Tag Archives: Weymouth

February 21, 2020 · 4:19 pm

Energy News for week ending February 21, 2020

Lunch conversation | WSJ Series | Nuclear Waste

Happy Friday folks.

We start this week with an article by Spencer Buell of Boston Magazine that recaps his conversation with Professor Nathan Phillips on his hunger strike over the Weymouth Compressor Station. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, we think it makes for interesting reading.

No recap for this, but if you have access check out the Wall St. Journal’s series on the Future of Everything related to energy. It’s a positive look at the future. All of the links are embedded below but here are a couple that are particularly cool: To store the wind and sun, energy startups look to gravity and What’s next for the energy grid.

And for our new tech feature we bring you a story from Grist, “The power plant of the future could run on nuclear waste. A California-based start-up’s plans to develop a power plant that can turn nuclear waste into energy just took a big step closer to reality. The company, Oklo, got a permit in December to build the next-generation power plant at the Idaho National Laboratory, in Idaho Falls. The lab announced Wednesday that it will also provide Oklo with fuel — the waste products of a nuclear reactor. The Oklo design is for a small plant providing up to 1.5 megawatts of electricity — enough to power about 1,000 homes — which operates like a long-lasting battery, without the need for a team of operators or refueling for 20 years.”

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

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

My Lunch with the Hunger Striker Who Took on Charlie Baker, Boston Magazine

More than a dozen arrested at Weymouth compressor station protest, Patriot Ledger

State regulators won’t do more asbestos testing at Weymouth compressor site, Wicked Local

Bow power plant wins funding through 2024, Concord Monitor

Demonstrators protest National Grid’s fracked gas pipeline in Williamsburg, MSN

Fossil Fuel Emissions Contribute More Methane Than Previously Estimated, Discover Magazine

National Grid is Raising Rates in Order to Build a Fracked-Gas Pipeline in Brooklyn, The Indypendent

Explosions, health risks, higher bills: Why North Brooklyn residents are fighting this project., Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Transocean: The Offshore Drilling Industry Is In Crisis But Is Not Gone, Seeking Alpha

Yale faculty meeting to discuss school’s ethical obligation on fossil fuel investment, WTNH

Climate activists have a target: Harvard’s endowment, Boston Globe

Vermont Gas seeks 2.9% rate increase, VTDigger

Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI

How Clean Is Massachusetts’ Clean Peak Rule? Not So Much, New Study Says, Greentech Media

Baker’s push to curb emissions draws a familiar foe: his own party, Boston Globe

FERC rules clean energy must pay higher market price in New York, Reuters

Boston harbor brings ashore a new enemy: Rising seas, Washington Post

Methane is a hard-hitting greenhouse gas. Now scientists say we’ve dramatically underestimated how much we’re emitting, Washington Post

Growing bricks and more ways to shrink concrete’s carbon footprint, Wall St. Journal

Researchers Debate Whether Global Emissions Have Peaked, Bloomberg Green

Turning the tide: South Shore legislators are on the front lines of climate change, Patriot Ledger

Baker Administration Planning Rule To Ban Hydrofluorocarbon, WBUR

Google Spinout Dandelion Energy Ramps Up Home Geothermal Installations, Greentech Media

Energy from air: UMass researchers develop device that generates electricity from humidity, Daily Hampshire Gazette

Senators consider requiring utilities to buy more local renewables, VT Digger

ITC Probing Economic Impact of Renewable Goals, Imports to New England, Power Magazine

‘With so much coast and so little land, R.I. is the most vulnerable state in New England’, Boston Globe

ITC To Probe Economic Effect Of Renewable Energy In Mass.. Law360

Wind

Vineyard Wind facing lots of hurdles, CommonWealth Magazine

Report: Utilities raised concerns on Mayflower, CommonWealth Magazine

Plymouth health board reviewing wind turbines on Bourne line, Wicked Local Plymouth

Sununu wants offshore wind farm, The Telegraph

MONTI: Ocean wind farms good for fishing, but dialogue needs balance, Sun Chronicle

In ritzy East Hampton, the biggest hurdle to offshore wind is a single cable, Politico

Right Whale Protection At Heart Of New Vineyard Wind Partnership, WGBH

Wind energy gives American farmers a new crop to sell in tough times, USA Today

Solar

Cash-strapped farms are growing a new crop: Solar panels, Grist

Nautilus Solar acquires 3.5-MW Superfund community solar project, Solar Power World

More efficient photocatalysts could unlock the potential of solar energy, Phys.org

CT solar jobs hold steady as U.S. industry stems losses | Hartford Business Journal, Hartford Business

New world record for conversion of solar energy to electricity using quantum dots, Science Daily

The path to market for perovskites, pv magazine International

Portland council endorses solar initiative with 8-0 vote, Portland Press Herald

Energy Efficiency/Storage

Three Innovations To Upend The Energy Storage Market, YAHOO!

To store the wind and sun, energy startups look to gravity, Wall St. Journal

Yale Divinity School receives $15 million for energy-neutral Living Village, New Haven Register

EVs

The Carmaker Putting Solar Panels on Its Electric Vehicles, Greentech Media

Nuclear

The power plant of the future could run on nuclear waste, Grist

When It Comes to Nuclear Power, Could Smaller Be Better?, Yale Environment 360

France Shuts Oldest Reactors, But Nuclear Power Still Reigns, International Business Times

Market/Grid/Policy/Prices

RTOs need better market signals for using gas, analysts say, as ISO-NE preps related rule, Utility Dive

What’s next for the energy grid, Wall St. Journal

The key to keeping the lights on: artificial intelligence, Wall St. Journal

Public takeover of Maine’s electric utilities could bring higher rates, tax revenue losses, Portland Press Herald

Grid secures future power commitments at low price, CommonWealth Magazine

CMP brings back former CEO with a mission to ‘restore public trust,’ Bangor Daily News

Panel endorses bill requiring CMP to renegotiate lease along corridor route, Portland Press Herald

US State Energy Policies and Power Utility Regulation, Greentech Media

Energy-capacity auction results in record low New England price | Hartford Business Journal, Hartford Business

Consumer-owned utility proposed to replace CMP to be discussed in Kittery, Seacoastonline.com

Northern Pass losses zap Eversource Energy’s 2019 earnings, Stamford Advocate

Utilities don’t see stranded assets as a top risk. Should they?, Utility Dive

Editorial/Opinion

Hunger and the clean energy transition, CommonWealth Magazine

Physicians critique National Grid official’s stance, CommonWealth Magazine

Why States Need to Ban New Gas Hookups in Buildings (in 5 Charts), Greentech Media

Commentary: ‘To get the carbon out,’ Maine should look to energy from wood fiber, Portland Press Herald

Commentary: Regional climate collaboration is a critical policy debate – not just political division, Portland Press Herald

Columnist Johanna Neumann: Proposed gas rule is off the rails, Daily Hampshire Gazette

For gas utilities, voluntary RNG programs can play an important role on the path to decarbonization, Utility Dive

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

Tagged as Central Maine Power, energy storage, offshore wind, solar, Vermont Gas, Weymouth

December 20, 2019 · 2:45 pm

Energy News for week ending December 20, 2019

TCI | Critical Source | Seawater | Small, Svelte and Safer

Happy Friday afternoon folks.

The news that got the most “ink” this week was the Transportation and Climate Initiative. We have several stories below, but found this one from Shira Schoenberg at MassLive to be a great place to start, Higher gas prices for cleaner air: What is the Transportation and Climate Initiative?

Other news that grabbed a lot of attention this week came out of New Hampshire. From the Portland Press Herald, “Region’s leaders say offshore wind in Gulf of Maine could provide critical energy source. Leaders in states bordering the Gulf of Maine expressed strong support Thursday for offshore wind, setting the region up to become the next battleground over the resource as some members of the area’s influential fishing industry voice objections. Officials from Massachusetts and Maine, along with New Hampshire’s Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, said Thursday at the first meeting of the Agenda for the Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force for the Gulf of Maine that they were optimistic offshore wind could help them reduce greenhouse gas emissions while producing thousands of jobs across New England. Led by the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the task force must weigh concerns from commercial fishermen, environmentalists, coastal communities and other stakeholders before deciding where leases on the Outer Continental Shelf in the Gulf of Maine might be allocated and where they wouldn’t be allowed. There are also technical challenges, since the deep waters of the gulf may require floating platforms.”

