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» After “Toxic Drilling Fluid Leak” in RI, Lawmakers & Enviros Urge Halt to Gas Pipeline Expansion
Citing a “toxic drilling fluid leak” in Rhode Island last month, environmental groups - and lawmakers - are urging state leaders to deny all further permits pertaining to an expansion of Enbridge gas pipeline work in the state. 
GoLocalProv.com
November 12, 2024

» State utility regulators urge Congress to fund advanced transmission technologies
“Five years ago, people thought grid-enhancing technologies were unproven and risky,” DOE’s Jigar Shah said. “Today, I think people believe that they’re mainstream enough to deploy at scale.”
Ethan Howland, Utility Dive
November 14, 2024

» After drawn-out battle, sweeping climate bill passes Mass. Legislature
The bill’s passage comes at a time when state action on climate change is once again in the spotlight.
Sabrina Shankman, Boston Globe
November 14, 2024

» New York City tests a solar-powered electric-school-bus microgrid
Utility Con Edison and school-bus operator First Student see bus-charging depots equipped with solar and batteries as a win-win that supports the power grid.
Jeff St. John, Canary Media
November 4, 2024

» Massachusetts utilities file $5B efficiency plan with focus on ‘thoughtful electrification’
The 2025-2027 Mass Save proposal includes about $1 billion more in efficiency investments than the current three-year plan, with a focus on decarbonizing residential buildings.
Robert Walton, Utility Dive
November 4, 2024

» Mass. officials aim to decarbonize power plants coming online during peak usage
The state Office of Energy Transformation has launched applications for the Decarbonize the Peak Workforce Group, a select number of applicants who will offer suggestions on how so-called peaking power plants can reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.
Emilia Wisniewski. Boston University Statehouse Program
November 8, 2024

» Wellesley battery expected to save town residents $8m a year
The facility consists of six, 20-foot containers filled to the brim with lithium ion batteries that will be used to manage the town’s electricity demand and supply. The batteries will charge up during overnight hours when the price of electricity is generally low and then discharge their power into the town’s electric grid during peak demand periods, typically from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., when electricity prices are high.
Bruce Mohl, Commonwealth Beacon
November 7, 2024

» The Lancet urges divestment from fossil fuels to save lives
Despite the availability of clean energy solutions, governments and companies continue to invest trillions in fossil fuels, exacerbating these health risks. The report calls for an urgent redirection of these funds to build a healthier, more sustainable future and underscores the need for a rapid, just transition to net zero emissions.
Hannah Whitcombe, WHO (World Health Organization)
November 1, 2024

» Has New York Built Its Last Fossil Fuel Plant?
As artificial intelligence and other energy-hungry industries have shattered forecasts of US electricity use over the next decade, many states have turned to a familiar solution to beef up their grids: fossil fuel plants. New York is not one of them.
Colin Kinneburgh, New York Focus
November 5, 2024

» Emissions from private jets soar almost 50% in four years, research finds
Private aviation is making a growing contribution to climate change, with many being used as ‘taxis’ for distances less than 50km, according to a study. 
Tanya Weaver, Engineering and Technology
November 8, 2024

» National Grid gets OK to upgrade the power grid. Will it affect my electricity bill?
Some Central Massachusetts residents will eventually see a modest increase in their monthly electricity bill after state officials approved National Grid's upgrades to sections of the aging power grid. 
Henry Schwan, Worcester Telegram & Gazette
November 6, 2024

» Crops, cows, and solar panels? Why farmers are harvesting sunlight.
A solar array represents the future of farming – a way to collect energy while also using the land productively, and helping farmers at the same time.
Nate Iglehart, Christian Science Monitor
November 6, 2024

» ISO-NE Open Board Meeting Sparsely Attended Because of Labor Dispute
Activists associated with the Fix the Grid and No Coal No Gas Campaigns — who have often shown up in large numbers to public meetings held by the RTO — opted not to attend, along with many NEPOOL end-user members.
Jon Lamson, RTO Insider
November 6, 2024

» Analysts see ‘a real fear in the market’ as renewable energy stocks plummet on election results
Tariffs and other policy actions favored by Trump could drive renewable energy prices higher over the next four years, industry analysts say.
Emma Penrod, Utility Dive
November 7, 2024

» Freyr buys Trina’s US solar facilities as Trump election raises threat of further China sanctions
NYSE-listed battery startup Freyr has pivoted strategy and acquired a 5GW solar module facility in Texas, US, from Chinese firm Trina Solar, the same day that Donald Trump was declared to have won the presidential election (6 November).
Cameron Murray, Energy Storage News
November 7, 2024

» Northampton only municipality in WMass invited into state fossil fuel-free building pilot program
The city has been selected as the 10th and final municipality in the state — and the only one in western Massachusetts — to participate in a state pilot program that would require all future construction and major renovations to be entirely free of fossil fuels.
Alexander MacDougall, Daily Hampshire Gazette
October 30, 2024

» Berkshire County could be 'a key piece of the puzzle' in Gov. Healey's plans to create a climate corridor
As Gov. Maura Healey seeks to establish a “climate corridor” across the commonwealth, a visiting state official sees Berkshire County’s potential as a key contributor.
Matt Martinez, Berkshire Eagle
October 17, 2024

» Long-duration CO2 Battery startup Energy Dome pens contract for first US project
Energy Dome has signed a contract with Alliant Energy for a 200MWh long-duration energy storage (LDES) project in Wisconsin, which the US utility considers the “first of many.”
Andy Colthorpe, Energy Storage News
October 23, 2024

» Utilities’ hidden clean energy tax is at the heart of our energy challenges
Ending utility self-funding is central to FERC’s efforts to change utilities’ incentives and push them to tackle more ambitious high-voltage projects.
Ari Peskoe, Utility Dive
October 24, 2024

» A Massachusetts town uses batteries to help its grid — and its schools
Batteries can serve double-duty, shoring up the grid and providing backup to buildings when the power goes out. This project shows how.
Jeff St. John, Canary Media
October 7, 2024

» West Springfield’s Peaker plant part of clean energy transition study
The former West Springfield Generating Station in West Springfield is part of a state study to look at the workings and conversion of peaker power plants.
Aprell May Mumford, MassLive
October 21, 2024

» COP29: Pledge to increase global energy storage capacity to 1.5TW by 2030
World leaders attending COP29 next month have been encouraged to sign a pledge to collectively increase global energy storage capacity to 1,500GW by 2030.
Andy Colthorpe, Energy Storage News
October 22, 2024

» Iron-air battery developer Form Energy raises $405M, announces collaboration with GE Vernova
The company has also begun a major expansion of its West Virginia manufacturing facility and aims to deploy a 1.5 MW/150 MWh commercial pilot in partnership with Great River Energy next year.
Brian Martucci, Utility Dive
October 22, 2024

» A pilot program got low-cost heat pumps into 3 Mass. homes. Can it be scaled up?
Six properties in Ipswich were selected to receive a heat pump and other weatherization measures as part of a new pilot program.
Hadley Barndollar, MassLive
October 16, 2024

» Trees and land absorbed almost no CO2 last year. Is nature’s carbon sink failing?
The sudden collapse of carbon sinks was not factored into climate models – and could rapidly accelerate global heating.
Patrick Greenfield, The Guardian
October 14, 2024

» 1.2 GWh CATL battery progresses through permitting in Massachusetts
Hecate Energy advances the Ward Hill BESS through Haverhill’s zoning process, focusing on wetland classifications surrounding the installation.
John Fitzgerald Weaver, PV Magazine
October 3, 2024

» The Collapse of the Northeast’s Biggest Hydrogen Plant
Has Plug Power pulled the plug on its upstate New York facility? The project is looking like a warning sign of the perils of being a first-mover in the unproven hydrogen business.
Jael Holzman, HeatMap Plus
October 16, 2024

» Massachusetts may again lead on climate change. The state (finally, almost) has a sweeping climate bill.
After disappointment and setbacks this summer, the bill has just a few final legislative hurdles to pass to become law.
Sabrina Shankman, Boston Globe
October 17, 2024

» Appalachian Hydrogen Hub Plan Struggles Amid Economic Worries, Study Says
Plans to build a hydrogen “hub” in western Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia are under strain as a third of its projects have been scrapped and four development partners have left, according to a new report.
John Hurdle, Inside Climate News
October 18, 2024

» A Massachusetts town uses batteries to help its grid — and its schools
Batteries can serve double-duty, shoring up the grid and providing backup to buildings when the power goes out. This project shows how.
Jeff St. John, Canary Media
October 7, 2024

» Exported gas produces far worse emissions than coal, major study finds
Research challenges the idea that sending liquefied natural gas around the world is cleaner alternative to burning coal.
Oliver Milman, The Guardian
October 4, 2024

» 15-year fight over wood-burning power plant stokes fears of ‘Frankenpermit’ in this WMass city
Palmer Renewable Energy is still, 15 years later, fighting to build a power plant burning green wood in an East Springfield neighborhood.
Jim Kinney, MassLive
October 9, 2024

» Form Energy secures $405M to speed development of long-awaited 100-hour battery
The money will allow Form to speed up manufacturing at its first factory in Weirton, West Virginia and continue research and development.
Isabella O'Malley, AP News
October 9, 2024

» Black women are leading the fight against polluters in Louisiana — and they’re winning
Philanthropic and government investments in environmental justice are helping nonprofits push back against industrial development.
Terry L. Jones, Floodlight
October 9, 2024

» US bipartisan bill to expedite geothermal approval passes House deliberation
The bipartisan bill HR 6474 which seeks to expedite approval process for geothermal projects in the U.S. has been passed by the House of Representatives.
Carlo Carlaga, Think GeoEnergy
September 28, 2024

» US set grid-scale BESS deployment record in second quarter of 2024
With more than 3GW of new deployments in the second quarter of this year, “energy storage is becoming a mainstay of the power grid” in the US.
Andy Colthorpe, Energy Storage News
October 2, 2024

» 1.2 GWh of battery storage progresses through permitting in Massachusetts
Due to the proximity to wetlands, local zoning may require additional setbacks; however, this is may not affect the project’s capacity, as technological advances in energy storage density would most likely compensate for any spatial constraints. 
John Fitzgerald Weaver, PV Magazine
October 3, 2024

