SENATE LEADERSHIP unveiled a very prescriptive $250 million climate change bill on Thursday that would direct Gov. Charlie Baker and his successor to boost rebates for zero emission vehicles, allow a small group of municipalities to ban the use of fossil fuel infrastructure in new construction, and set aside $100 million for investments in clean […]
Plugging In
Posted inEnvironment
Grid operator urges slower transition on renewables
THE NEW ENGLAND power grid operator filed a proposal with federal regulators on Monday seeking more time to come up with a system for incorporating clean energy into the region’s electricity markets. The grid operator, known as ISO-New England, asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for permission to put off until 2025 plans to do […]
Posted inOpinion
Van Welie is wrong about natural gas
IN RESPONSE to Russia’s unjust invasion of Ukraine, the European Union announced it will rapidly accelerate its transition from natural gas – much of which it gets from Russia – to renewables. Reuters quotes EU climate policy chief Frans Timmermans saying, “It’s hard, bloody hard. But it’s possible.” What does this have to do with New England? […]
Posted inEnvironment, State House News Service
Offshore wind bill sails through House
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE LEGISLATION THAT lawmakers hope will turbocharge the growing offshore wind industry in Massachusetts and help the state meet its climate commitments easily sailed through the House on Thursday, but Gov. Charlie Baker said he has “a bunch of concerns” with it and expects that it will serve as only a starting […]
Posted inEnvironment
New offshore wind bill drops electric bill charges
HOUSE LEADERS on Tuesday abandoned a proposal to hike electric ratepayer bills as they pulled together the votes needed to pass legislation offering significant financial incentives to the offshore wind industry to put down roots in Massachusetts. “There will be other opportunities to put more money in this. We want to keep the debate about […]
Posted inOpinion
Why we’re still using gas, oil to produce electricity
IN DECEMBER, ISO New England issued its annual winter outlook and warned of the precarious state the region’s power system would be in if a prolonged, severe cold snap developed and our energy supply chain was disrupted. New England has well-documented natural gas pipeline constraints, while transported fuels used by generators, such as liquefied natural […]
Posted inEnvironment
Healey again rejects Brookline anti-fossil fuel bylaws
FOR THE SECOND TIME in less than two years, Attorney General Maura Healey on Friday rejected bylaws approved by the town of Brookline placing restrictions or prohibitions on buildings incorporating fossil fuel infrastructure. As she did in 2020, Healey went out of her way to say she agreed with the intent of the proposed bylaws […]
Posted inEnvironment
Two soundings from Somerset
IT WAS FITTING that Rep. Patricia Haddad would take a bow at a gathering on Thursday in Somerset celebrating the purchase of 47 acres at Brayton Point by an Italian company seeking to sell subsea cable to the East Coast’s emerging offshore wind industry. Haddad, after all, got the ball rolling on offshore wind in […]
Posted inUncategorized
A downpayment on Somerset’s offshore wind dream
THE DREAM of transforming Brayton Point in Somerset into a hub of the offshore wind industry took a major step forward on Thursday, as an Italian manufacturer of subsea cable laid out an ambitious plan to build a $300 million facility capable of servicing wind farms off the East Coast of the United States and […]
Posted inUncategorized
Brayton Point finally lands offshore wind supplier
BRAYTON POINT in Somerset is finally getting a piece of the offshore wind industry it has been courting for years, but the industrial prize is apparently not big enough to displace the controversial scrap metal business that occupies a portion of the property and has alienated much of the town. An Italian company called Prysmian […]