We have two stories for our new technology feature. First from Reuters, “International Business Machines Corp said on Wednesday it has created a battery design that uses materials extracted from seawater and requires no cobalt, as the race to find alternative sources to the expensive mineral intensifies…The move comes as top battery makers scramble to reduce cobalt content in lithium-ion batteries, and as the expansion of the electric vehicle market is expected to result in shortages of the mineral mainly found in the Democratic Republic of Congo. IBM said its technology has proven to outperform lithium-ion batteries in cost, charging time and energy efficiency.”

The second new tech feature comes to us from Wired though the headline sounds something more like you’d read in Self. “The Next Nuclear Plants Will Be Small, Svelte, and Safer. For the last 20 years, the future of nuclear power has stood in a high bay laboratory tucked away on the Oregon State University campus in the western part of the state. Operated by NuScale Power, an Oregon-based energy startup, this prototype reactor represents a new chapter in the conflict-ridden, politically bedeviled saga of nuclear power plants. NuScale’s reactor won’t need massive cooling towers or sprawling emergency zones. It can be built in a factory and shipped to any location, no matter how remote. Extensive simulations suggest it can handle almost any emergency without a meltdown. One reason is that it barely uses any nuclear fuel, at least compared with existing reactors. It’s also a fraction of the size of its predecessors. This is good news for a planet in the grips of a climate crisis. Nuclear energy gets a bad rap in some environmentalist circles, but many energy experts and policymakers agree that splitting atoms is going to be an indispensable part of decarbonizing the world’s electricity.”

That’s the recap for this week. Enjoy the stories below and have a safe and happy holiday and a joyous and healthy New Year. We appreciate that you let us in your inboxes each week and look forward to sharing the energy news with you in 2020. See you next on January 10^th.

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

A Methane Leak, Seen From Space, Proves to Be Far Larger Than Thought, New York Times

Officials, residents concerned with compressor site cleanup, Patriot Ledger

Congressman Joseph Kennedy demands halt to Weymouth compressor station construction, Wicked Local

New England power and natgas prices spike during cold snap, CNBC

National Grid doesn’t want geothermal developer to have ‘party’ status in pipeline debate, Times Union

Newsmaker 2019: National Grid flames out in pipeline feud, Crain’s New York

N.H.-Bound Coal Train Kept Rolling, Despite Activists On The Tracks, WBUR

4 Things To Know About The N.H. Coal Plant Targeted By Climate Protesters, New Hampshire Public Radio

Uncertain role of natural gas in the transition to clean energy, Science Daily

TCI

Higher gas prices for cleaner air: What is the Transportation and Climate Initiative?, MassLive

Legislators seek to stop Charlie Baker from passing Transportation Climate Initiative, Boston Herald

TCI could up gas prices 5 to 17 cents a gallon in 2022, CommonWealth Magazine

New England states mull regional gas fees after NH rejection, Boston Herald

Reducing emissions from transportation is a long, difficult road for Maine, Portland Press Herald

Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI

Boston Could Become WICKED Hot. This is What They’re Doing About it., Discover Magazine

US Lawmakers Stiff Solar, Wind Gets Modest Victory in Tax Deal, Greentech Media

Clean energy advocates want New York to move quickly on 70% renewables goal, Utility Dive

How we know global warming is real, Washington Post

Mike Bloomberg has a plan to clean up electricity and it doesn’t need Congress, Vox

Holyoke lands $275K grant for net-zero planning, Energy Central

Migrating Birds Prefer to Eat Local New England Cuisine, Boston University

Forget the log cabin. Wood buildings are climbing skyward – with pluses for the planet., Hartford Courant

Berkshire Community College Wins Prestigious Sustainability Award, iBerkshires

Failure by Congress to Support Tax Credits for Clean Energy and EVs is Unacceptable, Union of Concerned Scientists

Climate activists, offshore wind industry groups slam House for holding off on tax credit extension, MassLive

U.S. Spending Bill Holds Win for Wind Energy, Setback for Solar, New York Times

Wind

Region’s leaders say offshore wind in Gulf of Maine could provide critical energy source, Portland Press Herald

US has only one offshore wind energy farm, but a $70 billion market is on the way, CNBC

Berkshire Wind helps light North Shore homes, Salem News

Tax credit changes snub offshore wind power, Salem News

Bluestone gets green light for 125 MW wind farm in New York, Reve

Team Develops Floating Turbine To Harvest Deep-Ocean Wind Energy, Science Blog

US urged to lease more offshore wind, renews.biz

Federal talks leave mixed bag for wind energy, Herald News

Prototype of ‘world’s most powerful offshore wind turbine’ starts sending power to utility, CNBC

Solar

YMCA of Greater Providence Teams with Balanced Rock Energy on Breakthrough Solar Credit Agreement, (Press Release) Globe Newswire

New Saratoga County solar farm is among largest of its kind upstate, Times Union

Ground broken on solar energy farm in East Haven, New Haven Register

‘We traded green for green.’ Controversial solar array built on Simsbury farmland now producing power, Hartford Courant

City of Bangor to install its first big solar panel project, Newscentermaine.com

Energy Efficiency/Storage

New York State to build a large energy facility instead of a previously planned fossil fuel plant, Solar Builder Magazine

Large-scale energy storage by “liquid air” proposed for Vermont, Granite Geek

US investment in energy efficiency dropped estimated 18% in two years: Report, Utility Dive

IBM’s new battery design taps seawater as alternative mineral source, Reuters

Cuomo lays out $1.5 billion investment to improve energy efficiency at state and local government buildings, New York Daily News

Energy Efficiency Is a Hot Problem for Big Tech’s Data Centers, Bloomberg

Rising Demand for Energy Efficiency Creates Growth Opportunities for Technologically Advanced Heat Exchangers, Business Insider

Tesla’s Musk says solar, energy storage will grow faster than electric cars, and there’s some truth to it, CNBC

What a Year! 10 Stories That Propelled Energy Storage in 2019, Greentech Media

EVs

New York transit authority to invest $1.1B for 500 electric buses, Utility Dive

Municipal parking lots across Boston to get electric-charging stations, Universal Hub

South Jersey Utility Seeks OK on Plan for More EV Charging Stations, NJ Spotlight

State offer would boost electric vehicles; Dollar incentives for middle, low-income Vermonters, Chester Telegraph

Nuclear

Board delays decision on nuclear plant’s license renewal, Newburyport Daily News

Mass. Lawmakers Criticize NRC Decision on Transfer of Pilgrim Nuke Ownership, Cape Cod Today

NRC gives permit for next-gen factory-built nuclear reactor, AP News

The Tiny, Simple Nuclear Reactor That Could Change Energy, Popular Mechanics

The Next Nuclear Plants Will Be Small, Svelte, and Safer, Wired Magazine

Market/Grid/Policy/Prices

Grid operator targeted in Healey’s clean-energy push, Wicked Local

State approves Eversource power line through Sudbury, Hudson, MetroWest Daily News

Healey seeks DPU crackdown on electricity sellers, CommonWealth Magazine

FERC Orders PJM to Restrict State-Backed Renewables in Its Capacity Market, Greentech Media

CMP CEO ‘absolutely’ fears losing company in consumer takeover, WGME

Would a Green New Deal Add or Kill Jobs?, Scientific American

CMP aims to restore trust with ad campaign, Portland Press Herald

Eversource names new leader for NH, New Hampshire Union Leader

Editorial/Opinion

Gov. Mills’ solar power policies already paying off, Eagle Times

My Turn: A Granite Bridge to nowhere?, Concord Monitor

If Lamont is serious about climate change he will block Killingly plant, The Day

Local legislators: Coming together for climate action, Portland Press Herald

Here’s some good news on climate change, Kennebec Journal

Maine Compass: Let’s stop CMP’s unpopular corridor project, Kennebec Journal

Reporting on climate change from Cape Cod, where sea levels could put everything at risk, USA Today

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Filed under Climate Change, Energy Efficiency, New England Energy News, Northeast Energy News, nuclear, offshore wind, Pilgrim Closing, solar

Tagged as Central Maine Power, Charlie Baker, Maine, National Grid, natural gas, offshore wind, Weymouth

December 13, 2019 · 11:00 am

Energy News for week ending December 13, 2019

Climate Shocks Fishing Stocks | Arctic Report Card

Happy Friday!

Two fishing industry stories caught our attention this week. HuffPost tells the story of how climate ‘shocks’ have eliminated 16% of New England fishing jobs. The article is based upon research published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on how significant deviations from average temperatures–primarily warmer winters–have reduced fishing jobs from 1996 to 2017.