» Exported gas produces far worse emissions than coal, major study finds
“The idea that coal is worse for the climate is mistaken – LNG has a larger greenhouse gas footprint than any other fuel,” said Robert Howarth, an environmental scientist at Cornell University and author of the new paper.
Oliver Milman, the Guardian
October 4, 2024

» New Seaport tower showcases low-carbon cement from Somerville firm
The event celebrated the first commercial application of a new type of low-carbon cement, made entirely in Massachusetts, and its use to build Boston’s largest net zero office building.
Sam Drysdale, Commonwealth Beacon
October 2, 2024

» Officials, activists protest pipeline
Climate activists marched to the offices of Gov. Ned Lamont and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection in Hartford on Tuesday to hand deliver letters demanding an end to all pending and future proposals to expand fossil fuel infrastructure in Connecticut.
Alison Cross, Hartford Courant
September 25, 2024

» State House climate negotiators resume talks
In a dramatic turnabout, House and Senate negotiators working on climate legislation say they have resumed their talks and are now optimistic they will find common ground before the session ends.
Bruce Mohl, Commonwealth Beacon
September 25, 2024

» CT groups urge Gov. Lamont to reject fracked gas pipeline
Their concerns revolve around Enbridge's Project Maple - a proposed fracked gas pipeline extension from New Jersey to Rhode Island, running across Connecticut. 
Edwin J. Viera, Public News Service
September 25, 2024

» Commentary: Who knocked out Massachusetts’ climate bill?
This year’s Massachusetts climate bill lies unconscious on the floor of the State House with a pipe next to it. Observers suspect foul play. The question is, who did it?
Mark Dyen and Lee Ketelsen, Energy News Network
September 26, 2024

» Two years in, US clean energy manufacturing boom is still going strong
The Inflation Reduction Act has spurred more than $115B in clean energy manufacturing investment so far — and the project announcements just keep coming.
Keaton Peters, Canary Media
September 23, 2024

» New Federal Housing Grants Are a Win for Climate Change and Environmental Justice
More than $69 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development will be used to improve energy efficiency and install solar power and heat pumps in affordable housing units.
Kristoffer Tigue, Inside Climate News
September 24, 2024

» FERC’s Phillips pushes back on pipeline decisions
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is pushing back against a recent gas pipeline ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals from the D.C. Circuit. The court in July vacated FERC’s approval of a Transco project to move gas from the Marcellus shale region of Pennsylvania to New Jersey, ruling that the agency’s 2023 approval was “arbitrary and capricious” in failing to adequately consider the greenhouse gas implications of the order and in cavalierly ignoring the state’s claims that it did not need the additional gas supply.
Kennedy Maize, Energy Central
September 20, 2024

» Colleges with fossil fuel funding can become 'vehicle of climate obstruction'
Researchers found donations are part of a strategy by the industry to embed itself in universities to influence research and gain credibility.
Miranda Green, Floodlight
September 5, 2024

» US solar manufacturing capacity has quadrupled thanks to climate law
The Inflation Reduction Act has sparked a boom in domestic solar panel manufacturing, though the U.S. still depends on China for certain steps of the supply chain.
Eric Wesoff, Canary Media
September 9, 2024

» As the Planet Warms, Activists in North Carolina Mobilize to Stop a Gathering Storm
A liquified natural gas processing facility, four natural gas plants, multiple compressor stations and a clutter of pipelines are all now in the works, awaiting approval from state regulators. Can any of it be stopped?
Lisa Sorg, Inside Climate News
September 8, 2024

» Massachusetts cities are quickly embracing new emission-slashing building code option
Since state lawmakers approved an optional stretch code early last year, 45 municipalities covering about 30% of the state’s population have adopted the new guidelines.
Sarah Shemkus, Energy News Network
September 3, 2024

» Mass. DPU Approves 1st Round of Utility Grid Modernization Plans
The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities has approved grid modernization plans from electric distribution companies that outline longer-term strategies for handling increased electrification and the deployment of distributed resources.
Jon Lamson, RTO Insider
September 2, 2024

» New England may need ‘vast renewable build-out’ by 2050 to meet state decarbonization goals: ISO
By 2045, wind and solar resources are projected to meet just 10 GW of the 51 GW peak gross load during peak winter demand, according to the grid operator’s modeling.
Rober Walton, Utility Dive
August 23, 2024

» The US Appetite for Electricity Grew Massively in the First Half of 2024, and Solar Power Rose to the Occasion
The United States increased its electricity generation from utility-scale solar power by nearly one-third in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year. 
Dan Gearino, Inside Climate News
August 29, 2024

» Climate Delayers in Power – Our State House is Slowing Down Climate Action
Our legislature ended their formal session without passing a climate bill. This is extremely reckless and dangerous governance that does nothing to protect Massachusetts residents from the impacts of the climate crisis. 
Dan Zacklin, 350 Massachusetts
August 13, 2024

» Extreme Rain Is a Growing Climate Threat to the Northeastern US
Heavy precipitation is on the rise in New York, Connecticut and neighboring states, increasing the likelihood of damaging flash floods.
Eric Roston, Bloomberg
August 27, 2024

» National Grid Lining up 70-plus Transmission Projects
Hundreds of projects are in the works across New York to make its grid better able to handle storms and the clean energy transition that state leaders are trying to implement.
John Cropley, RTO Insider
August 27, 2024

» National Grid Lining up 70-plus Transmission Projects
Hundreds of projects are in the works across New York to make its grid better able to handle storms and the clean energy transition that state leaders are trying to implement.
John Cropley, RTO Insider
August 27, 2024

» US clean energy jobs growth rate double that of overall jobs, report says
Jobs in the U.S. clean energy industry in 2023 grew at more than double the rate of the country's overall jobs, and unionization in clean energy surpassed for the first time the rate in the wider energy industry, the Energy Department said.
Timothy Gardner, Reuters
August 28, 2024

» Clean energy groups push for more interconnection reforms ahead of FERC workshop
They called for fast-track processes that would give construction-ready projects access to existing and planned interconnection capacity, among other things.
Ethan Howland, Utility Dive
August 27, 2024

» Surging Methane Emissions Could Be a Sign of a Major Climate Shift
New studies suggest global warming boosts natural methane releases, which could undermine efforts to cut emissions of the greenhouse gas from fossil fuels and agriculture.
Bob Berwyn, Inside Climate News
August 28, 2024

» Controversial LNG facility in Portsmouth wins 5-year approval
A liquefied natural gas facility that opened five years ago in a residential area of Portsmouth as a temporary backup to Aquidneck Island’s gas delivery system will remain in place for at least the next five years.
Alex Kuffner, Providence Journal
August 22, 2024

» BlueWave Unveils Portfolio of Projects Expanding Agrivoltaics Work and Providing Greater Access to Clean Energy for the Commonwealth
BlueWave, a leading solar developer and owner in the Northeast U.S., today celebrated five projects across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that incorporate the company's innovative dual-use solar design and operate under the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) Program.
BlueWave, PR Newswire
August 22, 2024

» Project in Palmer has cows grazing under a solar canopy
People ruminate on clean energy solutions. And at Burgundy Brook Farm in Palmer, a herd of Angus beef cattle ruminate under one possible solution.
Jim Kinney, MassLive
August 22, 2024

» Look around, barriers to clean energy development not hard to find
Significant obstacles are looming in the Northeast’s attempts to reduce its carbon footprint.
Marc Brown, Commonwealth Beacon
August 23, 2024

» ‘This Is a Push to Pass Laws Criminalizing Protest of Fossil Fuel Infrastructure’
Oil companies and their trade groups are now trying to pressure lawmakers to use the PHMSA reauthorization process to push through measures that could further criminalize pipeline protests at the federal level.
Janine Jackson, FAIR
August 16, 2024

» Biden marries Big Labor to Big Solar
For organized labor, it's a deeper step in unionizing an industry that's expected to explode with new positions and products, bolstered by billions of dollars in tax breaks from Biden's signature climate and clean tech legislation.
Hans Nichols, Axios
August 16, 2024

» What Biden’s oil record means for the industry’s future
U.S. oil production is at record highs despite the president’s pledge to end the federal oil program.
Heather Richards, E&E News
May 13, 2024

» Can a legislative audit shine light on legislative gridlock?
The last-minute scramble to clear a legislative logjam, which top lawmakers intermittently shrug off as a normal part of Bay State governance, looks to state Auditor Diana DiZoglio like the predictable outcome of a “toxic” culture of top-down governance and operational secrecy.
Jennifer Smith, Commonwealth Beacon
August 8, 2024

» Consumer advocates oppose New Hampshire power line upgrade
Advocates for New England electric customers are raising alarm at the cost of a transmission line upgrade in New Hampshire.
Peter McGuire, Maine Public
August 16, 2024

» EIA expects 62.8 GW to come online in 2024, led by solar, energy storage
Also, the pace of power plant retirements slowed in the first half this year to 5.1 GW, down from 9.2 GW in the same period last year, the Energy Information Administration said.
Ethan Howland, Utility Dive
August 19, 2024

» General Motors to lean on solar power for three assembly plants
The car manufacturer has signed a 15-year renewable power purchase agreement to support its operations at three assembly plants located in Michigan and Missouri.
Zoya Mirza, ESG Dive
August 20, 2024

» Funding for US grid upgrades includes US$147 million for 8.5GWh ‘multi-day’ battery storage
A disused paper mill in Maine, US, will host a ‘multi-day’ battery storage system as part of a major project to reinforce and upgrade the electricity grid in New England.
Andy Colthorpe, Energy Storage News
August 7, 2024

» Vermont Electric and Green Mountain Power launch new large-scale battery in North Troy
A lack of grid capacity has kept local renewable energy sources from producing power consistently. The new battery is designed to change that.
Emma Cotton, VtDigger
August 16, 2024

» Cape Codders protest offshore wind plans
Opponents of landing more offshore wind cables in Barnstable got a chance to confront Gov. Maura Healey on Wednesday when she visited Cape Cod.
Jeanette Barnes, CAI
August 16, 2024

» Iron-air ‘multi-day’ energy storage startup Form Energy breaks ground on first pilot project
Work has begun on the first pilot project using Form Energy’s iron-air battery, designed to cost-effectively store and discharge energy over multiple days.
Andy Colthorpe, Energy Storage News
August 19, 2024

