For decades, demand for power from the grid has grown during the afternoon and early evening and then tapered off overnight as people go to sleep. But increasingly, on more and more days, demand for power from the grid is higher at night than it is during the day.
Electricity
Posted inOpinion
We propose new tiered discounts on electricity
IT’S AN UNWELCOME FACT that far too many utility customers across Massachusetts struggle to afford their monthly bills. While utilities, including National Grid, offer discounted rates and other assistance programs, they are often undersubscribed, or the discount simply can’t cover the bills. As Massachusetts begins the much-needed conversation about shoring up our electric system while […]
Posted inOpinion
Avoid beach landings, connect offshore wind at Canal plant
Standing idle more than 98 percent of the year, Canal’s under-utilized interconnection capacity of approximately 1,200 megawatts sits largely untapped.
Posted inEnergy
Retail electricity suppliers accused of greenwashing
Larry Chretien of the Green Energy Consumers Alliance said many of the companies back up their claims of providing 100 percent clean energy by pointing to renewable energy certificates, or RECs, purchased in places like Texas and Iowa, not Massachusetts.
Posted inEnergy
Boston unveils new electricity supply rates
The city of Boston unveiled new, higher rates on Monday for the electricity being offered through its municipal aggregation plan, but the pricing was still below what most other suppliers are charging.
Posted inEnergy
Hydro-Quebec, a key source of power for Mass., outlines decarbonization plan
Hydro-Quebec, which is expected to be a major supplier of renewable energy to Massachusetts, outlines its 2035 decarbonization plan.
Posted inEnvironment
Quebec-New England transmission line gets Biden backing
THE BIDEN ADMINISTATION on Monday pledged financial support for a two-way transmission line capable of carrying hydroelectricity from Quebec into New England and eventually offshore wind and solar power from New England to Quebec. The transmission line, being developed by National Grid and Citizens Energy, was one of three transmission projects receiving a total of […]
Posted inOpinion
Power grid most important piece of climate puzzle
IN FIVE OR SO YEARS, many of you will drive a car that you plug in at night rather than fill at the pump. You’ll keep your homes warm with electric heat pumps instead of oil or gas furnaces. In ten years, most of you will. In fifteen years, almost everyone will. That means that most […]
Posted inEnergy, Environment
Healey announces 3-state offshore wind procurement
NERVOUS ABOUT rising prices for offshore wind power, the states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut are banding together to solicit larger wind farm projects that hopefully will come with lower price tags. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey announced the three-state partnership at an offshore wind conference in Boston Wednesday morning. Individually, the three states were […]
Posted inEnergy
DPU approves termination of SouthCoast wind contract
THE MASSACHUSETTS Department of Public Utilities on Monday gave its blessing to an agreement terminating offshore wind contracts between the state’s three utilities and SouthCoast Wind, even as utilities in Connecticut moved to terminate an offshore wind contract there. The agreement approved by the DPU requires SouthCoast to pay a total of $60 million in […]