And climate change is causing chaos in the Bering Sea, home to one of America’s largest fisheries, according to NOAA’s annual Arctic Report Card. Reuters reports that while the changes are widespread in the Arctic, the effect on wildlife is acute in the eastern shelf of the Bering Sea, which yields more than 40% of the annual U.S. fish and shellfish catch.

That’s the recap for this week. More news below!

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

As climate change accelerates, U.S. senators pressure New England’s grid operator to do more to quit carbon-based fuel, Hartford Courant

Arsenic And Diesel As Thick As Peanut Butter: What’s Below The Future Weymouth Compressor?, WBUR

Neighbors want more asbestos testing at Weymouth compressor site, Wicked Local

Brookline’s ban on natural gas connections spurs other municipalities to consider the idea, Boston Globe

Your gas tax will pay for NJ Transit’s $500M shopping list —including electric buses, NJ.com

Natural Gas Boom Fizzles as a U.S. Glut Sinks Profits, New York Times

Oil industry is spending billions on increasing plastics production, TreeHugger

Former Hingham selectman among those arrested at Weymouth compressor site, Wicked Local

The Gas Industry’s Bid To Kill A Town’s Fossil Fuel Ban, HuffPost

Climate Activists Arrested Trying To Block Coal Train From Reaching N.H. Power Plant, New Hampshire Public Radio

New U.S. energy secretary slams NY for blocking gas pipelines, Reuters

Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI

Climate ‘Shocks’ Eliminated 16% Of New England Fishing Jobs, Study Finds, HuffPost

Climate change hitting top U.S. fishery in the Arctic: NOAA, Reuters

Renewable developers raise eyebrows over GMP green energy trading app, VTDigger

UN chief: ‘We are doomed’ without significant action on climate change, The Hill

Activists stormed the State House demanding Charlie Baker take ‘transformational steps to stop the climate crisis now.’, Boston.com

Lawmakers want Massachusetts to be powered with 100% renewable energy by 2045, WWLP

Climate program could be boon for border states, Salem News

Wind

Offshore Wind Task Force Meeting Draws Crowd; Sununu Pushes For Quick Development, New Hampshire Public Radio

Connecticut Selects Vineyard Wind To Redevelop Bridgeport Harbor, Provide Offshore Power, WBUR

Elizabeth Warren Unveils ‘Blue New Deal’ With Support for Offshore Wind, Greentech Media

Talks accelerate on East Hampton cable for offshore wind farm, Newsday

Solar

A Massive – And Controversial – Simsbury Solar Project Is Now Operational, WNPR

Five Maine companies win federal solar grants, Portland Press Herald

New Solar Panel Project in Bloomfield Could Cut Residents’ Energy Costs, NBC Connecticut

Energy Efficiency/Storage

A Peek into the Battery Technology Pipeline, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Worcester receives state energy award, Telegram

One More Time, With Feeling: GE’s Latest Approach to Energy Storage, Greentech Media

Littleton fire chief raises concerns about battery energy-storage facility, New Hampshire Union Leader

Nuclear

Nuclear Power, a Low-Carbon Energy Source, Is Shunned by the West, Wall Street Journal

Cape faces winter without Pilgrim power, Cape Cod Times

Market/Grid/Policy/Prices

MassINC poll: Infrastructure, climate change concerns drive broad support for greener transportation policy, MassLive

Eversource Energy to go ‘carbon-neutral’ by 2030, Connecticut Post

Power supply is adequate for winter, but extreme weather could test limits: ISO, Journal Inquirer

Indigenous activists fight expansion of Canadian hydropower, VTDigger

Maine regulators delay decision on CMP billing case, Portland Press Herald

Jared Golden says he is ‘not sold’ on CMP’s controversial hydropower line, Sun Journal

Legislation to protect electric grid from cyber attacks added to massive defense bill, The Hill

Editorial/Opinion

Clearing the air on green activists’ coal-train protests, Lowell Sun

Energy credits can help fight climate change, Boston Globe

Norm Needleman: CT leaders must explore new forms of energy for greener future, New Canaan Advertiser

Editorial: State made right call on Vineyard Wind, Connecticut Post

Our View: Gov. Mills’ solar power policies already paying off, Portland Press Herald

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Filed under Climate Change, Electric Grid, Energy Efficiency, Natural Gas Pipelines, Renewables

Tagged as climate change, electric rates, energy news, hydro, natural gas, solar, Weymouth

December 6, 2019 · 11:54 am

Energy News for week ending December 6, 2019

Vineyard Wind takes CT | Pressing Threat | Blue Membrane

Happy Friday folks. Let’s get to this week’s energy news.

We begin in Connecticut. From Greentech Media, “Connecticut on Thursday selected Vineyard Wind’s 804-megawatt Park City project as the winner in a major offshore wind solicitation, setting up the seaport city of Bridgeport to become a significant hub for the emerging U.S. market. Connecticut regulators said Vineyard won with a price “lower than any other publicly announced offshore wind project in North America.” The exact price was not disclosed. Vineyard Wind, which competed against rival development groups backed by Ørsted and Shell, will now begin negotiating a final contract with Connecticut’s two electric utilities. The project is due for completion in 2025.”

The next topic – offshore drilling – always takes me by surprise when it’s said in conjunction with the northeast. But it’s a thing now so hopefully those in charge will pay attention to this story from MassLive, “An Environment America report released this week suggests offshore drilling could severely impact communities throughout Massachusetts and other coastal states. The report warned that expansion of offshore drilling, pushed by the Trump administration last year in a plan that is tied up in court, would result in onshore infrastructure that could damage the environment, including pipelines through sensitive coastal habitats and harmful greenhouse gas emissions from oil refineries…The 32-page report highlights how pipelines from offshore rigs to inland processing facilities could increase the chances of oil spills and worsen water quality in estuaries. The report also argues toxic waste brought onshore from drilling operations could pollute land and drinking water. Proponents of offshore drilling say expansion could tap into vast available resources and boost the U.S. economy.”

Speaking of water, our new technology feature this week comes from Science Magazine, “Rivers could generate thousands of nuclear power plants worth of energy, thanks to a new ‘blue’ membrane. Green energy advocates may soon be turning blue. A new membrane could unlock the potential of ‘blue energy,’ which uses chemical differences between fresh- and saltwater to generate electricity. If researchers can scale up the postage stamp–size membrane in an affordable fashion, it could provide carbon-free power to millions of people in coastal nations where freshwater rivers meet the sea…Blue energy’s promise stems from its scale: Rivers dump some 37,000 cubic kilometers of freshwater into the oceans every year. This intersection between fresh- and saltwater creates the potential to generate lots of electricity—2.6 terawatts, according to one recent estimate, roughly the amount that can be generated by 2000 nuclear power plants.”

That’s the recap for this week. Enjoy the stories below and have a great weekend.

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

Offshore drilling ‘creates pressing threat’ to Massachusetts’s environment, residents’ health, report says, MassLive

Maine eyed for project that converts electricity to storable gas, Portland Press Herald

Overpowered: Why a US gas-building spree continues despite electricity glut, S&P Global

Free Legal Aid Offered To Those Affected By Gas Explosions, WGBH

Construction begins on Weymouth compressor station, Boston Globe

Four arrested as protesters block construction crews at Weymouth compressor site, Patriot Ledger

Natural gas companies call for carbon tax, Houston Chronicle

Iroquois Pipeline project to be discussed in Brookfield, Stamford Advocate

National Grid: Pact with state won’t lead to significant hikes over prior rate requests, Newsday

Weston residents testify in support of gas legislation, Wicked Local

Hearing set on proposed Unitil gas service rate hike, Portland Press Herald

Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI

Carbon Dioxide Emissions Hit a Record in 2019, Even as Coal Fades, New York Times

Why Coastal Storms Are A Threat To Tourism, WGBH

Rivers could generate thousands of nuclear power plants worth of energy, thanks to a new ‘blue’ membrane, Science

Is FERC overstepping its authority and hurting renewables? States, power groups question PURPA plan, Utility Dive

As Climate Change Worsens, A Cascade of Tipping Points Looms, Yale Environment 360

5 Things To Know About The East Coast Effort To Curb Transportation Emissions, WBUR

The Next Generation of Children Will Be Affected by Climate Change Before They’re Even Born, Mother Jones

New Hampshire Winters Are Among The Fastest-Warming In The Country, New Hampshire Public Radio