» Texas adds NatWest to its fossil fuel divestment list
The divestment list was created due to a 2021 Texas law requiring the Lone Star state — the nation’s leading oil and natural gas producer — to stop business interactions with companies that “limit commercial relations” with fossil fuel companies.
Rajashree Chakravarty, ESG Dive
August 16, 2024

» Workers across the US rally after string of heat-related deaths
Airport, retail, and agricultural workers in 13 cities are demanding elected officials enact heat protections.
Ayurella Horn-Muller, Grist
August 14, 2024

» Form Energy set to build world’s biggest battery in Maine
The long-duration storage pioneer won DOE grant money to construct a massive iron-air battery intended to help a strained pocket of the New England grid.
Julian Spector, Canary Media
August 15, 2024

» 6,000 sheep will soon be grazing on 10,000 acres of Texas solar fields
Using sheep instead of mowers also cuts down on fossil fuel use, while allowing native plants to mature and bloom. Solar projects that prioritize native plant growth have been found to increase the biodiversity of plants and insects, like native bees, and to reduce soil erosion.
Carrie Klein, Canary Media
August 16, 2024

» Wealthy homeowners nab billions in tax credits for energy efficiency
Wealthy homeowners are scooping up billions of dollars in tax credits for making their residences more energy efficient, while the poor are getting almost nothing under the same Biden administration effort.
Thomas Frank, E&E News
August 16, 2024

» Biden administration releases national heat strategy
The outlined solutions include: assessing at-risk populations, setting up early-warning systems, adopting safety measures through regulation, increasing planning and supporting community efforts to adapt. 
Rachel Frazin, The Hill
August 14, 2024

» Hundreds of pipes are leaking explosive methane in Boston, group says
There are hundreds of leaking National Grid gas lines — 15 of which “pose an imminent explosion and fire hazard” — throughout some of Greater Boston’s most vulnerable neighborhoods and the company is not meeting its legal obligation to solve the problem, according to the Conservation Law Foundation.
Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald
August 14, 2024

» Survivors of climate disasters demand US inquiry into big oil’s ‘climate crimes’
More than 10,000 people sign letter to justice department for federal investigation into industry’s misinformation.
Dharna Noor, The Guardian
August 15, 2024

» Maynard, Massachusetts, family suing Eversource for $450M in fatal blast
The family of a man killed in a 2021 gas explosion in Maynard, Massachusetts, has filed a $450 million wrongful death lawsuit against Eversource, alleging negligence.
Sharman Sacchetti, WCVB Boston
August 13, 2024

» Fairmount line to get state’s first electric commuter rail trains in 2028
Trains powered by electricity rather than diesel fuel are not scheduled to begin rolling on the Fairmount Line for years, but public officials are so excited about the now-concrete plans for more frequent service with less pollution that they gathered in the hot sun Tuesday morning to celebrate.
State House News Service
August 14, 2024

» US wind and solar on track to overtake coal this year
The two renewable resources together have produced more power than coal through July — a first for the United States.
Benjamin Storrow, E&E News
August 13, 2024

» Gov. Healey pushes for clean energy reform after talks fell apart on Beacon Hill last week
Gov. Maura Healey pushed Beacon Hill Democrats to return to the negotiating table and pass legislation reforming siting and permitting for renewable energy projects during a time when lawmakers are typically finished with formal business for the year.
Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald
August 7, 2024

» Catalyze completes 4.29-MW standalone energy storage system in the Bronx
Already operational, the project is currently dispatching electricity to the grid to manage heightened seasonal peaks in demand. The project features four Tesla MegaPacks, with a total size of 4.29 MW / 8.58 MWh. 
Kelsey Misbrener, Solar Power World
August 8, 2024

» Finger-pointing galore as climate legislation stalls
High priority climate legislation fell by the wayside when House and Senate negotiators refused to budge, a stalemate that could have far-reaching consequences for the state’s effort to reach its emission targets.
Bruce Mohl and Gintautas Dumcius, Commonwealth Beacon
August 2, 2024

» Massachusetts awards $53 million to help affordable housing operators cut emissions and make homes healthier
The latest round of grants will improve insulation and electrify heating and cooling systems as the state aims for net-zero emissions by 2050.
Sarah Shemkus, Energy News Network
August 2, 2024

» Heat deaths of people without air conditioning, often in mobile homes, underscore energy inequity
Most heat-related deaths involve homeless people living outdoors. But those who die inside without sufficient cooling also are vulnerable, typically older than 60, living alone and with limited income.
Anita Snow, AP News
August 2, 2024

» Quantum in $3B deal to buy Cogentrix, with its 5.3 GW of gas generation, from Carlyle
Quantum says it plans to “meaningfully grow” Cogentrix, which owns power plants in New England, PJM and Texas.
Ethan Howland, Utility Dive
August 6, 2024

» Innovative transmission, energy storage projects in 18 states get $2.2B from DOE
Allete, Duke Energy, Eversource, Grid United, National Grid, Pacific Gas and Electric and Southern California Edison were among the companies involved in projects receiving funds.
Ethan Howland, Utility Dive
August 6, 2024

» Mass. lawmakers ended formal lawmaking with lots left on the table. Here’s what could happen next.
Last week, the Massachusetts Legislature ended formal lawmaking for the year with a marathon, 23-hour session and a mountain of unfinished bills still on its plate.
Samantha J. Gross and Matt Stout , Boston Globe
August 6, 2024

» Heat pumps are expensive. What if billionaires bought them for everyone?
It would cost more than $1 trillion, but the savings from lower bills and cleaner air would be just as high.
Matt Simon, Grist
August 1, 2024

» Battery-powered induction stoves could be the future of clean cooking
This latest technical innovation, now starting to ship, means you can use an electric range with just a standard 120-volt outlet.
Alison F. Takemura, Canary Media
July 31, 2024

» New Data Show U.S. Oil & Gas Methane Emissions Over Four Times Higher than EPA Estimates, Eight Times Greater than Industry Target
As regulators, operators and investors face growing worldwide pressure to cut emissions, aircraft data offer crucial preview of new satellite capabilities.
Environmental Defense Fund
July 31, 2024

» Court axes FERC pipeline approval that threatened New Jersey climate goals
The D.C. Circuit ruling may push federal regulators to change their approach to analyzing the need for fossil fuel projects.
Niina H. Farah, E&E News
July 31, 2024

» Supercharged by Climate Change, Western Megafires Explode Simultaneously
Heat waves and “flash droughts” fuel intense fires in California, Oregon and Canada.
Kiley Price, Inside Climate News
July 30, 2024

» Not All Companies Disclose Emissions From Their Investments, and That’s a Problem for Investors
A new study puts a number on the scale of unreported emissions from oil and gas companies’ investments.
Mathilde Augustin, Inside Climate News
July 29, 2024

» ExxonMobil climate liability case to proceed in Connecticut
The ruling marks the latest development in a lawsuit initiated by Connecticut Attorney General William Tong in 2020 seeking to hold the oil major accountable.
Zoya Mirza, ESG Dive
July 30, 2024

» Two Berkshire Peaker Plants Have Been Put in the Past
Two peaker plants in Berkshire County have been out of service for two years and have been demolished. Local environmentalists are rejoicing.
Brittany Polito, iBerkshires
July 21, 2024

» Senate Permitting Reform Bill Slammed as 'Biggest Giveaway' to Fossil Fuel Industry
"We urge Congress to put forward real solutions to build a clean energy economy, and not pair those reforms with more attempts to pad the pockets of fossil fuel executives," said one campaigner.
Brett Wilkins, Common Dreams
July 22, 2024

» How the US became the world’s biggest fossil fuel state
No country has ever in history produced as much oil and gas as the US does now and Louisiana is ground zero.
Oliver Milman, The Guardian
July 24, 2024

» Peabody 'peaker' power plant prepares to go online
The Massachusetts Clean Peak Coalition on the systemic issues that resulted in the Peabody peaker going online, not as green as promised.
John Prusinski, Peabody Patch
July 25, 2024

» Sunrun, BGE launch first US electric vehicle-to-home virtual power plant
The program kicks off with just three customers but is “a significant proof of concept ...  and the goal is to expand these programs all around the country,” said Sunrun CEO Mary Powell.
Robert Walton, Utility Dive
July 25, 2024

» In the Developing Field of Climate Psychology, ‘Eco-Anxiety’ Is a Rational Response
Some therapists have found that cognitive behavioral therapy, designed to help patients see that they are “catastrophizing,” isn’t enough because the potential impacts of climate change are truly catastrophic.
Nina Dietz, Inside Climate News
July 26, 2024

» Skeptics say EVs will overwhelm the grid. In fact, they could be part of the solution
Electric vehicles are ‘batteries on wheels’ that can put energy back into the National Grid when solar panels and windfarms do not provide much power.
Jasper Jolly, The Guardian
July 15, 2024

» Activist climbs 80-foot-tall tree in Lincoln and refuses to come down in protest of pipeline company's plans to cut down trees near Cambridge reservoir
A Protect the Lincoln Forest member climbed up a tree on a quarter-acre site off Rte. 2 and created a "tree-sit" to protest an agreement between Cambridge and a Texas pipeline company to cut down at least 24 trees on a lot meant to protect a major Cambridge reservoir.
Adam Gaffin, Universal Hub
July 15, 2024

» Current FERC reforms won’t be enough to solve interconnection gridlock
The U.S. must adopt a national transmission strategy if it wants to deploy enough clean energy to decarbonize the grid, Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers say.
Emma Penrod, Utility Dive
July 15, 2024

» House to move on energy bill: Siting, new clean energy targets featured
House Democrats will make a push for new clean energy policies Wednesday, bringing forward a late-session bill overhauling how Massachusetts approves new power projects and seeking even more megawatts from green sources.
Chris Lisinski, State House News Service
July 16, 2024

» Millions of US low-income households face power shutoffs amid deadly heat
Half of Americans live in states without rules restricting disconnections for unpaid or overdue bills, report finds
Nina Lakhani, The Guardian
July 16, 2024

