Plugging In

Energy and the Environment

Feds: Vineyard Wind review window ends in 2020

Will environmental evaluation jeopardize tight construction timetable?

By Bruce Mohl Electricity, Energy 0 Comments Jul 11, 2019

THE FEDERAL AGENCY evaluating the environmental impact of Vineyard Wind provided no explanation for its decision to extend the time period for review beyond Friday, but noted it has until March 2020 to complete its work, several months after the offshore wind developer had planned to begin construction. Stephen Boutwell, a spokesman for the Bureau(...)

Unsettling news for Vineyard Wind

Feds put off key environmental decision with no explanation

By Bruce Mohl Electricity, Energy, Vineyard Wind 0 Comments Jul 10, 2019

VINEYARD WIND, the company seeking to build a large wind farm off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, faced some uncertainty on Wednesday after federal regulators said they wouldn’t be taking action Friday on a key environmental approval as had been expected. The company posted a statement on its website downplaying the significance of the action,(...)

Don’t end competitive electricity market

Despite Healey concerns, consumers have benefited

By Daniel Allegretti Electricity, Energy 0 Comments Jul 4, 2019

IN 1998, MASSACHUSETTS made the groundbreaking decision to deregulated the electricity industry – declaring for themselves that they should have the right to choose their electric supplier. Now, more than two decades later, despite the will of the voters declared all those years ago, legislation has been proposed aimed at putting an end to the(...)

Despite emissions concerns, Hydro-Quebec contracts OK’d

DPU rejects criticism from Healey, enviros, power generators

By Bruce Mohl Electricity, Energy 0 Comments Jun 25, 2019

THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES on Tuesday approved massive hydro-electricity contracts between the state’s three utilities and Hydro-Quebec, rejecting arguments from a broad range of skeptics questioning the environmental benefits of the deal. The hydro-electricity will be produced in Quebec and shipped across the border into Maine, where a transmission line built by Central(...)

Perfect port an elusive goal for East Coast offshore wind

Industry urges regional collaboration

By Andy Metzger Brayton Point, New Bedford, Offshore Wind, port infrastructure, Vineyard Wind 0 Comments Jun 10, 2019

NORTHEAST SEAPORTS ARE inadequate to meet the needs of the offshore wind industry, and ideas for filling that gap could create tension between the sometimes competing goals of those overseeing the burgeoning sector. “Developers have studied all the ports up and down the East Coast several times now. What we’re really looking for is large(...)

Hydro power is good, but safeguards needed

We need to verify that imports actually reduce emissions

By Amy Boyd and Deborah Donovan Electricity, Energy 0 Comments Jun 8, 2019

MASSACHUSETTS IS ON THE FRONT LINES of the climate crisis. Residents are already grappling with the effects of a changing climate on the coasts and in our communities. In response to this growing threat, Massachusetts law requires that the state reduce emissions 80 percent by 2050, and Massachusetts has taken action to reduce climate pollution(...)

State: New toxins data don’t change stance on Weymouth gas facility

Hearing on compressor station scheduled to resume next week

By Chris Lisinski Energy 0 Comments Jun 7, 2019

STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE DESPITE CONCEDING that a handful of samples showed concentrations of toxins above standard limits, state regulators believe a new batch of air-quality data does not change the conclusions that greenlit a controversial proposed natural gas compressor station. Both the Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Public Health reviewed the new(...)

Crowd-sourcing energy efficiency

Eversource offers customers incentive payments to tap into home, business devices

By Bruce Mohl Electricity, Energy 0 Comments Jun 5, 2019

EVERSOURCE ENERGY on Wednesday began offering businesses and homeowners incentive payments ranging from $20 to $1,000 a year if they allow the company to tap into devices that would allow the utility to remotely retrieve electricity stored by customers or lower their energy usage at peak demand periods. Developed as part of the state’s $2.8(...)

Debunking the fracked gas fairy tale

Fuel is as dirty as coal and extremely dangerous

By Emily Norton Energy 0 Comments Jun 5, 2019

IN APRIL, Tom Andrews wrote an opinion piece that appeared in CommonWealth calling for more fracked gas energy, claiming it “plays a critical role when it comes to cost and emissions reductions” and that energy demand is “skyrocketing.” He is wrong on all counts. We’ll start with energy demand. ISO – New England, the organization(...)

Mass. to double offshore wind procurements

State bullish on wind, but long-term contracts raise risks

By Bruce Mohl Charlie Baker, Electricity, Energy 0 Comments May 31, 2019

THE BAKER ADMINISTRATION is pushing ahead with plans to double the procurement of offshore wind power over the next several years, a move that will increase wind’s share of the state’s energy portfolio to 30 percent while locking Massachusetts into long-term contracts for nearly two thirds of its electricity. The announcement was another sign of(...)