Why clean-energy innovation isn’t enough to tackle climate change, Axios

Scientists have gotten predictions of global warming right since the 1970s, Vox

Wind

Vineyard Wins as Connecticut Chooses 804MW Offshore Wind Project, Greentech Media

A Silver Lining in Vineyard Wind’s Delay?, Greentech Media

New Hampshire governor signs order to prepare for offshore wind development, Portland Press Herald

Nexans Steps into North American Offshore Wind Supply Chain, NRG Wind Project

Wind farm proposals causing concerns for fishing industry, RICentral.com

Solar

‘I’d Tell My Mom to Sign Up.’ Has Community Solar Finally Come of Age?, Greentech Media

Third time’s a charm? New Hampshire legislators work to break impasse on net metering, Utility Dive

No land, no problem. Floating solar panels might be the next big thing., Grist

Solar Industry Girds for New Fight as Trump’s Tariffs Get Review, Bloomberg

U.S. solar industry to lose 62,000 jobs due to Trump tariffs – study, Reuters

Energy Efficiency/Storage

After 2 court losses, DOE signals it will publish 4 appliance efficiency standards, Utility Dive

Landlords must display energy-efficiency grades starting next year, Crain’s New York

Cheap at Last, Batteries Are Making a Solar Dream Come True, Wired

Diamonds in your devices: Powering the next generation of energy storage, Phys.org

FERC Tariff Approvals Open Way for Energy Storage in Wholesale Markets, Microgrid Knowledge

EVs

Pennsylvania Senate Advances Transportation Electrification Bill, Microgrid Knowledge

Electric vehicles to make up 50% of new autos by 2040: Platts Analytics, S&P Global

Nuclear

Public meeting being held on closing of Yankee Nuclear power plant, WCAX3

Plymouth could shoulder sirens from Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, Enterprise

Another Rare M2.1 Earthquake Hits Near Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, Massachusetts, Strange Sounds

Market/Grid/Policy/Prices

New England expected to have adequate electricity this winter, VT Digger (press release)

State nears approval of power line to run through Sudbury, Hudson, Stow, MetroWest Daily News

The Cybersecurity 202: Activist wants court to name and shame electric utilities for violating cybersecurity rules, Washington Post

Connecticut regulators propose restrictions on third-party electricity providers, New Haven Register

The Grid, NPR

CMP parent company fined $450,000 for lapses in reliability standards, Portland Press Herald

The hidden costs of New England’s demand for Canadian hydropower, VTDigger

CMP’s parent forms PAC to argue for bringing Canadian hydropower to New England, Portland Press Herald

State nears approval of power line to run through Sudbury, Hudson, Stow, Wicked Local

Senator Markey Questions Need for East Boston Electrical Substation, Calls on State Officials to Reopen Decision to Allow Construction of Project, US Senate

Energy paradigm shift to pressure prices in 2020, next decade, Bloomberg

Editorial/Opinion

Democratize access to clean energy, CommonWealth Magazine

How Brookline’s Ban On Gas Heating Could Seed Regional Change, WBUR

The False Promise of Natural Gas, New England Journal of Medicine

Electric consumers shouldn’t have to pay for the expansion of electric vehicles, NJ.com

If we don’t take action on climate change today, there may be no tomorrow, Washington Post

Commentary: Carbon tax best way to cut gas emissions, Times Union

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Filed under Climate Change, Electric Grid, Energy Efficiency, New England Energy News, Northeast Energy News, offshore wind, Pilgrim Closing, solar

Tagged as Central Maine Power, climate change, Connecticut, offshore drilling, Vineyard Wind, Weymouth

November 22, 2019 · 2:29 pm

Energy News for week ending November 22, 2019

Fossil Ban | November 26 Deadline | Humble Chairlift

It’s Friday so let’s get to the news.

There were several town meetings in Massachusetts this week during which residents could vote on energy-related measures. Perhaps the most interesting took place in Brookline. From the Boston Globe, “Seeking to reduce a major source of carbon emissions, Brookline residents have voted to ban the installation of oil and gas pipes in new buildings as well as in extensive renovations of existing buildings — the first such prohibition in Massachusetts. The controversial bylaw would require homeowners and developers to install heat, hot water, and appliances that use electricity. Only three of more than 200 Town Meeting members voted against the measure Wednesday…The new bylaw, which must still be approved by the state attorney general’s office, is part of a growing movement around the country to curb the use of fossil fuels in buildings. It was modeled after similar measures adopted in communities throughout California.” Speaking of California, Bloomberg reports, “Restaurateurs have a message for local governments banning the use of natural gas in new homes and businesses: Say goodbye to good food. The California Restaurant Association is warning that the flame-seared meat and charred vegetables that foodies have grown so accustomed to ordering will become a thing of the past in Berkeley, California, which in July became the first city in America to end new gas hook-ups in an effort to curb global-warming emissions. The group is suing the city in federal court.”

We’re going to stick with gas and turn our sights to New York, where a November 26th deadline is looming for National Grid. From Politico, “As winter sets in, state officials are turning up the heat on National Grid to find solutions to its moratorium on new natural gas service. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has threatened to start a legal process to revoke the utility’s license — a negotiating tactic he’s used before, with some results — and Attorney General Tish James is gathering customer complaints in an ongoing investigation. A standoff over a controversial pipeline that Grid says is needed to meet demand continues, but the utility is expected to propose alternatives next week and offer a public defense of its actions.”

For this week’s energy innovation we bring you a story from Grist, “How the humble chairlift could revolutionize renewable energy. What do you see when you imagine a zero-carbon future? Electric buses zipping by? Rolling hills covered with solar panels? Offshore wind farms towering over the sea? If batteries are part of your vision, good thinking. But there’s a promising, if whimsical, piece of the renewable energy puzzle that might be missing from your mental picture: the world of gravity energy storage…Generating electricity using gravity is hardly a new concept…A “pumped-storage” hydroelectric plant draws excess energy from the grid and uses it to pump water back up into an elevated reservoir where it can fall again…But who needs water when there are all kinds of things we can slide down a mountain or drop off a cliff? Really, you can use almost any material for gravity energy storage, as long as it’s heavy, cheap, and you can figure out how to transport it up and down a steep slope…‘Mountain Gravity Energy Storage…involves a ski-lift-style cable that carries huge bins of sand up and down a mountain. The sand gets stored in an enormous vessel at the top, and when the grid needs extra energy, it’s sent down the mountain, pulled by the force of gravity, thereby powering an electric generator. Depending on the amount of sand, the height of the mountain, and the speed of the fall, the authors estimate that it can generate electricity for anywhere from five to 555 days.” Do check out this story. It has some very interesting videos and graphics.

That’s the recap for this week. Enjoy the Thanksgiving Holiday. We’ll be back in your inboxes in two weeks on December 6^th.

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

Pressure mounts on National Grid for alternatives to moratorium, Politico

America’s war over natural gas hits home in New York, Axios

Gas projects galore at FERC, Politico

U.S. senators call for 11th-hour review of compressor station proposal, Patriot Ledger

The Keystone Pipeline oil leak is almost 10 times worse than initially thought, CNN

Columbia Gas hit on lack of information, Eagle Tribune

New York’s last coal plant expected online through winter, says NYISO, despite shutdown plans, Utility Dive

Should Cities Phase Out Gas Appliances and Require New Buildings to Be All Electric?, Wall St. Journal

California Restaurants Warn Natural-Gas Ban Takes Seared Steak Off the Table, Bloomberg

In a first for Massachusetts, Brookline votes to ban oil and gas pipes in new buildings, Boston Globe

Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI

Sanders, Warren join fellow senators in urging New England to speed clean energy transition, Utility Dive

More claims of greenwashing at major US electric utilities, PV Magazine

How the humble chairlift could revolutionize renewable energy, Grist

What it takes to be carbon neutral — for a family, a city, a country, Washington Post

Homes to Sell Renewable Energy to Businesses in Vermont’s First of a Kind Local Energy Marketplace, Microgrid Knowledge

Amherst Town Council all in on climate goals, Daily Hampshire Gazette

As Climate Risk Grows, Cities Test a Tough Strategy: Saying ‘No’ to Developers, New York Times

‘Climate emergency’ is Oxford dictionary’s Word of the Year 2019, BBC

Warming waters spell more bad news for New England shrimp, Boston Herald

Worcester’s Petty, other mayors push state to go 100% renewable, Telegram

Scientists meeting in Portland say right whales on the way to extinction, Portland Press Herald

Cap and Trade Is Supposed to Solve Climate Change, but Oil and Gas Company Emissions Are Up, ProPublica