» Global solar and wind capacity will more than triple to 8 TW by 2033
Global energy storage will grow by 636% to add nearly 2,789 GWh of capacity over the next decade, according to Wood MacKenzie’s latest global market outlook.
Diana DiGangi, Utility Dive
July 9, 2024

» Holyoke zero-carbon cement maker lands 2,000-ton order from Vineyard Offshore wind developers
Sublime Systems Inc. wants to construct and operate a low-carbon cement production facility with estimated capacity of 30,000 tons per year at this Water Street site. The project is expected to cost $150 million and employ as many as 70 people.
Jim Kinney, MassLive
July 11, 2024

» Massachusetts residents’ health depends on fossil fuel-free buildings
The state’s sprawling, old gas system is responsible for deadly explosions and climate-harming leaks, and the state legislature should make sure it’s phased out.
Dr. Wynne Armand, MD and Lisa Cunningham, Energy News Network
July 11, 2024

» FERC approves ISO New England’s long-range transmission planning process
Regulators determined the grid operator’s new long-term approach to transmission development “supplements” the existing regional transmission planning processes approved under Order 1000.
Robert Walton, Utility Dive
July 12, 2024

» US VPPs can meet summer demand peaks faster, cheaper than new generation and transmission
The more than 500 VPPs operational in the United States can help address summer peaks in 2024, while new VPPs can be online in time for summer 2025, RMI said.
Brian Martucci, Utility Dive
July 10, 2024

» Average Global Temperature Has Warmed 1.5 Degrees Celsius Above Pre-industrial Levels for 12 Months in a Row
New data shows the planet’s fever stayed above a crucial target for a full year, but it would need to do that for decades to breach the Paris Agreement limit.
Bob Berwyn, Inside Climate News
July 9, 2024

» Advocates press for more emphasis on environmental justice populations
Last month, a sweeping bill was touted in Senate press releases as consistent with a legacy of environmental justice efforts, but when members of the Massachusetts Environmental Justice Legislative Table started poring through it, they saw language evoking their priorities but no clear acknowledgement of the communities themselves.
Jennifer Smith, Commonwealth Beacon
July 8, 2024

» New NOAA Initiative Will Provide $60 Million in Funding to Train Workers for Green Jobs
NOAA’s Climate-Ready Workforce effort has committed $60 million in funding to nine projects across 10 U.S. states and territories last month. The initiative aims to train professionals for jobs that increase climate resilience.
Ruchi Shahagadkar, Inside Climate News
July 8, 2024

» More fossil-fuel facilities are in environmental justice communities
A first-of-its-kind database maps energy infrastructure sites like natural gas processing facilities across the U.S. and in Massachusetts to better understand who bears the cost.
Esmy Jimenez, Boston Globe
July 7, 2024

» New panel charged with helping Massachusetts meet its renewable energy goals
The Energy Transformation Advisory Board includes representatives of labor, business, finance and environmental justice advocacy organizations as well as utilities, building owners and developers.
Steve LeBlanc, AP News
July 5, 2024

» The quick, quiet death of Biden’s natural gas export pause
The "pause" looks like little more than a speed bump in the rapid growth of an industry that has transformed the global energy mix.
Jake Bittle, Grist
July 3, 2024

» Healey administration eyes how to move power plants past fossil fuels
Moving forward, there needs to be plans for how to shut down or convert existing fossil fuel power plants, such as the so-called peaker plants that run on oil or gas and fire up on the coldest and hottest days.
Sabrina Shankman, Boston Globe
July 3, 2024

» How a Landmark Supreme Court Decision Will Reshape the U.S. Energy Sector
The Supreme Court’s recent ruling on “Chevron deference” could affect federal regulations of everything from power plant emissions to electric vehicles to transmission lines.
Niina H. Farah, Lesley Clark, Scientific American
July 1, 2024

» Community solar expands access to clean energy, new study shows
Peer-reviewed research finds that community solar makes cheap renewable power available to more people, including those who live in rentals and multifamily buildings.
Alison F. Takemura, Canary Media
July 1, 2024

» New England Wind 1 Gets Green Light from Federal Government
New England Wind 1 is an advanced and shovel-ready project in federal lease area OCS-A 0534, roughly 30 miles south of Barnstable, Mass., and making landfall under the Craigville Beach parking lot. The project will border Vineyard Wind 1 to the south.
Erin O'Connor, North American Wind Power
July 1, 2024

» State officials reject environmental impact review of Hanscom Airport expansion
The developers have been asked to submit new information about just how big the expansion’s carbon footprint would be.
Sabrina Shankman, Boston Globe
June 26, 2024

» 10 Northeastern States Sign MOU on Interregional Transmission Planning
Ten East Coast states signed a memorandum of understanding July 9 to set up a framework to coordinate interregional transmission planning and development. 
James Downing. RTO Insider
July 9, 2024

» Massachusetts Senate approves bill to expand reliance on renewable energy
The Massachusetts Senate approved a bill Tuesday aimed at expanding the adoption of renewable energy in a bid to help Massachusetts meet its climate goals, including reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Steve LeBlanc, AP News
June 25, 2024

» Startup aims to transform the power grid with superconducting transmission lines
VEIR, founded by alumnus Tim Heidel, has developed technology that can move more power over long distances, with the same footprint as traditional lines.
Zach Winn, MIT News
June 26, 2024

» Louisiana ‘Cancer Alley’ residents ask for fed help in pollution fight
Residents of color are pushing the U.S. Department of Justice to block expansion of industrial development in their communities.
Terry L. Jones, Floodlight
June 25, 2024

» New York regulator signs off state roadmap to achieve 6GW energy storage target by 2030
State governor Kathy Hochul announced last week (20 June) that the Energy Storage Roadmap 2.0 devised by staff at the New York Department of Public Service and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has been approved.
Andy Colthorpe, Energy Storage News
June 24, 2024

» Green Peace
How the Fight Against Climate Change Can Overcome Geopolitical Discord.
Meghan L. O’Sullivan and Jason Bordoff, Foreign Affairs
June 18, 2024

» Climate Activists Blockade Citigroup’s Doors with Model Pipeline and Protest Bank’s Ties to Israel
Environmental protesters partnering with pro-Palestine campaigners called for an end to the bank’s financing of fossil fuel infrastructure and Israel’s war on Gaza.
Keerti Gopal, Inside Climate News
June 22, 2024

» The transition away from natural gas has to get started
The low cost of gas is coming to an end. According to The Future of Gas, a Groundwork Data report, gas heating bills for Massachusetts ratepayers are expected to double within 10 years.
Mark Sandeeen/Hessann Farooqi, Commonwealth Beacon
June 24, 2024

» Is your air conditioning working? Thank a solar panel.
The regional power grid has performed well through this week’s record temperatures. But it’s been solar’s time to shine.
Sabrina Shankman
June 20, 2024

» Successful VPP programs have long-term outlook
The interactive resource draws lessons from 15 U.S. virtual power plant programs with nearly 4 million customers and 1.5 GW of enrolled capacity.
Brian Martucci, Utility Dive
June 20, 2024

» The Department of Energy is eyeing the Berkshires as a place to strengthen the grid
The 60-mile route from Stephentown, N.Y., to Northfield, Mass., tops a list of 10 potential National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors across the country.
Jane Kaufman, The Berkshire Eagle
June 19, 2024

» Massachusetts is expanding its pathbreaking vehicle fleet electrification program
The Massachusetts Fleet Advisor program, which helps small businesses, nonprofits, and municipalities transition to electric vehicles, recently received $5 million in federal funding.
Sarah Shemkus, Energy News Network
June 20, 2024

» Heat wave trips up power plants, prompting New England grid operator to issue warning
ISO-New England declared a 'Power Caution' for more than 4 hours Tuesday as air conditioners cranked up at the start of what's expected to be a 3-day heat wave.
Stephen Singer, Portland Press Herald
June 19, 2024

» Climate Protesters Take to the Field at the Congressional Baseball Game
Activists arrested for crashing the diamond at Nationals Park demand Congress “stop playing games” and focus instead on ending US reliance on oil, gas and coal and stopping subsidies for fossil fuels.
Keerti Gopal, Inside Climate News
June 13, 2024

» Biofuel Refineries Are Releasing Toxic Air Pollutants in Farm Communities Across the US
The ethanol industry has billed itself as a green alternative to oil and gas, but new research finds biofuel refineries are releasing toxic chemicals in farm communities across the nation.
Georgina Gusten, Inside Climate News
June 14, 2024

» Plus Power closes financing on 300MWh BESS project with ISO New England capacity contract
The developer said that it has raised construction and term financing for its Cranberry Point BESS asset in the Massachusetts town of Carver. It claims that it will be the first large-scale standalone battery storage facility to connect to the ISO New England grid.
Andy Colthorpe, Energy Storage News
June 14, 2024

» 60+ NY Electeds Call On Gov. Hochul To Stop Algonquin Pipeline Expansion
At a rally this morning, 69 state and local elected officials delivered a letter calling on Governor Hochul to take an early stance against Enbridge’s dangerous proposed fracked gas pipeline expansion, dubbed Project Maple, by committing to denying any upcoming permits for the project.
Phoebe Galt, Food & Water Watch
June 17, 2024

» Big Oil’s Plan To Criminalize Pipeline Protests
Fossil fuel companies and trade groups are using essential pipeline safety legislation to further criminalize pipeline protests.
Emily Sanders, The Lever
June 17, 2024

» Massachusetts advocates say proposed statewide energy efficiency plan falls short on equity
The current draft of the three-year plan includes adding multilingual support and faster processing of rebates, but critics say it misses opportunities to more equitably distribute funds.
Sarah Shemkus, Energy News Network
June 10, 2024

» Hundreds of millions up for grabs in environmental justice grants
Housing, air monitoring, green jobs and coastal resilience are some of the initiatives that could receive funding under the Inflation Reduction Act.
Terry L. Jones, Floodlight
April 24, 2024

» Why this summer’s forecast is bad news for the US after an exceptionally disastrous start to the year
The US has been rocked by an extraordinary number of tornadoes and devastating storms this year that have already left a staggering price tag. Now heading into what forecasters say will be an extreme summer – from punishing heat waves to severe weather and hurricanes – the nation’s disaster relief agency is expected to run out of money before it’s even over.
Ella Nilsen and Mary Gilbert, CNN
June 10, 2024

