find energy stories Tweeted at @McMComm

Have a wonderful, safe, warm and happy Thanksgiving holiday.

Natural Gas/Pipeline

Lawsuit accuses Eversource and Avangrid of causing $3.6 billion in excessive electricity costs in New England, Vermont Biz

Report raises doubts about gas ‘crisis, CommonWealth Magazine

Gas to power majority of New England by 2020, Argus

Natural gas has no climate benefit and may make things worse, Think Progress

Environmentalists Stage Sit-In At Governor’s Office Over Natural Gas Infrastructure, WGBH

Conservationists: Fossil fuel search would target migratory path of right whales, Cape Cod Times

Sandisfield highway chief: ‘Road is shot from pipeline work,’ Berkshire Eagle

Lynch bill could halt Weymouth compressor construction, Wicked Local Braintree

Water protector Winona LaDuke speaks on ‘cannibal economics,’ courage and fighting pipelines, theberkshireedge.com

RI agency opens hearing on LNG plan for Providence waterfront, The Providence Journal

Google Adding Methane Detectors To Street View Cars, CleanTechnica

Pipeline opponents flood FERC with requests for new hearings, Southeast Energy News

Dakota Access Pipeline Company Paid Mercenaries to Build Conspiracy Lawsuit Against Environmentalists, The Intercept

DOJ: Protestors Interfering With Pipeline Construction Will Be Prosecuted, OilPrice.com

Groups Sponsored By Fossil Fuel Industry Host Energy Forum, RIPR.org

Renewables Policy/RGGI/Climate change

Renewables Are on a Collision Course With Power Markets, Greentech Media

Virginia Moves to Join RGGI Carbon-trading Market, POWER magazine

Can Carbon-Dioxide Removal Save the World?, The New Yorker

Seven States Take Big Next Step on Climate: Here’s the What, Why, and How, Union of Concerned Scientists

Summit touts renewable energy progress, Salem News

Fossil fuel emissions will reach an all-time high in 2017, scientists say — dashing hopes of progress, Washington Post

Your car is a big environmental nemesis, and Mass. is stepping in, Boston Globe

Wind

No One Satisfied With New Vermont Wind Power Sound Rules, New York Times

Deepwater may fund UMass offshore wind, fishing study, Cape Cod times

Maine proposes new wind development rules, Utility Dive

The Energy 202: House GOP wants to water down tax breaks for wind energy. The Senate is unlikely to let it., Washington Post

The Future Of Offshore Wind Farms In The Atlantic, WSHU

Bird poo on wind turbines is a problem solved by high tech scarecrows, VICE News

Solar

MIT Reveals a Battery That Stores Solar Energy to Make Heat for Later, Inverse.com

From brownfield to greenfield: Former mine site hosts Vermont’s biggest solar array, vtdigger.org

Northampton solar landfill a ‘dream come true,’ says Ward 6 city councilor at ribbon-cutting, MassLive.com

60-day clock starts for Trump to decide on solar panel tariffs, Utility Dive

Nova Scotia Buildings to Feed Solar Power to Grid under New Program, Energy Central

Energy Efficiency

New Paper Says Emissions Cuts Should Start with Buildings, Not Transportation, Energy Manager Today

Americans for Prosperity: NH should dump energy-efficiency efforts, New Hampshire Business Review

Eversource Powers Up Energy Efficiency, The Keene Sentinel

Going Green Could Help Harwich Earn Some, Cape Cod Chronicle

America First? Trump Energy Cuts Would Eliminate Billions of Dollars in Direct Savings to Consumers, Greentech Media

Boston-based Current is now on GE’s chopping block, Boston Business Journal

Making More Sustainable LEDs With Reusable Materials, Greentech Media

City moving to purchase only above-ground streetlights, Eagle Tribune

Planned Community On Boston South Shore Will Be Laboratory For Sustainable Cities, CleanTechnica

Governor Cuomo Announces $12 Million to Increase Energy Efficiency for Industrial and Multifamily Buildings, NA Clean Energy

Nuclear

Sea level rise factors into nuclear waste discussion, Cape Cod Times

Entergy Objects To Conditions On PUC Consultant For Vermont Yankee Hearings, VPR

US eyes safety rules for small modular reactors, as nuclear touted at UN climate meeting, Utility Dive

Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.

