A HOUSE COMMITTEE released a long-awaited energy bill on Monday that calls for the state’s utilities to negotiate long-term contracts for large amounts of offshore wind and Canadian hydroelectricity, although the hydroelectric portion of the proposal is half the size Gov. Charlie Baker had sought. The bill, dubbed “an act to promote energy diversity,” calls […]
Plugging In
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion
Are municipal light firms doing enough?
THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE appears primed to enact legislation that will require large purchases of clean energy resources to address the daunting challenge of meeting our greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Given the magnitude of these initiatives, should we be reconsidering the exemption for municipal electric utilities that allows them to avoid contributing toward initiatives like […]
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion
Offshore wind, but not Cape Wind
Two recent news headlines should be central to the important debate over legislation that will determine whether or not Massachusetts has access to clean, reliable, and affordable sources of energy to power our homes, schools, and workplaces. First, Energy Corp. announced in October that it would close the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth by […]
Posted inUncategorized
SJC hears arguments on gas pipeline dispute
THE ENERGY DEBATE that is roiling Beacon Hill moved into the Supreme Judicial Court on Thursday as the judges try to decide whether the Baker administration has the legal authority to let electric utilities tap their customers for the money to finance a natural gas pipeline. The state Department of Public Utilities in October gave […]
Posted inEnvironment
Beaton pushes hydroelectricity and gas
THE BAKER ADMINISTRATION made clear on Tuesday that its ideal combo platter for energy has two main dishes – hydroelectricity from Canada and a new natural gas pipeline. Matthew Beaton, the governor’s secretary of energy and environmental affairs, said both options are needed to rein in electricity costs, achieve greenhouse gas reduction targets, and maintain […]
Posted inEnvironment, State House News Service
Report: Baker hydro bill won’t lower power rates
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE WARNING ENERGY COSTS WILL RISE as the state aims to meet the 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals of its Global Warming Solutions Act, a new policy brief from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce describes hydropower as featuring energy reliability and environmental impact “strengths” with “less clear” impacts on costs […]
Posted inEnvironment, State House News Service
Cape Wind goes to court again
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE Cape Wind, the offshore wind project planned for Nantucket Sound, has not given up despite some serious setbacks, and this week appealed to the Supreme Judicial Court a state board decision denying the project’s request for extensions of critical subsea and on-shore transmission facility approvals. In an appeal dated Tuesday, Charles […]
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion
Assessing risk in the state’s energy debate
THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL ENERGY POLICY issue pending before the Commonwealth – rivaled perhaps only by the solar debates – has been the proposal to expand natural gas pipelines into New England to serve electric generators. Resolving this policy question is not clear-cut. It is a complex issue about comparative risk assessment and risk tolerance. The […]
Posted inOpinion
Mass. should boost renewable targets
MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE LEADERS are currently drafting an omnibus energy bill to secure new supplies of electricity as much of the region’s fleet of aging nuclear, coal, and oil power plants are now set to retire. Any proposed energy legislation should achieve three key goals. First, the bill must provide reliable and affordable clean energy to […]
Posted inOpinion
Offshore wind can be price competitive
For years, supporters have made a convincing case that offshore wind power can play a central role in scrubbing the air we breathe of millions of tons of carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels. But in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which stands to lose more than 10 percent of its electric power production with […]