» Clean Energy Groups Respond to ISO-NE Order 2023 Filing
ISO-NE’s Order 2023 compliance filing received mixed comments from a range of clean energy stakeholders last week, drawing support from several large trade associations along with protests from multiple companies.  
Jon Lamson, RTO Insider
June 10, 2024

» Review sought of 41-acre solar/battery project on Amherst’s eastern edge
A controversial large-scale solar and battery development planned for a portion of a mostly wooded 102-acre site on the eastern edge of town is continuing to make its way through municipal permitting, with a private consultant to review aspects of the project expected to be hired soon on behalf of the town’s Planning Department.
Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette
June 11, 2024

» Distributed energy resources are key to affordable clean power
Distributed energy resources like solar panels, EVs, and smart thermostats can help utilities meet rising peak demand and decarbonization goals to achieve net-zero electricity
Jim Thomson, Christian Grant, Craig Rizzo, Kate Hardin, Carolyn Amon, Deloitte Research Center for Energy & Industrials
June 12, 2024

» New York makes $5M available for long duration energy storage projects
Governor Kathy Hochul announced over $5 million is now available for long duration energy storage projects through New York State’s Renewable Optimization and Energy Storage Innovation Program.
Sean Wolfe, Renewable Energy World
June 12, 2024

» Climate Bill Draft, Details Emerge In Webinar
The base of a late-session climate bill that has been promised by top Democrats in both branches is being drafted by Gov. Maura Healey's administration, which says that reform to the siting and permitting of clean energy infrastructure is absolutely necessary for the state to meet its statutory greenhouse gas reduction requirements.
Sam Drysdale, Statehouse News
June 4, 2024

» Amid Record-Breaking Heat Wave, Researchers Step Up Warnings About Risks Extreme Temperatures Pose to Children
From how they sweat to how they breathe, young people process high temperatures differently than adults. Recent studies also show heat’s effects on learning, sleep and mental health.
Victoria St. Martin, Inside Climate News
June 10, 2024

» Networked geothermal heating pilot to go online in Framingham, Massachusetts
Utility and services company Eversource has officially launched a networked geothermal pilot project in Framingham, Massachusetts. A first-of-its-kind project in the United States, the pilot project is designed to explore whether a geothermal network can be used in combination with traditional energy sources like natural gas or heating oil.
Carlo Cariaga, Think GeoEnergy
June 5, 2024

» $1.3B earmarked for EV charging network expansion in US
The Biden-Harris Administration aims to accelerate public and private investment in clean transportation with the historic grant funding.
Hayley Cawthon, ESG Dive
June 7, 2024

» Carbon dioxide levels rising ‘faster than ever’ amid unprecedented heat
That spells serious disruption for the climate in decades to come — even as human society struggles to adapt to the effects of warming already “locked in” by historic burning of fossil fuels.
Saul Elbein, The Hill
June 6, 2024

» Healey admin awards $3.4M to help grow Mass. ‘climate workforce’
A trio of schools that largely educate underserved students will share in a state grant program aimed at increasing the ranks of those headed into the clean-energy workforce.
John L. Micek, MassLive
June 6, 2024

» Many question potential gas pipeline in state
Project Maple is a proposal to expand the pipeline owned by the Canadian company Enbridge, called the “Algonquin” Gas Transmission line, from Ramapo, New York to Salem, Mass.
Tanajah Fryer, The Bristol Press
June 6, 2024

» Berkeley Lab finds that community solar expands access to solar adoption
Community solar, where multiple households buy solar from shared systems, could make solar more accessible by reducing initial costs and removing adoption barriers for renters and multifamily building occupants.
O'Shaughnessy, Eric, Galen L. Barbose, Sudha Kannan, Jenny Sumner, Berkeley Lab
June 5, 2024

» Lithium-ion Batteries to Replace NYC Peaker Plant
Elevate Renewables Expects to Have City’s Largest BESS only Temporarily as Storage Proliferates.
John Cropley, NetZero Insider
June 5, 2024

» Fossil fuel allies ramp up calls for Supreme Court to crush climate cases
Groups backed by Trump judicial adviser Leonard Leo are leading a media campaign to convince the justices to release oil companies from climate lawsuits.
Leslie Clark, E&E News
June 6, 2024

» Our carbon capture experiment is the antithesis of environmental justice
In communities already suffering most from the harms of the fossil fuel industry — adverse health impacts and shortened lifespans, ravaged ecosystems and the empty promises of economic prosperity — residents are paying twice to support the pipe dream of carbon capture.
Robert D. Bullard/Steve Ellis, The Hill
May 30, 2024

» Temple Student Government endorses university fossil fuel divestment
The statement, made in conjunction with Temple Climate Action, calls for the university to be transparent about its financial investments in fossil fuels.
Evelyn Blower, The Temple News
May 8, 2024

» Offshore Wind to Save New England Families $630M on Electricity Annually
If Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island achieve their shared goal of developing 9 GWs of offshore wind by 2030, residents will reap significant energy bill savings and life-saving emissions reductions.
Bianca Sanchez, Sierra Club
June 4, 2024

» Vermont sends climate change tab to fossil fuel companies
The Green Mountain State passed legislation which holds oil and gas companies financially accountable for damage caused by climate change.
Lamar Johnson, ESG Dive
June 4, 2024

» Thermal and compressed air storage cheaper than lithium-ion batteries for 8-plus hour durations
The least expensive long-duration energy storage technologies are now cheaper than lithium-ion batteries for discharge durations longer than eight hours, according to a report from BloombergNEF.
Brian Martucci, Utility Dive
June 4, 2024

» Massachusetts kicks off first pilot to shift gas utilities to clean heat
Multiple states see thermal energy networks as a way to clean up gas utilities. Eversource’s pilot project will be an important first test of the concept.
Jeff St. John, Canary Media
June 4, 2024

» The emerging world leader in climate tech could soon be Massachusetts, experts say
A $1 billion proposal for Massachusetts to become a global leader in climate technology by Gov. Maura Healey and the emergence of environmental startups and think tanks are among the reasons why The Bay State may emerge as the nation's climate solution hub in the near future.
Julia Jacobo, ABC News
June 3, 2024

» ExxonMobil’s ongoing war on ESG
The oil major is forging ahead with legal action against shareholders who pushed for climate action, despite resistance from state funds and finance officials who have rallied against its suit.
Zoya Mirza/Lamar Johnson, ESG Dive
June 3, 2024

» GreenRoots and Supporters on Hand for Substation Hearing
The battle over the construction of an electricity transmission substation facility on the Chelsea Creek Waterfront in East Boston made it to the Supreme Judicial Court in Massachusetts for a hearing on Monday.
Adam Swift, Chelsea Record
May 9, 2024

» Gas pipeline company sues Cambridge to get access to a bit of land in Lincoln near the city's reservoir
A Texas gas-pipeline company yesterday asked a federal judge to order the city of Cambridge to let it cut down trees on a city-owned lot in Lincoln so it can haul in some pipeline equipment for installation on a neighboring parcel the company owns.
adamg, Universal Hub
May 8, 2024

» Summer heat hits Asia early, killing dozens as one expert calls it the "most extreme event" in climate history
It's still spring but hundreds of millions of people across South and Southeast Asia have already faced scorching hot temperatures. The summer heat has arrived early, setting records and even claiming lives, and it's expected to get much worse through May and June as summer actually begins.
Arshad R. Zargar, CBS News
May 2, 2024

» Scientists scramble as rare rain events in the Arctic trigger issues: 'We are trying to keep up with what is going on'
Glaciers, including the Greenland ice sheet, hold about three-quarters of the world's fresh water, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. They are a vital part of the water supply for many communities, and if they melt, the sea level will rise catastrophically. 
Laurelle Stelle, The Cool Down
May 3, 2024

» New documents show oil executives promoted natural gas as green — but knew it wasn’t
It's the first evidence of an oil company acknowledging that gas wasn't as climate-friendly as promised.
Kate Yoder & Joseph Winters, Grist
May 2, 2024

» Appeals Court Ordered the Dismissal of a Landmark Youth Climate Court Case
Acting on a request from the Biden administration, a federal appeals court panel ordered the dismissal of a youth climate court case, leaving its future murky.
Kylie Price, Inside Climate News
May 3, 2024

» Healey signs $375M bond bill for local transportation infrastructure projects
With construction season already in full swing, Gov. Maura Healey Friday signed the $375 million municipal transportation infrastructure bond bill that the state’s 351 municipalities will share for local road, bridge and sidewalk projects.
Kinga Borondy, Worcester Telegram and Gazette
May 4, 2024

» Massachusetts legislation seeks to build on state order to phase out natural gas
A flurry of bills aim to stop expansion of service, ban new pipelines, and empower gas utilities to start offering other services such as geothermal.
Sarah Shemkus, Energy News Network
May 7, 2024

» Climate Justice Groups Confront Chevron on San Francisco Bay
Grassroots “kayaktivists,” the Rich City Rays, challenged tankers that import crude oil for Chevron and ship its refinery products around the world.
Lisa Gross, Inside Climate News
May 6, 2024

» Lightshift Energy deploying 50MW of community BESS in Massachusetts for utility group
Storage developer and operator Lightshift Energy will deploy numerous distributed battery energy storage system (BESS) projects totalling 50MW for various utilities via the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC).
Cameron Murray, Energy Storage News
May 7, 2024

» Gas stoves increase nitrogen dioxide exposure above WHO standards
Science Advances report finds people of color and low-income residents in US disproportionately affected.
Aliya Uteuova, The Guardian
May 3, 2024

» Massachusetts plans to add more charging stations
MassDOT announced a five-year, $63 million plan to install EV charging stations no more than 50 miles apart in an effort to reduce “range anxiety” and encourage the transition from fossil-fueled vehicles to carbon-neutral vehicles.
Dallas Gagnon, MassLive
May 2, 2024

» ‘First-in-kind’ Massachusetts program to introduce grid-scale battery storage
The Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC), the Commonwealth’s designated joint action agency for municipal utilities, and Lightshift Energy, an energy storage project developer, owner, and operator, announced a “first-in-kind” program for the industry to deploy the state’s first jointly implemented fleet of grid-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS).
Sean Wolfe, Renewable Energy World
May 2, 2024