DOE backs hydropower project bringing energy from Canada to southern New England, Telegram.com

NARUC panel discusses how to prepare for the mother lode of electricity disruptions, Daily Energy Insider

Cooperation, DOE NOPR, State RFPs the Topics at NECBC Meeting, RTO Insider

RI Power Sector Transformation Study Represents ‘A Big Step Forward’, Solar Industry

NH’s high utility bills blamed on subsidies, The Union Leader

Eversource Planning To Hire Staff, Upgrade Communications In Wake Of October Storm Problems, Hartford Courant

Brayton Point bidder chosen, sale to be announced soon, SouthCoastToday.com

National Grid teams with national lab to study transmission modernization, storage, Utility Dive

Thousands still without power in Hampshire County, The Recorder

Blackout: Outage zaps power from 29000 in Hampshire County Wednesday morning, GazetteNET

FERC storage/DER integration proposal gets high marks, but other priorities loom, Utility Dive

Seacoast State Reps Raise Concerns About Eversource Plan to Buy Water Utility, New Hampshire Public Radio

What a US electric grid attack looks like, USA TODAY

The Trump administration went to the UN climate talks to promote coal, Vox

Natl. Grid finds novel way to lobby clean energy procurement, CommonWealth Magazine

Transmission developer TDI offers $20 million for Western Massachusetts home energy retrofits if it wins statewide clean electricity contract, MassLive

Study Claims Quark Fusion May Be the Energy Source of the Future, Bigthink.com

As feds focus on baseload, grid modernization is sweeping the nation, Utility Dive

Chatterjee: FERC Will Move Ahead with Coal, Nuclear Subsidies, Power Engineering

Grid Modernization in Rhode Island: Small State, Big Vision, Microgrid Knowledge

Maine lawmakers to weigh in on reducing power outages, Penn Energy

State demands report on utility’s response to storm, Salem News

Exclusive: Chatterjee details interim plan to save coal, nuclear plants, Utility Dive

Do utilities need rate design for electric vehicle charging? Utility Dive

Subsidizing Coal, Nuclear Could Drive Customers Off-Grid, Renewable Energy World

Emera COO: Work progressing on Maritime transmission link, Electric Light & Power

CMP President and CEO Sara Burns to retire by year’s end, MaineBiz

Editorial/Opinion

We agree: It’s time to clean up transportation (Guest viewpoint), MassLive

Our Opinion: Kinder Morgan must do right by Sandisfield, Berkshire Eagle

My Turn: Dave Ross: RI needs energy to power innovation, The Providence Journal

Justin Wheating: Championing the climate economy for Vermont, vtdigger.org

One watt at a time: Why electric rates are so high, The Union Leader

Another View — Greg Moore: Why turning on the lights costs more in New Hampshire, The Union Leader

Our view: National Grid should explain storm response, Salem News

Editorial: Encouraging that Columbia Gas sees end to moratorium, Hampshire Gazette

Derrick Z. Jackson: The competition is heating up for offshore wind, Boston Globe

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Filed under Climate Change, Electric Grid, Energy Efficiency, offshore wind, Pilgrim Closing

Tagged as Avangrid, Eversource, Maine, New Hampshire, Northern Pass, Vermont

December 16, 2016 · 3:10 pm

Energy News for week ending December 16, 2016

Weekly Energy News 12.16.16

Happy bone-chilling Friday! This week’s energy news brings a union of Eversource and DONG Energy on the Bay State Wind offshore wind project (CommonWealth Magazine). Within what seems seconds of the announcement, the opinions were already rolling in, including Cynthia Arcate who suggests the deal should “send shivers up the spine” (CommonWealth Magazine).

At last week’s Roundtable Jesse Jenkins of MIT mentioned a new report titled, “The Utility of the Future” was due for release this week and right he was. Robert C. Armstrong, MITEI’s director and the Chevron Professor in Chemical Engineering at MIT said of the report, “Our study does not try to predict the future or prescribe which technologies should prevail; instead, it provides a toolkit for businesses, policymakers, and regulators to navigate the unfolding changes in the system and develop a more robust, efficient system for the future.” (MIT news)

One other highlight from this week is a Boston Business Journal article which looks at Massachusetts’ clean energy sector and reports the industry has grown to over 100,000 jobs.

Natural Gas/Pipeline

Sen. Warren wants pipeline halt, Wicked Local Dedham

R.I. Tribe Opposes Power Plant and LNG Projects, EcoRI

EPA reverses course on fracking safety, The Hill

A town unites in a battle against a gas compressor station, The Boston Globe

With Gas Pipeline Projects Blocked, State Searching for an Energy Plan, Hartford Courant

Spectra station fuels fears of fishery setback in Braintree, Wicked Local Weymouth

Google car helps PSE&G target leaky gas pipes, NorthJersey.com

The oil and gas industry is quickly amassing power in Trump’s Washington, Washington Post

Invenergy Making Deal With Woonsocket for Water, EcoRI.org

Renewable Energy

Dong finds Bay State partner, renews