Portland councilors to consider student-led ‘climate emergency’ resolution, Portland Press Herald

Poll Finds Massachusetts Residents See Climate Change As A Real Worry, WAMC

Climate change challenging Massachusetts oyster fishery, Daily Hampshire Gazette

CT lawmakers earn high marks for environmental efforts, Connecticut Post

Scientists discuss climate change impacts on R.I. natural environment, Westerly Sun

Lawmakers, Criticizing Wolf’s Executive Order On Joining Cap-And-Trade Program, Say It’s Their Call, WESA (PA)

NYC pension leader targets three utilities over emissions plans, Reuters

NYC clean energy advocates push for competitive RFP for new renewable development, Solar Power World

Ashland Town Meeting commits to being net-zero by 2040 to combat climate change, MetroWest Daily News

Democrats move to take 100% clean energy push national with new bill, Utility Dive

Wind

Anbaric Files Application For Offshore Transmission Network, WBUR

Top climate hawk bashes first big offshore wind project, E&E News

Vineyard Wind CEO sees both New London and Bridgeport as viable wind hubs, The Day

Wind Speeds Are Increasing Worldwide in Boost for Renewables, Bloomberg

Wind farm developers revise spacing of turbines off R.I. coast, Southcoasttoday.com

Many fishermen aren’t on board with wind industry’s new plan, Boston Globe

RI official applauds wind farm layout announcement, CommonWealth Magazine

Weighing the cost off offshore wind, WNYT

A Hush-Hush Wind Powwow, The East Hampton Star

New Jersey More Than Doubles Offshore Wind Target to 7.5GW, Greentech Media

Can America’s First Floating Wind Farm Help Open Deeper Water to Clean Energy?, Inside Climate News

Solar

National Grid: 300MW of Halted Solar Can Move Forward With ‘No Cost,’ Greentech Media

Company backed by Bill Gates claims solar breakthrough, looks to replace fossil fuels in industrial plants, Geekwire

Aldermen allow solar project at Manchester landfill for 5% cut, New Hampshire Union Leader

Two years after turning it down, Merrimack to reconsider solar tax exemptions, New Hampshire Union Leader

Bangor proposes installing solar array near airport, WABI

Fast Times for the US Residential Solar Market, Greentech Media

Energy Efficiency/Storage

Utility-scale storage critical to achieving Massachusetts carbon goals: UMass study, Utility Dive

How to Ensure Energy Storage Policies Are Equitable, Union of Concerned Scientists

New device can capture, store energy from the sun, UPI.com

Report by Brattle Economists Evaluates Effectiveness of Energy Efficiency Administrator Models, (Press Release) PR Newswire

Efficiency to meet peak demand? New study considers potential beyond energy savings,Utility Dive

EVs/Alt Transportation

Ford Unveils Electric Mustang SUV to Challenge Tesla Dominance, Bloomberg

Future BMW electric cars will be powered by cow poop, CNET

Electric trucks may be the future, but waste and recycling market still charging up, Utility Dive

MIT Study: Energy-Efficient Cars, Public Transportation Are Best Options For Traffic And The Planet, WBUR

Rooftop solar panels charge your car while you’re driving, The Hill

Nuclear

Should the Government Subsidize Nuclear Power? Advocates Square Off, Wall Street Journal

How Well Do You Know Nuclear Power? Take Our Quiz., Wall Street Journal

Market/Grid/Policy/Prices

PJM, NYISO and ISO-NE pay $1.4B annually for excess capacity: Report, Utility Dive

National Grid’s push to clear-cut trees opposed, Salem News

Invenergy declines to appeal. Their proposed power plant is dead., Uprise RI

NSP working to dispel misinformation about smart meters as installation gets underway, Cape Breton Post (Nova Scotia)

New Report Shows Homes Will Be Utility “Grid,” Code Watcher

State fires National Grid auditor over alleged report irregularities, Newsday.com

Will New Jersey Lawmakers Step up for Microgrids before the Next Disaster?, Microgrid Knowledge

Leading environmental group denounces de Blasio’s Canadian power line, Crains NY

Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren Demand Changes at Grid Operator ISO New England, Greentech Media

Senate Committee Approves $250 Million to Fund the Electric Grid Security, Nextgov

1st Circ. Won’t Re-Hear $3B Utilities Price-Fixing Row, Law360

National Grid Looks to AI to Prevent Damage to Its Gas Pipelines, Wall Street Journal

National Grid fallout hits other utilities, Crain’s New York

Read complete coverage of our investigation into CMP billing problems, Portland Press Herald

Two rural electric co-ops seek rate increases, VTDigger

Community Choice Aggregators on the Rise as an Alternative Electricity Provider, National Law Review

Editorial/Opinion

Lamont’s Executive Order 3 on climate change is too little, too late, Connecticut Mirror

Commentary: Gas pipeline embargo stifles growth, hurts New Yorkers, Times Union

Utilities — Like Eversource And National Grid — Are Weak Links In Climate Defense, WGBH

Building a wind industry across Connecticut, The Day

Climate change and dark money, Boston Globe

Impact of offshore wind on fisheries unknown, Cape Cod Times

Commentary: Offshore wind farm projects would destroy ocean views, Delaware State News

Cross Sound Ferry flips out over wind assembly plans, The Day via National Wind Watch

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

Tagged as Anbaric, climate change, electric vehicles, ISO New England, National Grid, New York, Rhode Island, Spectra, Weymouth

November 15, 2019 · 1:30 pm

Energy News for week ending November 15, 2019

Climate Solutions | Bamboo

Happy Friday afternoon.

We start this week with three stories about climate change solutions. There are plenty of bad climate news articles below, so let’s focus on the positive:

How to Cut U.S. Carbon Pollution by Nearly 40 Percent in 10 Years, The Atlantic

Group offers cool ideas for a hotter Boston in coming decades, Boston Globe

Taking a Different Approach to Fighting Climate Change, New York Times

Our new “tech” feature for this week comes from Phys.org, “Visualizing heat flow in bamboo could help design more energy-efficient and fire-safe buildings. Modified natural materials will be an essential component of a sustainable future, but first a detailed understanding of their properties is needed. The way heat flows across bamboo cell walls has been mapped using advanced scanning thermal microscopy, providing a new understanding of how variations in thermal conductivity are linked to the bamboo’s elegant structure. The findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, will guide the development of more energy-efficient and fire-safe buildings, made from natural materials, in the future. The building sector currently accounts for 30-40% of all carbon emissions, due to both the energy-intensive production of the materials (predominantly steel and concrete), and the energy used in heating and cooling the finished buildings. As the global population grows and becomes increasingly based in towns and cities, traditional building approaches are becoming unsustainable. Renewable, plant-based materials such as bamboo have huge potential for sustainable and energy-efficient buildings. Their use would dramatically reduce emissions compared to traditional materials, helping to mitigate the human impact on climate change. This approach would also help keep carbon out of the atmosphere by diverting timber away from being burnt as fuel.”

Those are the highlights for this week. Enjoy the news below and have a great weekend.

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

Local lawmakers press for tougher gas safety rules, Salem News

Cuomo Threatens National Grid: Provide Gas or Lose Your License, New York Times

National Grid to truck natgas to meet winter demand in New England/New York, CNBC

National Grid Says It Will Meet Timeline, CBS Boston / WBZ

Newport gas outage report leads to amended lawsuits, NewportRI.com

Hedlund says compressor may not be needed, calls for review, Patriot Ledger

Weymouth Compressor Station Passes Final State Regulatory Hurdle, WBUR

Senator Markey Statement on Weymouth Compressor Station Final Approval: We Will Not Stop Fighting, US Senate

AP Exclusive: FBI eyes how Pennsylvania approved pipeline, AP News

Fearing for Its Future, a Big Utility Pushes ‘Renewable Gas,’ Urges Cities to Reject Electrification, Inside Climate News

High School Seniors Put Out 1st Documentary On Merrimack Valley Gas Explosions, WBUR

Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI

Why some hydropower plants are worse for the climate than coal, Grist

5 Global Trends Shaping Our Climate Future, New York Times

Climate change could end mortgages as we know them, CBS News

Taking a Different Approach to Fighting Climate Change, New York Times

Group offers cool ideas for a hotter Boston in coming decades, Boston Globe

Shell New Energies EVP: Hydrogen Subsidies Will Pay Off, Just Like They Did for Solar, Greentech Media

