Northeast Energy News

Companies bid to supply offshore wind power to New York

By

WIND: Five companies submit bids to supply offshore wind power to New York state, which is seeking to add 2,400 MW of capacity by 2030. (Reuters)

ALSO:
• A town at the eastern end of Long Island agrees to let wind developer Ørsted conduct archaeological and soil tests along a proposed cable route, which would service a 15-turbine wind farm planned 35 miles off the coast. (The East Hampton Star)
• Sources say Vineyard Wind is reaching out to lenders for an estimated $2.15 billion to build an 800 MW wind farm off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. (The Bond Buyer)
• Cape Cod residents question a draft environmental report for the Vineyard Wind project during a public meeting and voice concerns about the project’s impact on the fishing industry. (Cape Cod Times)

***SPONSORED LINK: Connect with leading policymakers and utility executives at the 22nd Annual Transmission Summit East, March 5-7 in Arlington, VA.

Northeast Energy News

Pennsylvania report outlines benefits of electric vehicles

By

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Pennsylvania would see $2.8 billion in benefits if just 30 percent of vehicles there were electric, according to a new “electric vehicle roadmap” that recommends 13 strategies to increase the use of zero-emission vehicles in the state. (Bucks Local News)
• Maryland will spend its $75.7 million share of the Volkswagen emissions settlement on efforts to electrify transportation and replace diesel transit buses with cleaner vehicles. (WAMU)

WIND: Residents are fighting plans for a 47-turbine wind farm in western New York, saying it will change the feel of their quiet community. (Investigative Post)

***SPONSORED LINK: Connect with leading policymakers and utility executives at the 22nd Annual Transmission Summit East, March 5-7 in Arlington, VA. The summit will provide a window into the policy, regulatory and changing operational realities facing the industry in a new energy paradigm.

Northeast Energy News

Report maps path to 80 percent clean energy

By

RENEWABLES: Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont can redirect $8.2 billion spent annually on importing fossil fuels to achieve 80 percent clean energy across the region, according to a new report. (Portland Press Herald)   

SOLAR:
• A New York official says the state is trying to get Tesla and Panasonic to diversify the products they make at a massive Buffalo solar plant, which is struggling to meet job goals. (The Buffalo News)
• Connecticut saw a slight increase in solar jobs last year, while New Hampshire lost 261 jobs, according to an annual census. (Hartford Business Journal, New Hampshire Union Leader)
• If Sunrun succeeds with plans to roll out a network of 5,000 solar- and battery-equipped homes in New England, it could become a model for other solar developers across the country. (The Republican)
• A rapid transit system that runs between Philadelphia and parts of New Jersey plans to install thousands of solar canopies in its parking lots.

Northeast Energy News

Auction results in big boost for solar in New England

By

SOLAR: New England approves the addition of 145 MW of solar to the region’s grid, including a number of solar-plus-storage projects. (Bloomberg, Vermont Business Magazine)

ALSO: An expected surplus of electricity in New England through 2023 caused prices at the region’s forward capacity market auction to reach six-year lows. (Concord Monitor)

***SPONSORED LINK: Connect with leading policymakers and utility executives at the 22nd Annual Transmission Summit East, March 5-7 in Arlington, VA. The summit will provide a window into the policy, regulatory and changing operational realities facing the industry in a new energy paradigm. Register today!***

EFFICIENCY: Some environmental advocates say Massachusetts officials missed an opportunity to make energy efficiency more accessible and innovative while drafting a new state plan.

Northeast Energy News

Maine utility offers more incentives in exchange for transmission line

By

TRANSMISSION: The developers of a proposed hydropower transmission line from Canada to Massachusetts offer new incentives to sway environmental advocates in Maine, including $15 million for an electric vehicle charging network and $200 million to improve interconnections for clean energy projects. (Maine Public Radio)

WIND: The chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission criticizes two of his Democratic colleagues for publicly tweeting that they were disappointed the agency failed to address a request by Vineyard Wind to halt New England’s annual power capacity auction. (Bloomberg)

***SPONSORED LINK: Connect with leading policymakers and utility executives at the 22nd Annual Transmission Summit East, March 5-7 in Arlington, VA. The summit will provide a window into the policy, regulatory and changing operational realities facing the industry in a new energy paradigm. Register today!***

SOLAR:
• A New York senator is demanding answers from Tesla after former employees detailed grim conditions at the Gigafactory II plant in Buffalo, where the company’s solar roofs are manufactured.