SOLAR: Farmland advocates say Maine must strike a balance between protecting its prime agricultural land and allowing farmers to earn supplemental income from solar projects to help them economically. (Energy News Network)
TRANSPORTATION:
• The transit authority in Boston is finalizing a contract for its electric rail system to purchase 70% of its energy from renewable sources for the next three years, saving millions in the process. (CommonWealth Magazine)
• Vermont residents with moderate incomes could earn up to a $5,000 rebate on a used energy efficient vehicle. (St. Albans Messenger)
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UTILITIES:
• The New Jersey Rate Counsel urges a moratorium on utility shut-offs be extended to April and regulators should determine how large consumer debts are. (NJ Spotlight)
• National Grid says it aims to be carbon-neutral by 2050 and sees hydrogen playing a key role. (Utility Dive)
GRID: State regulators say a record-breaking marathon federal conference to discuss carbon pricing lacked key voices from the states that would be impacted by any policy changes. (Utility Dive)
POLITICS: A newspaper survey in Maine shows a wide majority of legislative candidates oppose a proposed power line to import Canadian hydropower, indicating a more difficult path at the state capital next year. (Bangor Daily News)
OFFSHORE WIND: Ørsted will hold three virtual open houses later this month to discuss the progress of its Ocean Wind project in New Jersey. (TAPinto.net)
OIL & GAS: U.S. natural gas production and consumption reached record highs last year with Pennsylvania production increasing 10% over 2018. (TalkBusiness.net)
EMISSIONS: A New York environmental group sues the Environmental Protection Agency for taking too long to approve a state air quality plan. (Bloomberg Law, subscription required)
CLEAN ENERGY: Six municipalities in a New York county collaborate to form a purchasing pool for clean energy that is cheaper than the standard rate offered for non-renewable resources. (news release)
COMMENTARY: A former consumer advocate in Maine says a proposal to link transmission for hydropower in five Canadian provinces plus Maine would benefit the state if done properly. (CentralMaine.com)