How to Cut U.S. Carbon Pollution by Nearly 40 Percent in 10 Years, The Atlantic

Climate change will fundamentally shape the lives of children born in 2019, Fast Company

Renewable ‘blueprint’ for city seen as statewide model, Cranston Herald

Federal Reserve Leaves Action on Climate Change to Politicians, Bloomberg

Why the Fed, Long Reticent, Has Started to Talk About Climate Change, New York Times

Maine’s Shrimp Crisis Reveals A Big Climate Change Problem We’re Not Talking About, HuffPost

Does climate change mean the end of wine?, Quartz

Wind

Associated Industries of Mass. joins the effort to save Vineyard Wind, Boston Globe

State board to hear application for wind farm at Lowville, Rome (NY) Sentinel

With wind turbine decision under appeal, developer turns to solar on Pacheco property, Valley Breeze (RI)

No Consensus on How to Bring Offshore Wind Power Ashore in NJ, NJSpotlight.com

Siting Board Approves Lewis County Wind Farm: 105.8 MW Clean Energy Facility Forecasted to Bring Over $44.2 Million to Local Economy, (NY) Electric Energy Online

Upgrading lakeshore wind turbines will cost $21.3 million, National Wind Watch

Falmouth town meeting approves $2.5M to dismantle wind turbines, Cape Cod Times

Wind turbines off Ocean City would be 200 feet taller than planned, prompting regulators to reopen debate, Baltimore Sun

Offshore wind port facility could be ‘major opportunity’ for Staten Island, SILive

Solar

Giant solar grid completed in New York, Engineer Live

U.S. Solar Companies Are Stockpiling a Massive Amount of Panels, Bloomberg

Solar coalition asks Long Island Power Authority to preserve community solar incentives, Solar Power World

Solar Developers Smell Trouble on Long Island as Offshore Wind Arrives, Greentech Media

Solar growth pushes Peck Company to large revenue increase, VTDigger

R.I. celebrates start of largest ‘community solar’ project, in North Smithfield, Providence Journal

Perovskite solar cells: Possible aspects of high efficiency uncovered, Phys.org

Energy Efficiency/Storage

How do efficiency programs serve low-income communities? New study takes a look., ACEEE

To meet renewable energy goals, Maine must take charge on big battery incentives, Portland Press Herald

Visualizing heat flow in bamboo could help design more energy-efficient and fire-safe buildings, Phys.org

Philanthropic Project Promotes Use Of Existing Energy Efficiency Programs, WAMC

Profiles in Connecticut innovation: High-energy Cadenza makes power storage more efficient, Hartford Courant

Building a Lithium-Ion Battery That Won’t Explode, Bloomberg

EVs

Will Your EV Keep the Lights On When the Grid Goes Down?, Greentech Media

U.S. Electric Bus Demand Outpaces Production as Cities Add to Their Fleets, Inside Climate News

Nuclear

Lessons from the cyberattack on India’s largest nuclear power plant, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

How Nuclear Power Will Impact NJ’s Clean Energy Future, NJ Spotlight

Nuclear a viable part of global energy transition says S&P report, Power Engineering

NRC explores streamlined environmental reviews to accelerate advanced reactor approvals, Utility Dive

Market/Grid/Policy/Prices

NERC’s simulated grid attack leaves thousands of New York customers in hypothetical darkness, Utility Dive

Massachusetts energy commissioner Judith Judson stepping down, MassLive

Regulators approve dramatic rate cut for Emera Maine customers, Bangor Daily News

In net metering talks, state ideals clash with ratepayer realities, VTDigger

The world’s energy report card just came out. We failed 3 subjects., Grist

Eversource earns $319 million, The Telegraph

Electricity will get cheaper for most Mainers, but CMP rate hike could cut into savings, Portland Press Herald

So. Maine lawmakers look to tackle energy, climate change, Seacoastonline.com

National Grid pushed officials to write letters for pipeline, Times Union

Heating costs expected to rise, Eagle-Tribune

Editorial/Opinion

Next steps on offshore wind, CommonWealth Magazine

Rethinking Future Investments in Natural Gas Infrastructure, Greentech Media

How To Reach U.S. Net Zero Emissions By 2050: Decarbonizing Electricity, Forbes

Our view: Move swiftly to address natural gas network, Salem News

Our view: All of this for a clothesline?, Salem News

More steps needed to ensure gas system’s safety, Haverhill Gazette

Letter: Let’s take action against oil companies, Concord Monitor

New York’s reckless gamble on offshore wind power, Crain’s New York

Mindy Messmer: Governor, join other states’ climate-change lawsuit, Conway Daily Sun

Winds of change coming to Connecticut, Connecticut Mirror

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

Tagged as Central Maine Power, climate change, EnBridge, energy efficiency, Maine, National Grid, natural gas, Rhode Island, Weymouth

November 1, 2019 · 11:18 am

Energy News for week ending November 1, 2019

Mayflower Wind Sails Forth | Share the Benefits | Cranberries, Seaweed, Fusion, and Poltergeist

Happy Friday! We hope you all were the beneficiaries of treats last night and avoided the tricks.

Mayflower Wind received a special treat this week – the opportunity to enter contract negotiations with the utilities. From South Coast Today, “Mayflower Wind Energy has won the bidding war for Massachusetts’ second offshore wind contract. The state’s electric companies selected the lowest-cost of Mayflower’s four bids, rather than ones designed to invest in port infrastructure or build a new manufacturing facility. ‘When it was balanced on whole, this was the one that was most competitive on price and economic development,’ state energy commissioner Judith Judson told reporters on a press call Wednesday. ‘Mayflower’s package for all their bids included significant economic development.’ Mayflower beat Bay State Wind and Vineyard Wind, both of which also submitted multiple bids with different selling points…Mayflower’s winning bid calls for 804 megawatts of generation capacity. Together with last year’s winning bid by Vineyard Wind for 800 megawatts, the state has fulfilled its procurement obligation under the 2016 law. The companies have not yet signed contracts with Mayflower. Wednesday’s announcement begins the negotiation phase. The bid schedule calls for contracts to be executed by Dec. 13 and sent to the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities for approval.”

In other news this week, nearly 30 communities are asking for a more equitable share of solar benefits. From the State House News Service via MassLive, “Saying that ‘significant portions’ of their communities have not shared the benefits of solar and other clean energy programs, municipal officials from 27 communities are asking Gov. Charlie Baker and lawmakers to help meet the needs of their constituents. The 40 officials wrote a letter on Wednesday to Baker, House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Karen Spilka, flagging actions the Beacon Hill leaders can take to address their concerns. The letter said that less than 3% of projects under the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target program qualify as low-income, while the statewide poverty rate exceeds 10 percent…They asked lawmakers to hold a hearing this session ‘on why solar programs are failing’ low- and moderate-income populations, and to ‘actively support and work to pass’ three bills, including a House and Senate measure relative to solar power in environmental justice and urban communities, a House bill to remove barriers to solar for low-income communities and a Senate bill ensuring access to solar energy for all communities.”

Here are four other articles we found interesting this week – one of which is scary and reminds of us of a scene from Poltergeist.

Joining other farmers across the country — Massachusetts Cranberry Farmers Want To Build Solar Panels Over Their Bogs, CBS Boston / WBZ
Add this to the list of potential Blue Economy businesses — Could a Seaweed Diet for Cows Combat Climate Change, Maine Researchers Want to Know, NECN
Check out the cool images and videos of this giant facility — Chasing Unlimited Energy With the World’s Largest Fusion Reactor, Bloomberg
This is really sad and scary and we’re not making light of it at all — Even the Dead Cannot Escape Climate Change, Scientific American. Sigh.

Enjoy the rest of the news below and have a fabulous weekend.