» CT greenhouse gas emissions up as climate change bills languish
As bills aimed at dealing with climate change struggle to get through the current legislative session, a new report showing that Connecticut is struggling with its greenhouse gas emissions may be providing an extra push.
Jan Ellen Spiegel, CT Mirror
April 25, 2024

» Dozens of Climate Activists Arrested at Citibank Headquarters in New York City During Earth Week
Campaigners pressuring Citibank say they see the bank as potentially movable on its funding of fossil fuels, citing the company’s commitments to sustainability.
Keerti Gopal, Inside Climate News
April 25, 2024

» White House unveils plan to accelerate power grid expansion
DOE created a one-stop shop for permitting, helping transmission developers avoid the regulatory patchwork that has tripped up projects.
Jesse Plautz, Peter Behr, E&E News
April 25, 2024

» Scientists need a scary new color because the world keeps getting hotter
The color-coded system added magenta, a fifth-tier of heat severity, beyond red, to communicate extreme heat “rare and/or long-duration extreme heat with little to no overnight relief,” according to the Associated Press.
Isaac Schultz, Gizmodo
April 24, 2024

» Holyoke 1 of 5 cities awarded grant to electrify school bus fleet
The public school district is one of five in the state to receive a share of a $4.2 million grant that would help to electrify bus fleets. The money, announced on Tuesday, comes through the state’s Accelerating Clean Transportation School Bus Fleet Deployment Program.
Namu Sampath, MassLive
April 23, 2024

» New York launches 42.5MW of BESS projects including like-for-like gas turbine replacer
The New York City Industrial Development Agency (NYCIDA) has approved five battery energy storage system (BESS) projects while governor Kathy Hochul has announced groundbreaking on a sixth, altogether totalling around 42.5MW.
Cameron Murray, Energy Storage News
April 24, 2024

» Mass. AGO, DOER Call for Climate Guardrails on Everett LNG Contracts
In filings submitted to the Department of Public Utilities on April 16, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and Department of Energy Resources expressed concern about the climate effects of proposed utility supply contracts to keep the Everett Marine Terminal LNG import facility operating until 2030.
Jon Lamson, NetZero Insider
April 21, 2024

» US seeing rise in climate-related power outages, report says
Power outages in the US are rising, as climate-related extreme weather strain an already burdened energy grid. Over the last decade, severe storm outages increased by 74% compared with the previous 10 years.
Aliya Uteuova, The Guardian
April 24, 2024

» In ‘The People vs. Citi,’ Climate Leaders Demand Citibank End Its Fossil Fuel Financing
Advocates from across the Americas hosted a mock hearing to call out Citibank’s fossil fuel financing, kicking off a week of protests targeting Wall Street’s climate impacts.
Keerti Gopal, Inside Climate News
April 24, 2024

» With the clean energy transition, low-income communities fear they’ll be saddled with big infrastructure projects, again
More than 80 percent of existing energy infrastructure sits in neighborhoods that are low-income and/or have a high percentage of people of color, a report finds
Sabrina Shankman, Boston Globe
April 17, 2024

» Climate change may cost $38 trillion a year by 2049
The study finds the world economy is already headed for a loss of 19% of income per capita around the globe within the next 26 years due to historical emissions that will continue to warm the planet.
Andrew Freedman, Axios
April 18, 2024

» New Gas Peaker Plants Can Produce More Emissions than Older, Less Efficient Units
New gas peaker plants can actually produce more climate pollution than older units that are used less frequently, concludes a U.S. study that looked at battery energy storage systems (BESS) as a cheap, clean alternative to fossil fuels on the power grid.
Christopher Bonasia, Energy Mix
April 18, 2024

» Democratic bill mandates FERC interconnection reforms to bring new resources online faster
The bill would help bring new power supply online to address surging demand growth and increasing grid reliability concerns, according to the R Street Institute’s Devin Hartman.
Ethan Howland, Utility Dive
April 18, 2024

» VPPs, other advanced technologies could each expand existing US grid capacity 20-100 GW
Separately, AES and LineVision released a case study showing how using dynamic line ratings increased capacity on power lines in Indiana and Ohio.
Ethan Howland, Utility Dive
April 16, 2024

» Illinois gives $1.6 million boost to justice-focused community solar projects
Backers see the projects as a key tool to expand economic opportunities to BIPOC communities while supporting the growth of clean energy in the Chicago area
Audrey Henderson, Energy NEws Network
April 16, 2024

» Columbia Law report rebuts 33 ‘most pervasive false claims’ about solar, wind, EVs
The report from the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law rebuts common claims regarding renewable energy’s dependency on subsidies and its potential harms to people or wildlife.
Diana DiGangi, Utility Dive
April 8, 2024

» The U.S. Urgently Needs a Bigger Grid. Here’s a Fast Solution.
A rarely used technique to upgrade old power lines could play a big role in fixing one of the largest obstacles facing clean energy, two reports found.
Brad Plumer, New York Times
April 14, 2024

» Groundbreaking at New Elementary School Ushers in Town’s First Net-zero Building
About one hundred people attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the new elementary school at Fort River. The event was emceed by Town Manager Paul Bockelman who hailed the project as “good for education, good for the environment, and good for operating costs”.
Maria Kopicki, AmherstINDY
March 29, 2024

» A Highway in Indiana Could One Day Charge Your EV While You’re Driving It
Construction of the pilot project on U.S. Highway 52 began this month. State officials hope it can help quell range anxiety and electrify long-haul trucks.
Kristoffer Tigue, Inside Climate News
April 15, 2024

» Heat-trapping carbon dioxide and methane levels in the air last year spiked to record highs again
Carbon dioxide, the most important and abundant of the greenhouse gases caused by humans, rose in 2023 by the third highest amount in 65 years of record keeping, NOAA announced Friday. Scientists are also worried about the rapid rise in atmospheric levels of methane, a shorter-lived but more potent heat-trapping gas.
Seth Borenstein, AP
April 5, 2024

» 80% of CO2 emissions following Paris Agreement linked to 57 companies: report
Most of the surveyed companies increased their fossil fuel production in the seven years following the climate accord, according to the Carbon Majors study.
Zoya Mirza, ESG Dive
April 8, 2024

» Reconductoring US power lines could quadruple new transmission capacity by 2035
Replacing power lines with advanced conductors would enable 90% clean electricity by 2035, according to a Goldman School and GridLab report.
Ethan Howland, Utility Dive
April 9, 2024

» Advanced transmission cable projects still on the sidelines
The conductors are less vulnerable to overheating and could move more energy across the U.S. electricity system, according to studies.
Peter Behr, E&E News
April 10, 2024

» Protesters slam gas group’s use of customers’ money to thwart climate efforts
A group of advocates and Democratic senators gathered in Washington DC on Tuesday to decry utilities’ practice of spending customers’ money to advance a pro-fossil fuel agenda.
Dharna Noor, The Guardian
April 10, 2024

» Thinking globally and acting locally, Williamstown charts its net-zero goals
When the future of the national climate struggle seems to hang precariously on a presidential election, now more than ever state and local actions are essential. Here is how one Berkshire community is responding.
Lauren R. Stevens, Berkshire Eagle
April 11, 2024

» Grid interconnection queues jumped 27% to 2.6 TW in 2023, led by solar, storage
Solar, battery and wind projects make up 95% of the capacity in interconnection queues, according to the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Ethan Howland, Utility Dive
April 11, 2024

» Should Big Oil Be Tried for Homicide?
A group of activists and legal experts are promoting the argument that fossil fuel companies should be charged for homicide and other crimes for their roles in driving climate harms.
Nicholas Kusnetz, Inside Climate News
April 4, 2024

» After a year of climate records, CT lawmakers push for action: 'We're just running out of time'
With just a month left in Connecticut’s legislative session and the failure to pass major climate legislation last year still fresh, lawmakers are advocating for a wide-ranging proposal to combat climate change.
Michayla Savitt, Connecticut Public Radio
April 4, 2024

» Interior approves 2 wind farms for Massachusetts coast
Offshore wind development is critical to the Biden administration’s clean energy push.
Heather Richards, E&E News
April 2, 2024

» New York State Legislature Votes to Ban CO2 Fracking, Closing a Decade-Old Loophole in State Law
The vote is a new win for the state’s anti-fracking movement, which sees the novel process as a way to skirt a ban it pushed through ten years ago, and heads off a Texas-based company that says it would produce net-zero natural gas and sequester carbon dioxide.
Keerti Gopal, Inside Climate News
March 22, 2024

» With States Leading on Climate Policy, New Tools Peer Into Lobbying ‘Black Box’
Separate efforts by Brown University researchers and OpenSecrets allow searches of who’s influencing state lawmakers. Less than half of states make lobbying information accessible for analysis.
Marianne Lavelle, Inside Climate News
April 2, 2024

» International Court Issues First-Ever Decision Enforcing the Right to a Healthy Environment
The landmark ruling from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights will have far reaching implications for communities affected by extreme pollution.
Katie Surma, Inside Climate News
March 29, 2024

» Department of Energy releases blueprint for reducing building emissions
The department says in a nonbinding document that the guidelines could reduce nationwide emissions by 65% by 2035 and 90% by 2050.
Nolan Stout, Courthouse News Service
April 2, 2024

» How big-box stores and schools can help marginalized communities go solar
Installing solar arrays on commercial and public buildings could bring renewable energy to two-thirds of the nation's disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Sachi Kitajima Mulkey, Grist
April 4, 2024

» Everett LNG Contracts Face Skepticism in DPU Proceedings
Proposed gas supply agreements between Constellation Energy and Massachusetts gas utilities that would keep the Everett Marine Terminal operating through 2030 are facing significant pushback from environmental organizations and the state Attorney General’s Office in time-constrained proceedings at the Department of Public Utilities.
Jon Lamson, RTO Insider
April 3, 2024

» 'Troublemakers' Block Amazon HQ Over Plan to Link Data Centers With Gas Pipeline
"Amazon is breaking its Climate Pledge by powering new data centers with fracked gas," said one member of the new activist group. "So we came to demand that they honor the pledge."
Brett Wilkins, Common Dreams
March 27, 2024

