Plugging In

Energy and the Environment

Mass. Clean Energy Center needs more funding

Without more money, climate change efforts jeopardized

By Peter Rothstein, Emily Reichert, Robert Rio and Elizabeth Turnbull Henry Electricity, State Government 0 Comments Jan 11, 2020

OVER 111,000 PEOPLE WORK in Massachusetts’ dynamic clean energy economy, due to a powerful combination of leading policies, strong talent, and key institutions. At the center of this dynamic industry is the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC). Founded by the Green Jobs Act legislation in 2008, this quasi-public agency’s mission is to put public renewable energy trust(...)

Fishermen, wind farm developers at odds

Battling over size of navigation lanes for fishing vessels

By Bruce Mohl Electricity, Energy 0 Comments Jan 7, 2020

A GROUP REPRESENTING New England fishing interests on Tuesday called for special travel lanes through offshore wind farms proposed off the coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, putting the fishermen at odds with wind farm developers who want to retain as much space as possible for their turbines. The Responsible Offshore Development Alliance called for(...)

Offshore wind tax credit doesn’t make cut

Pulled from federal legislation at request of White House

By Colin A. Young Energy 0 Comments Dec 18, 2019

STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE CLIMATE ADVOCATES and industry groups were critical of the US House this week after a long-term extension of a tax credit designed to assist offshore wind energy developers did not come to pass as part of spending bills, but some wind watchers said offshore projects might still be able to claim(...)

Healey seeks DPU crackdown on electricity sellers

Says industry targets low-income ratepayers, harms everyone

By Bruce Mohl 0 Comments Dec 18, 2019

ATTORNEY GENERAL MAURA HEALEY is asking the state Department of Public Utilities to investigate whether competitive electricity suppliers are charging low-income customers unreasonably high rates and whether those higher charges are driving up the utility bills of all ratepayers. Healey’s office has conducted two studies suggesting consumers who sign up with competitive electricity suppliers pay(...)

Healey takes on grid operator

Says rules favor dirty energy sources.

By Bruce Mohl Attorney General Maura Healey, Electricity, Energy 0 Comments Dec 12, 2019

ATTORNEY GENERAL MAURA HEALEY, backed by the Barr Foundation, is launching a campaign to convince the operator of the regional power grid to embrace renewables and move away from electricity produced using fossil fuels. Healey on Thursday invited Massachusetts residents to watch an explainer video and sign a petition urging the region’s grid operator, ISO(...)

Save the planet and money at the same time

Renewables now; natural gas is not a bridge fuel

By Joseph Curtatone Electricity, Energy 0 Comments Dec 12, 2019

THE AMERICAN OIL AND GAS industry spends a fortune trying to convince us that renewable, clean power sources like wind, solar, and geothermal are still unreliable and expensive. As mayor of a city on the front lines of negotiating for the energy needed to serve a growing local economy, I am here to tell you(...)

BU building big milestone in carbon neutrality

Computing center uses 100% renewable energy

By Martin J. Walsh and Bob Brown Energy, Marty Walsh 0 Comments Dec 7, 2019

THIS WEEK, we broke ground on the most energy efficient large building in Boston’s history. Boston University’s new Center for Computing and Data Sciences is a milestone achievement for green architecture, and it’s exactly the kind of project that will help us achieve our commitment to make our entire city carbon neutral by 2050. Boston(...)

Democratize access to clean energy

Solar benefits should be available in all communities

By Alex Morse and Thomas Ambrosino Electricity, Energy 0 Comments Nov 29, 2019

THIS FALL, millions of young people mobilized across the world to demand action on climate change. The international day of action, seen in Massachusetts outside city and town halls from Boston, to the Pioneer Valley to the South Coast, called for more than just global carbon reductions.   Here in the Bay State, marchers demanded action from(...)

RI official applauds wind farm layout announcement

Says Vineyard Wind agreeing to plan it rejected nearly 2 years ago

By Bruce Mohl Electricity, Energy 0 Comments Nov 20, 2019

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council applauded Vineyard Wind and four other companies for agreeing to a common layout for their New England offshore wind farms, but he said the configuration the firms are proposing is exactly what his agency pressed Vineyard Wind to adopt nearly two years ago. Grover(...)

5 offshore wind firms agree to standard configuration

Vineyard Wind suggests its earlier approach needs revision

By Bruce Mohl Electricity, Energy 0 Comments Nov 19, 2019

IN A BID to get offshore wind development back on track, Vineyard Wind and the four other companies seeking to build wind farms off the coast of New England have agreed to a standard configuration for their projects. The agreement seeks to address what appeared to be one of the chief concerns of federal regulators,(...)