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

Residents’ group to challenge compressor station permits, Patriot Ledger

NY governor moves closer to stripping National Grid of license with new demand, S&P Global

Regulators: Utilities, not customers, should pay for gas outage on Aquidneck Island, Providence Journal

Climate change v. Killingly gas power plant. And the winner is …, Connecticut Mirror

US State Department oil pipeline review doesn’t ease worries, Connecticut Post

Rhode Island releases report on winter natural gas outage, Connecticut Post

National Grid Gas Nightmare: $92 Million Redevelopment Held Up In Nassau County, CBS Local

MAPC hires firm to review Weymouth compressor project’s impacts, Wicked Local

DPU launches two investigations into Columbia Gas, Salem News

Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI

Younger Americans are willing to pay twice as much as their parents for clean energy, Quartz

Rising Seas Will Erase More Cities by 2050, New Research Shows, New York Times

Could a Seaweed Diet for Cows Combat Climate Change, Maine Researchers Want to Know, NECN

Rex Tillerson says Exxon had no incentive to downplay costs, testifying in climate change fraud trial, CNBC

Vanguard Renewables and Vermont Gas win American Biogas Council 2019 up-and-coming biogas project for Salisbury, Vermont Anaerobic Digester project, VTDigger

Even the Dead Cannot Escape Climate Change, Scientific American

Philadelphia Tackles Climate Change through Partnerships, Microgrid Knowledge

Wind

Mass. picks lowest-price offshore wind option, CommonWealth Magazine

Shell and EDPR Win Massachusetts’ Second Offshore Wind Tender, Greentech Media

New Developer Enters Race for Offshore Wind, Vineyard Gazette

Mayflower Wind wins Massachusetts’ second offshore wind contract, South Coast Today

Funding sought to dismantle, store Falmouth turbines, Cape Cod Times

Chances fade for next US wind lease sale off New York in 2020, Recharge News via NASDAQ

New York’s Offshore Wind Bid Winners Sign OREC Deals, Offshorewind.biz

Troubles lurk for America’s emerging offshore wind boom, Axios

PSEG in talks to acquire 25% of Ørsted’s 1,100 MW New Jersey offshore wind project, Utility Dive

Offshore wind farm raises economic, environmental issues, Cape Gazette (Delaware)

US wind energy capacity is now more than 100 gigawatts, according to new report, CNBC

Competition makes UMaine think bigger about its offshore wind project, Portland Press Herald

Offshore Wind Energy Could Generate Enough Electricity to Power the World. Will the U.S. Get on Board?, Rolling Stone

Pascrell in Bipartisan Move to Keep Lucrative Tax Credits for Offshore Wind Industry, NJ Spotlight

Solar

Massachusetts Cranberry Farmers Want To Build Solar Panels Over Their Bogs, CBS Boston / WBZ

Massachusetts communities press Gov. Baker to make bigger share of solar, clean energy programs available to low income and working class families, MassLive

ReVision Energy wins clean energy honor, Portland Press Herald

West Hartford mayor flips switch on solar array on top of town hall, Hartford Courant

This New York town partnered with CleanChoice Energy to provide community solar to its residents, Solar Builder

U.S. Light Energy breaks ground on another New York community solar project, Solar Power World

Energy Efficiency/Storage

Time running out for energy efficiency, other tax credit extensions as next spending deadline nears, Utility Dive

Top 5 Energy Storage Trends of the Year, Power Magazine

VEC, partners, celebrate success of the co-op’s first utility-scale battery system, VTDigger

EVs

It Wouldn’t Take a Lot of Electric Vehicles to Shift Residential Peak Demand: Study, Microgrid Knowledge

Nuclear

Real-time monitors sought for Seabrook power plant, Seacoastonline.com

Decommissioning Test: NorthStar Uses Vermont Yankee As Launch Pad For Other Power Plant Jobs, VPR

Nuclear Fusion: Still Frustratingly Far Off Despite Recent Signs of Momentum, Greentech Media

Chasing Unlimited Energy With the World’s Largest Fusion Reactor, Bloomberg

Market/Grid/Policy/Prices

11 attorneys general urge FERC to respect state energy rights, Utility Dive

NYISO to study climate change impact on 100% renewable energy system, S&P Global

Details emerge about DOE ‘super‑grid’ renewable study, E&E News

Google: Coming Soon to an RTO Near You?, Greentech Media

Community Power law could provide potential savings to NH residents, Monadnock Ledger-Transcript

New PURA leader Gillett reckons with CT’s energy prices | Hartford Business Journal, Hartford Business

Woolwich voters to decide whether to withdraw town’s support for CMP corridor, Portland Press Herald

Utility shut-offs in Connecticut have more than doubled. Advocates say low-income families are being kept in the dark about how to prevent them, Hartford Courant

Officials call for investigation of Eversource, PURA to hold hearing on energy affordability, WTNH

National Grid: Gas customers to see lower bills this winter, WPRI 12

Editorial/Opinion

Maine Voices: Western Maine power line needed to fight climate change, Portland Press Herald

The climate change shakedown, Boston Globe

Why isn’t Connecticut prioritizing renewable energy solutions?, Hartford Courant

Spending on efficiency cheaper than making energy, Press of Atlantic City

Making Martha’s Vineyard 100 percent renewable, MV Times

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

Tagged as climate change, Columbia Gas of MA, Mayflower Wind, natural gas, offshore wind, Spectra, Vermont Yankee, Weymouth

October 25, 2019 · 12:51 pm

Energy News for week ending October 25, 2019

A Whole New Industry | Cash for Carbon | The Sounds of Climate Change

Good afternoon. It’s Friday, so let’s get to this week’s energy news.

We start with a story from New Hampshire Public Radio, “’A Whole New Industry’: N.H. To Work With Neighboring States On Offshore Wind in Gulf of Maine. New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts will work together on large-scale offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine…Taylor Caswell, commissioner of the state’s Department of Business and Economic Affairs, said at the meeting that he thinks Northern New England could add tens of thousands of jobs building these offshore turbine farms, and the transmission infrastructure to bring their power on-shore. ‘This is not just a project. This is not just an individual, “we’re going to find a site and put a couple of turbines up,”’ Caswell says. ‘This is the establishment of, really, a whole new industry.’ The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management plans to hold the first meeting of a three-state task force on the issue in mid-December. The New England group is the third regionalized wind group BOEM has formed, after ones in the New York area and the Carolinas. The group’s first job would be to help choose specific areas for offshore wind leasing in the federal waters of the Gulf of Maine – likely at least 30 miles out to sea.”

Next up is a story from the New York Times, “Cash for Carbon: Schumer Climate Plan Would Help Consumers Buy Electric Cars. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, is preparing a $450 billion climate change initiative that aims to replace about a fifth of the nation’s traditional gasoline-powered vehicles with hybrid, electric or hydrogen fuel-cell cars and trucks in the next 10 years…Mr. Schumer’s new plan…is specific and is aimed at rapidly replacing 63 million of the 270 million cars on American roads with zero-emissions or near-zero-emissions vehicles. If enacted, it would take a significant slice out of carbon dioxide pollution from automobiles, America’s largest producer of planet-warming emissions…The bill would also include $45 billion to help cities and states install electric vehicle charging stations, and $17 billion to help automakers build or retool factories to manufacture hybrid, electric and hydrogen vehicles.”

The last highlight story for this week comes from National Geographic, “Hear the sounds of climate change—with earthquake monitors. Seismometers on the West Coast can hear the ocean bouncing off the seafloor as it is disturbed by a hurricane approaching the East Coast, with more intense tropical cyclones producing louder seismic roars. They can also hear the cracking of ice when temperatures fluctuate, the recoil of an ice sheet as part of it breaks free, and the explosive growth of icy crevasses. Tropical cyclones will likely get more intense, and the Earth’s ice will increasingly disintegrate as the planet warms. In recent decades, the potential for seismometers to track the consequences of climate change has become increasingly evident. Scientists are still trying to understand the crucial nuances of each seismic signal, sometimes turning to small-scale recreations of the natural world in the lab to try to pry out the causes of separate seismic sonatas. But as seismometers continue to increase in sensitivity and decrease in cost, says Bohon, the nascent field of environmental seismology will continue to bear fruit.”

