A MAJOR POLICY DEBATE is taking shape on Beacon Hill between those who see offshore wind as the key to meeting the state’s climate change goals, and those who see the industry as needing to do more than that – specifically, spurring significant economic development in the state. The debate centers around the price of […]
Plugging In
Posted inEnvironment
Baker reverses course on utility contracting
ONE OF THE MOST bizarre contracting arrangements in state government may soon be coming to an end. In 2016, the Legislature passed and Gov. Charlie Baker signed a law containing a provision putting the state’s three private utilities in charge of negotiating contracts for clean electricity on behalf of the state. Eversource, National Grid, and […]
Posted inEnvironment
Baker shifts thinking on offshore wind
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER signaled a major shift in his thinking on offshore wind Wednesday, unveiling legislation that would entice developers to put down roots in Massachusetts by spending $750 million of federal funding on infrastructure improvements and removing price caps on procurements. At a national offshore wind conference in Boston, Baker said he wanted to […]
Posted inOpinion
Neal should broaden tax breaks for solar
IN RECENT MONTHS, communities across Massachusetts have been reeling from the effects of extreme weather. In response, state officials recently announced a series of grants and policy initiatives aimed at combating climate change and protecting against its impacts. But what many don’t realize is, our elected officials are in a position to drive investments in sustainability that reach far […]
Posted inOpinion
Plotting the future of the region’s power grid
DRIVE AROUND MASSACHUSETTS and you’d be hard pressed not to see a home with solar panels. Wind turbines are spinning over the Berkshires and coastal communities, with more planned for off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. It’s no secret that the region’s power system is undergoing a significant change. To tackle the existential […]
Posted inUncategorized
Vineyard Wind signs port deal with Salem
SALEM, A LATECOMER to the scramble for offshore wind business, snagged a deal on Thursday with Vineyard Wind, which promised to help make the North Shore community the state’s second major wind port if the company wins an upcoming power contract. The deal, announced in Salem at a press conference with Mayor Kim Driscoll and […]
Posted inOpinion
Don’t get carried away with fusion talk
Commonwealth Fusion System’s breakthrough in superconducting electromagnets is impressive and represents a significant step forward in fusion research. However, as is always the case when a start-up trumpets its latest achievement, it’s useful to examine such news in a broader context. Arthur Turrell’s new book, The Star Builders, gives an excellent overview of the nascent international fusion […]
Posted inUncategorized
Fusion energy nears Kitty Hawk moment
IN TRYING TO EXPLAIN their recent fusion energy breakthrough, Dennis Whyte of MIT and Bob Mumgaard of Commonwealth Fusion Systems reached back to the dawn of aviation. Fusion could be a life-saver for the planet, producing carbon-free, relatively inexpensive energy with no waste byproducts. It works the same way the sun does, by merging two […]
Posted inUncategorized
2 offshore wind developers submit bids
THE HEADLINES detailing the emergence of a US offshore wind supply chain in its infancy are starting to pop up in all sorts of places – a $250 million monopile facility in New Jersey in partnership with wind farm developer Orsted and a wind tower manufacturing operation in Albany, New York, in conjunction with wind […]
Posted inEnvironment
What’s behind one lawsuit against Vineyard Wind
ANNIE HAWKINS has a message you don’t hear very often in Massachusetts these days. The executive director of the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance, a national group of fishing interests, Hawkins is questioning the rush to develop offshore wind. Her organization is suing the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, alleging the agency is failing to protect […]