» Our Primary Fossil Fuel Regulator Must Consider Environmental Impacts
We are challenging fossil fuel infrastructure approvals without adequate review of climate change impacts. In the face of the climate crisis, FERC can no longer ignore the widespread impacts of continued fossil fuel reliance.
Erin Doran, Food & Water Watch
March 27, 2024

» Senators press FERC nominees on climate, natural gas, transmission cost allocation
Republicans on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee focused on the issue of fuel neutrality and whether the nominees would uphold it.
Diana DiGangi, Utility Dive
March 25, 2024

» To chart its transition away from gas, Massachusetts launches energy transformation office
Headed by a former National Grid executive, the office will convene a task force with representatives from utilities, municipalities, business, labor and the supply chain industry.
Ysabelle Kempe, Utility Dive
March 25, 2024

» Chairs of divided energy committee call a truce
The House and Senate chairs of the Legislature’s energy committee, once so divided that they split the panel in two and held hearings separately, have worked out a truce in a bid to pass climate change and energy legislation this session.
Bruce Mohl, Commonwealth Beacon
March 26, 2024

» Biden's "hush-hush" oil boom
The Biden administration's environmental crowd-pleasing crusade against carbon emissions is obscuring a very inconvenient truth about U.S. energy policy: oil and gas production are way up.
Javier E. David, Axios
March 26, 2024

» LNG exports will not deliver long-term energy security, but long-duration energy storage will
Energy security concerns are very real, but jumping into a ‘dash for gas’ would be a mistake, and LNG is not the answer, writes Eric Dresselhuys, CEO of ESS Inc.
Eric Dresselhuys, Energy Storage News
March 27, 2024

» US saw $4B in clean energy investments in February
Projects in sectors like batteries and solar panels will create 4,400 jobs across 11 states.
Joelle Anselmo, Utility Dive
March 18, 2024

» Hydrogen could compete with natural gas by 2030, but there’s a catch
Satisfying demand for green hydrogen would require about 700 GW of new renewable energy, according to The Brattle Group.
Emma Penrod, Utility Dive
March 15, 2024

» After laying out a bold vision to transition to green energy, state creates a new office to implement the plan
But with a big job and just a small staff, advocates question whether the new office is set up for success
Sabrina Shankman, Boston Globe
March 15, 2024

» Four ways virtual power plants can help the US grid keep up with demand
States are starting to experiment with VPPs to boost clean energy capacity on America’s overtaxed grid. Experts broke it down at SXSW in Austin.
Maria Gallucci, Canary Media
March 13, 2024

» US energy industry methane emissions are triple what government thinks, study finds
But because more than half of these methane emissions are coming from a tiny number of oil and gas sites, 1% or less, this means the problem is both worse than the government thought but also fairly fixable, said the lead author of a study in Wednesday’s journal Nature.
Seth Borenstein, AP
March 13, 2024

» New study quantifies health impacts from oil and gas flaring in US
A new study finds that pollution from oil and gas venting and flaring results in $7.4 billion in health damages, more than 700 premature deaths, and 73,000 asthma exacerbations among children annually.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
March 12, 2024

» How Much Money Do CO2 Pipeline Companies Stand to Make From the Inflation Reduction Act?
Summit Carbon Solutions, whose proposed pipeline in the Midwest would be the largest of its kind globally, could qualify for more than $10 billion in federal tax credits alone.
Nicholas Kusnetz, Kristoffer Tigue, Inside Climate News
March 5, 2024

» R.I. Sees Rise in Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Power Plants
Greenhouse gas emissions from Rhode Island’s five natural gas-fired power plants are on the rise.
By Rob Smith, ecoRI
March 5, 2024

» State lawmakers seek to curb utility spending on politics, ads
Utilities in many states can use ratepayer money to pay for lobbying, goodwill advertising, and other costs, fueling calls to rein in the spending.
By Robert Zullo, Energy News Network
March 1, 2024

» Cheap, clean energy could unleash the power of thermal storage
A growing crop of startups plans to use heat and rocks to tackle some of the hardest decarbonization problems, from chemical production to long-term grid storage.
By Eric Wesoff, Canary Media
February 29, 2024

» Report: Electrothermal energy storage can yield consistent renewable electricity for industry
ETES’ unique combination of heat electrification and storage can rebalance electricity demands — and help industry decarbonize to boot.
By Phoebe Skok, Latitude Media
February 26, 2024

» This new technology could kill the business case for hydrogen in green steel production
Molten oxide electrolysis may prove to be a cheaper option than direct iron reduction — if start-up Boston Metal can demonstrate it works at scale.
By Leigh Collins, Hydrogen Insight
March 7, 2024

» ExxonMobil forges ahead with lawsuit against ESG investors
The true goal of Exxon’s legal attack is preventing shareholders from voting on its greenhouse gas emissions.
By Lamar Johnson, ESG Dive
February 27, 2024

» New Research from Antarctica Affirms the Threat of the ‘Doomsday Glacier
In a worst case scenario, rising global temperatures and marine heatwaves could melt enough of the Thwaites Glacier and other Antarctic ice to raise sea levels 10 feet by the early 2100s.
By Bob Berwyn, Inside Climate News
February 26, 2024

» What to know about the 3 FERC nominees
President Joe Biden’s announcement could bring the agency back to five members as it weighs gas projects and major electricity rules.
By JCarlos Anchondo, Nico Portuond, Colm Quinn, E&E News
March 1, 2024

» Reality Check: US Natural Gas Is Not a “Cleaner” Alternative Fuel
Until we fix a leaky supply chain, US liquified natural gas comes with a major climate risk.
By John Coequyt, Deborah Gordon, Shannon Hughes, Colm Quinn, RMI
February 27, 2024

» Where Black Communities Fit into America’s Energy Transition
Black people bear an unfair share of harm from climate pollution. The United States — and the world — must do better. The damaging effects of a warming world are not evenly shared, and that imbalance underscores how climate and history are impossible to disentangle.
By Nydia Bryan Martinez, RMI
February 28, 2024

» Biden’s EPA postponing major piece of power plant climate rule
The Biden administration is poised to split up one of its most important climate rules by delaying final action on the nation’s approximately 2,000 gas-fired power plants — a move that could push a major part of the president’s fight against global warming until after the November election.
By Jean Chemnick, E&E News
February 29, 2024

» Biden nominates 3 FERC commissioners
“A fully-seated, bipartisan FERC provides more opportunity for advancing long-lasting, sensible energy infrastructure policy,” Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., said.
By Ethan Howland, Utility Dive
February 29, 2024

» Young People Arrested at Biden’s Campaign Headquarters Call for Climate Action and a Ceasefire
The youth-led Sunrise Movement warns Biden that he’ll lose the votes of the young people he needs to win the presidency without decisive action on global warming and Gaza.
By Keerti Gopal, Inside Climate News
February 20, 2024

» New York pension fund to divest $26.8M from 8 oil companies, including ExxonMobil
The state pension fund has also set a new goal to commit $40 billion to sustainable investments and climate solutions by 2035.
By Zoya Mirza, ESGDive
February 20, 2024

» Burrillville Group Wants Algonquin Pipeline Station Shut Down
Environmental groups are on alert and in lockstep opposition to a Canadian multinational corporation seeking to continue its energy business in Rhode Island.
By Rob Smith, ecoRI
February 26, 2024

» Over 1.8GW of energy storage clears in ISO New England’s latest Forward Capacity Auction
Results of the 18^th Forward Capacity Auction (FCA) held by ISO New England have been filed, with energy storage’s participation having soared in recent years.
By Andy Colthorpe, Energy Storage News
February 26, 2024

» Massachusetts lawmakers urged to adopt “million solar roofs” equivalent
In California, Governor Schwarzenegger’s million solar roofs initiative spurred the nation’s largest small-scale solar market. Environment America created a petition to support a 10 GW buildout of solar in Massachusetts to preserve its forests and other lands.
By Ryan Kennedy, PV Magazine
February 27, 2024

» Massachusetts order to boost distributed solar could be model for other states
New rules expand net metering to government facilities, exempt certain users from program generation caps and enable net metering transfer credits between utility territories and ISO-NE load zones.
By Brian Martucci, Utility Dive
February 21, 2024

» The evolving BESS market in 2024: A key year for safety, new technologies, and long-duration energy storage
2023 was another blockbuster year for battery energy storage systems (BESS), with major deployments and easing supply chain issues marking a year of growth for BESS, albeit with safety concerns continuing to grab headlines.
By Dr. Matthias Simolka, Energy Storage News
February 19, 2024

» How much will the clean energy transition cost? Not as much as you think, one analysis says
Yes, transitioning to clean energy will cost money—but estimates of just how much aren’t accounting for the savings of using fewer fossil fuels, according to a new report.
By Dan Gearino, Fast Company
February 24, 2024

» Utilities pursue contracts with Everett LNG terminal
National Grid is seeking state approval to purchase liquefied natural gas from the Everett Marine Terminal over the next six years, a supply arrangement that will drive up the bill of a typical gas customer during winter months by an average of nearly 1 percent a year.
By Bruce Mohl, Commonwealth Beacon
February 12, 2024

» The New Particulate Standard and the Courts
The tough new air quality standard is sure to be challenged in court. Winning the challenges will be tougher. 
By Dan Farber, Legal Planet
February 12, 2024

» Constellation Reaches Agreements to Keep Everett LNG Terminal Open
Eversource and National Grid have reached agreements with Constellation to keep the Everett Marine Terminal (EMT) open for six more years, pending approval from the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU). The gas utilities said the contracts would boost the reliability of their distribution systems and help meet winter gas demand. 
By Jon Lamson, RTO Insider
February 13, 2024

» Bad River Band and Enbridge offer oral arguments in Line 5 shutdown appeal
Representatives of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and Canadian pipeline company Enbridge Inc. gave their oral arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago on the case appealing the shutdown of Enbridge’s controversial Line 5 pipeline. 
By Kyle Davidson, Michigan Advance
February 12, 2024

» Will New York State Divest From Big Oil?
The manager of the state’s largest pension fund is expected to decide soon whether to sell shares in Exxon, Chevron and other major oil companies.
By Nicholas Kusnetz, Inside Climate News
February 13, 2024