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

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

Cuomo threatens to pull plug on National Grid as he rails against utility company’s power, NY Daily News

‘Weak Engineering Management’ Probable Cause Of Columbia Gas Explosions, NTSB Says, CBS Boston / WBZ

Weymouth compressor foes vow to continue fight, Wicked Local

Weymouth council candidates vow to fight compressor statoin, Wicked Local

More delays, cost increases for two East Coast natural gas pipelines, IEEFA

Williams CEO Says Its Gas Pipe Can Help Cuomo’s N.Y. Green Goals, Bloomberg

Planned natural gas release angers compressor station opponents, Patriot Ledger

Oil company looks to lure customers burned by National Grid, Crain’s New York

Report details how ExxonMobil and fossil fuel firms sowed seeds of doubt on climate change, Los Angeles Times

Oil Companies Rejected by Supreme Court on Climate Change Suits, Bloomberg

Smith College pulls out of fossil fuel investments; but activists say college moving too slow, MassLive

Renewables/Climate Change/RGGI

Healey sues ExxonMobil, alleges climate change deception, CommonWealth Magazine

NH Senate Democrats Unveil Energy Reform & Climate Action Package for 2020, NL Labor News

Hear the sounds of climate change—with earthquake monitors, National Geographic

Melting sea ice is ‘Atlantifying’ the Arctic, E&E News

Manure, trash and wastewater: U.S. utilities get dirty in climate fight, Reuters

Mysterious Lobster Deaths In Cape Cod Raise Climate Change Concern, WGBH

Air pollution is getting worse, and data show more people are dying, Washington Post

Headcount surges at state’s clean energy companies, Boston Business Journal (subscriber content)

Are Wildfires Caused by Utilities or Climate Change? Yes, New York Times

U.S. Military Could Collapse Within 20 Years Due to Climate Change, Report Commissioned By Pentagon Says, VICE

The cost of climate change: Trial to decide whether ExxonMobil was honest with investors, CNN

Climate change proves to be hot topic in Franklin, MetroWest Daily News

Wind

‘A Whole New Industry’: N.H. To Work With Neighboring States On Offshore Wind in Gulf of Maine, NHPR

Small Adjustments to Wind Turbines Can Reduce Impacts on Birds, New Study Finds, Yale Environment 360

Global offshore wind prices drop 32%: BloombergNEF, Utility Dive

Two Months Later, Vineyard Wind’s Delay Still Clouds US Offshore Picture, Greentech Media

Massachusetts Maritime Academy launches nation’s first offshore wind crew training facility, MassLive

Energy Dept. Funds Variety Of Wind R&D Projects, NRG Wind Project

Rep Haddad: State may need offshore wind tax credit, Southcoasttoday.com

Straus proposes state office to study fisheries and offshore wind, Southcoasttoday.com

Lobstermen’s association director takes wind farm job, Martha’s Vineyard Times

Solar

Report: Solar, wind power to hike renewable energy capacity by 2024, UPI.com

Local legislators visit UMass solar energy farm, WWLP

Company files first application for Fitzwilliam solar project, Keene Sentinel

Energy Efficiency/Storage

UNH and Eversource partner up to save energy on flagship campus, New Hampshire Union Leader

Green networks: Incorporating energy efficiency into 5G, The Hill

Ormat Announces Commercial Operation of Hinesburg Battery Energy Storage System, Under an Agreement With Vermont Electric Cooperative, Business Insider

New York Approves 316MW Battery Plant for Peak Power, First of Its Kind in Region, Greentech Media

EVs

How close is Massachusetts to electric public buses? Mass. lawmakers pushing for zero-emission vehicles by 2038, MassLive

Connecticut issues draft roadmap for widespread electric vehicle adoption, S&P Global

Gov. Mills Announcing Grants For More Car-Charging Stations, Maine Public

Cash for Carbon: Schumer Climate Plan Would Help Consumers Buy Electric Cars, New York Times

Why quiet cars are getting louder, Boston Business Journal (subscriber content)

Nuclear

NorthStar: Vermont Yankee demolition ahead of schedule, Brattleboro Reformer

State: Yankee site shows little contamination, Bennington Banner

Closing Old NJ Nuclear Power Plant Has Allowed Population of Tiny, Stinging Jellyfish to Thrive — And Multiply, NBC New York

Market/Grid/Policy/Prices

New EPA chief in New England barred from many decisions because of conflicts, Boston Globe

Report: CMP parent company in merger talks worth $67 billion, Portland Press Herald

National Grid’s Venture Capital Arm Closes 3 More Investments, Greentech Media

Imagine the US was just hit with a cyberattack. What happens next?, MIT Technology Review

Whoops! Computer glitch informs some Maine customers that power will be restored in 2068, Connecticut Post

CMP Forms PAC To Fight Potential Referendum On Western Maine Transmission Project, Maine Public

National Grid investment arm doubles-down on AI capabilities, but cultural change remains key, Utility Dive

Merger talks spell uncertain future for CMP customers, Times Record

Editorial/Opinion

Longmeadow resident concerned on placement of gas metering station (Letters), MassLive

Sports Are Feeling the Heat From Climate Change, Bloomberg

How NASA could help stop climate change with solar satellites, Washington Post

Climate Change Will Cost Us Even More Than We Think, New York Times

Decarbonizing economy requires lot more electricity, CommonWealth Magazine

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

Tagged as Central Maine Power, climate change, Columbia Gas of MA, EnBridge, EVs, National Grid, Vermont Yankee, Weymouth

September 27, 2019 · 4:15 pm

Energy News for week ending September 27, 2019

Returning Home | Brookline Ban | Solar and Farms

Happy Friday afternoon everyone.

After this morning’s scare, there is good news out of Lawrence. From the Eagle Tribune, “At a press conference just before 2 p.m. Friday, Mayor Daniel Rivera said most residents evacuated due to a natural gas leak in a South Lawrence neighborhood earlier in the day will be able to return to their homes starting at 3 p.m… They were taken to the shelter by buses earlier in the day. Rivera, other city officials and Gov. Charlie Baker said the source of the gas leak has been discovered and is in the process of being repaired. Officials stressed it is safe for residents to return to their homes, except for those who live on South Broadway between Merrimack and Andover streets and on Carver Street. Gas and power to homes not in those specific areas have been turned back on, but will remain shut off in those areas, which are close to the source. Officials said gas and power to those remaining homes will be turned on as soon as it is determined to be safe. More announcements on that situation will be coming today. Rivera said the leak is not related to the larger gas pipe system in the area that was replaced after last year’s disaster. ‘There is no public safety concern,” the mayor said. “This is an isolated incident.’”

Speaking of gas, WBUR reports “Brookline Proposal Would Ban New Natural Gas Connections In Town. Like a growing number of communities across the state and nation, Brookline has set an aggressive goal to eliminate its climate-changing emissions by 2050.Town Meeting member Jesse Gray has proposed a simple but far-reaching bylaw to help Brookline meet that goal: Ban new gas pipelines and infrastructure in future major construction. ‘The most practical and cost effective way to achieve that goal is not to install new fossil fuel system when we’re building new buildings and when we are gut-renovating them,’ Gray said. Brookline will vote on Gray’s proposal during November’s Town Meeting. Gray estimates a ban would cut the town’s climate change emissions 15% over the next 30 years, but it wouldn’t prevent anyone in an existing home from swapping an old gas stove or appliance with a new one.”

On the solar front, we have two stories this week about the opportunity to use farmland for solar. The Wall St. Journal reports that, “U.S. farmers are embracing an alternative means of turning sunlight into revenue during a sharp downturn in crop prices: solar power.” And Scott Merzbach at the Daily Hampshire Gazette writes, “As the state’s Department of Environmental Resources makes a push to expand the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) program and encourage more solar projects to increase the supply of renewable energy, there are questions about whether wooded land, and the carbon sequestration benefits trees offer, will be compromised….Sean Garren of Vote Solar Action Fund, which has advocated for greater use of solar, said cutting down trees, or taking over prime agricultural land, is a valid worry, and should be addressed in any comprehensive plan for addressing climate change…One solution is to continue putting as much solar as possible on marginal lands, he said, as well as on roofs and over parking lots. Already-cleared land should be encouraged for use, he said, as there are opportunities for farmland to share crops and solar installations. ‘Instead of merely penalizing solar on open lands, we should be encouraging the use of solar projects as pasture land, the planting of pollinator-friendly plants under and around solar projects, and the conservation of other lands simultaneously with solar growth,’ Garren said.”

That’s the recap for this week. Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the spectacular weather!

Natural Gas/Oil/Pipeline/Drilling

UPDATE: Most South Lawrence evacuees can return home starting Friday at 3 p.m., Eagle Tribune

Brookline Proposal Would Ban New Natural Gas Connections In Town, WBUR

UPDATE: Columbia Gas ‘unprepared,’ with ‘catastrophic’ results, NTSB reports, Eagle Tribune

Lawyers ask for $24M in fees for Columbia Gas settlement, Boston Business Journal (subscriber content)

National Grid Gas Nightmare: Brooklyn Pretzel Business The Latest Victim Of Utility’s Political Standoff, CBS Boston / WBZ

Columbia Gas to inspect 700 abandoned gas lines in Valley, Andover Townsman

Activist voices shock over proposed Weymouth compressor site, Wicked Local

Weymouth compressor foes unload on soil removal plan, Wicked Local

Doctors’ group says compressor station would be unsafe, Patriot Ledger

NJ’s Decision Deadline on Gas Pipeline Pushed Back a Month, NBC New York