» ‘A Dream Deferred:’ 30 Years of U.S. Environmental Justice in Port Arthur, Texas
On the 30th anniversary of the first presidential executive order on environmental justice, a report from the fencelines in the booming Southeast Texas petrochemical corridor.
By James Bruggers, Inside Climate News
February 11, 2024

» Extreme Climate Impacts From Collapse of a Key Atlantic Ocean Current Could be Worse Than Expected, a New Study Warns
Disruption of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Current could freeze Europe, scorch the tropics and increase sea level rise in the North Atlantic. The tipping point may be closer than predicted in the IPCC’s latest assessment.
By Bob Berwyn, Inside Climate News
February 9, 2024

» How a Climate Group That Has Made Chaos Its Brand Got the White House’s Ear
In less than a year, Climate Defiance has drawn the admiration of activists and the ire of government leaders and CEOs. It may be a sign of an appetite among activists for more peaceful but confrontational direct action.
By Keerti Gopal, Inside Climate News
February 11, 2024

» ISO New England proposes capacity market changes, further 2-year delay for upcoming auction
Moving to a “prompt/seasonal” model of procuring energy resource commitments would better reflect changing demand and available supply, the New England grid operator said.
By Robert Walton, Utility Dive
February 13, 2024

» World's first year-long breach of key 1.5C warming limit
World leaders promised in 2015 to try to limit the long-term temperature rise to 1.5C, which is seen as crucial to help avoid the most damaging impacts.
By Mark Poynting, BBC News
February 8, 2024

» More questions than answers after Massachusetts order to transition from natural gas
Utility companies, lawmakers, and state regulators still have to figure out how they will follow through on the order that requires gas and electric utilities to coordinate on electrification.
By Sarah Shemkus, Energy News Network
February 5, 2024

» Utility opposition stymies Fair Access to Community Solar Act in Washington
Legislators in Washington State were hoping to boost the state’s community solar program with bills that would establish The Fair Access to Community Solar Act; however, supporters will have to wait another year.
By Anne Fischer, PV Magazine
February 2, 2024

» Willow opponents try again, this time in a U.S. appeals court, to block ConocoPhillips oil development in Alaska
ConocoPhillips has already begun to develop its Willow oil leases in the western Arctic, but environmental organizations and a group of Inupiat people opposed to the project are still trying to stop it.
By Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media
February 5, 2024

» Tribal lawsuits threaten Biden’s clean energy push
Just weeks after a federal judge took the rare step of ordering the removal of a commercial wind farm on Osage Nation land, a tribe in the Great Lakes region Thursday will make its case that a separate court should shutter an oil conduit that travels through Chippewa reservation land near Lake Superior.
By Nina H. Farah, Energy Wire
February 8, 2024

» A Year Before Biden’s First Term Ends, Environmental Regulators Rush to Aid Disinvested Communities
The EPA wants to get the funds to environmental justice communities before the election in keeping with President Biden’s promise to address historic injustices.
By Aman Azhar, Inside Climate News
February 6, 2024

» FERC approves ISO-NE day-ahead reserve initiative, in boost to flexible resources
The plan will provide increased revenue to flexible resources like energy storage that can provide reserves to meet any unexpected real-time power supply needs.
By Ethan Howland, Utility Dive
February 5, 2024

» Nine states pledge to boost heat pumps to 90% of home equipment sales by 2040
An agreement between state environmental agencies in the Northeast and West seeks to make high-efficiency electric technology the norm in residential space heating and cooling and water heating.
By Annie Ropeik, Energy News Network
February 7, 2024

» Mass. Gas Working Group Finalizes Recommendations to Legislature
The Massachusetts Gas System Enhancement Plan (GSEP) Working Group submitted its final report to the state Legislature at the end of January, providing a series of recommendations on aligning the state’s efforts to replace leak-prone pipes with its climate mandates. 
By Jon Lamson, RTO Insider
February 6, 2024

» New York governor’s working group on BESS safety recommends changes to state Fire Code
The New York State Inter-Agency Fire Safety Working Group has recommended changing the state fire code to better manage risks associated with battery storage systems installed in the US state.
By Andy Colthorpe, Energy Storage News
February 7, 2024

» Ignoring Indigenous rights is making the green transition more expensive
“If you’re going to develop energy in the U.S. you’ve got to do it with the support of tribal communities."
By Anita Hofschneider, Grist
February 2, 2024

» Environmentalists demand Northeast governors oppose gas pipeline expansion project
A multistate coalition of over 90 environmental organizations is demanding that the governors of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New York publicly oppose a proposal to expand a major natural gas pipeline in the Northeast.
By Miriam Wasser, WBUR
January 25, 2024

» NEPOOL Nears a Vote on Order 2023 Compliance
ISO-NE reviewed changes to its Order 2023 compliance redlines with stakeholders at the NEPOOL Transmission Committee (TC) on Jan. 23 as the committee prepares for a vote on compliance in February. Multiple clean energy organizations, meanwhile, proposed compliance amendments.
By Jon Lamson, RTO Insider
January 24, 2024

» Advocates urge Governor Healey to oppose major gas expansion proposal
A coalition of climate advocates is calling on Governor Maura Healey to oppose the proposed expansion of a gas pipeline, called “Project Maple,” which they say would hurt front-line communities and worsen the climate crisis.
By Sabrina Shankman, Boston Globe
January 25, 2024

» Communities trying to take over their local electric utility
Activists say public power would lower bills and expand clean energy. But they face tough opposition from investor-owned utilities.
By Akielly Hu, Grist
January 25, 2024

» Mass. Lawmakers Aiming for an Omnibus Climate Bill in 2024
Top legislators in Massachusetts this year hope to pass a major climate and energy bill, which could bring significant permitting and siting reform, and boost transportation and heating electrification.
By Jon Lamson, RTO Insider
January 15, 2024

» Two large offshore wind sites are sending power to the US grid for the first time
The joint owners of the Vineyard Wind project, Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, announced Wednesday the first electricity from one turbine at what will be a 62-turbine wind farm 15 miles (24 kilometers) off the coast of Massachusetts.
By Jennifer McDermott, Associated Press
January 3, 2024

» Puget Sound Energy, Form Energy explore 10-MW, 100-hour iron-air battery pilot
Multiday storage technology can offset the need for additional generation resources used only during times of high demand, a utility spokesperson said.
By Kavya Balaraman, Utility Dive
January 9, 2024

» Gas plants ‘disproportionately vulnerable to failure,’ warns Union of Concerned Scientists report
Extreme temperatures threaten gas plants and electric reliability, particularly in regions where grid operators use simple methods to account for resource contributions, according to UCS.
By Robert Walton, Utility Dive
January 9, 2024

» Activists warn of health, climate risks of gas pipeline
“The science is very clear that we need to be rapidly moving off of fossil fuel infrastructure. But instead here we are expanding it in a way that prolongs our reliance,” Wazer said. “I want them to know that young folks are watching and this is our future that they’re deciding whether or not to sacrifice in the name of profit.”
By Alison Cross, Hartford Courant
January 12, 2024

» Yes, wind turbines kill birds. But fracking is much worse
Wind energy development has no statistically significant effect on bird counts, or on the diversity of avian species. Fracking, on the other hand, does have an impact. The drilling of shale oil and gas wells reduces the total number of birds counted by 15%.
By Sammy Roth, LA Times
January 11, 2024

» Pioneering 565-MWh battery storage facility now online in Hawai’i
“This is the first time a standalone battery site has provided grid-forming services at this scale,” Mike Snyder, senior director, Tesla Megapack, said.
By Kavya Balaraman, Utility Dive
January 16, 2024

» Puget Sound Energy, Form Energy explore 10-MW, 100-hour iron-air battery pilot
By far the least expensive and least polluting option is to get around on foot, bike, or public transit. But if you need a personal vehicle, EVs cost less to drive compared to a similar gasoline-powered vehicle, and they also emit less carbon pollution.
By Karin Kirk, Yale Climate Connections
January 8, 2024

» Gasoline is cheap right now — but charging an EV is still cheaper
By far the least expensive and least polluting option is to get around on foot, bike, or public transit. But if you need a personal vehicle, EVs cost less to drive compared to a similar gasoline-powered vehicle, and they also emit less carbon pollution.
By Karin Kirk, Yale Climate Connections
January 8, 2024

» Plan for Gas Drilling Spree in New York’s Southern Tier Draws Outrage From Green Groups
To get around New York’s fracking ban, the plan would use fluid carbon dioxide instead of water to extract methane from shale formations, with the CO2 remaining sequestered underground. One environmental activist called it “a crazy idea.”
By Peter Mantius, Inside Climate News
January 11, 2024

» Gaza War Fuels Climate Crisis: “Massive” Carbon Emissions from Israeli Bombing
In an exclusive story this week, The Guardian's climate justice reporter Nina Lakhani revealed that “The planet-warming emissions generated during the first two months of the war in Gaza were greater than the annual carbon footprint of more than 20 of the world's most climate-vulnerable nations.”
By Nermeen Shaikh, Democracy Now
January 11, 2024

» Vineyard Wind, country’s first large-scale offshore wind project, is producing clean electricity
The Vineyard Wind project achieved “first power” late Tuesday when one operating turbine near Martha’s Vineyard delivered approximately five megawatts of electricity to the grid. The company said it expects to have five turbines operating at full capacity in early 2024.
By Miriam Wasser, WBUR
January 3, 2024

» The List of EVs That Qualify for a $7,500 Tax Credit in 2024
While fewer vehicles qualify for the full credit than before, there are still savings to be had on new, leased and used EVs.
By Dan Gearino, Inside Climate News
January 4, 2024

» Ireland Could Become the Next Nation to Recognize the Rights of Nature and a Human Right to a Clean Environment
The move to enshrine those rights is part of a flurry of developments advancing the rights of nature movement this year.
By Katie Surma, Inside Climate News
January 1, 2024

» Major Changes Ahead for ISO-NE in 2024
As the climate consequences of fossil fuel consumption accelerate, the RTO is tasked with balancing the competing objectives of grid reliability and decarbonization, while keeping costs affordable for ratepayers. The proliferation of weather-dependent renewable resources accompanied by load growth from electrification poses novel challenges to the region.
By Jon Lamson, RTO Insider
January 3, 2024