SOLAR: Some Maine legislators, including Democratic supporters of solar, worry that state incentives have become too generous as opponents seek to reverse some policies. (Portland Press Herald)

ALSO: A state siting board approves a 90 MW solar farm in central New York. (Albany Business Review)

***SPONSORED LINK: Save the date! Registration for the Business Network for Offshore Wind’s International Partnering Forum opens March 15. Unique this year, IPF will be in-person (August) *AND* virtual (April, May, June.)*** 

CLIMATE: Massachusetts Republican senators temporarily block a vote on a sweeping climate bill as they say they need more time to review recent changes. (MetroWest Daily News)

TRANSPORTATION:
• A new report says New Jersey schools could offset the high upfront costs of electric school buses by selling power back to the grid at peak times when they are idle. (NJ Spotlight)
• The first hydrogen station in the U.S. to power fuel cell cars is proposed by a utility in New York. (Albany Times Union)

UTILITIES: Pennsylvania regulators end a moratorium on service shutoffs at the end of March with some added protections for low-income customers. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

WIND: New York siting officials approve a 100 MW wind farm in the western part of the state. (WSYR)

NATURAL GAS: Nine members of New York’s congressional delegation write to state officials to oppose a plan to install a new gas-fired turbine at a generation plant in Queens. (Astoria Post)

MICROGRIDS: New Jersey regulators award a grant to a town to develop an engineering plan for a microgrid to serve critical infrastructure. (TAPinto.net)

COMMENTARY:
• A former Maine legislator says a proposal to remove all hydropower dams along the Kennebec River is unrealistic, economically harmful and damages state clean energy policy. (CentralMaine.com)
• Offshore wind advocates say Massachusetts has ceded its position as the leading state for the technology as others have leapfrogged it in procurement contracts and supply chain development. (CommonWealth Magazine)
• An owner of small hydroelectric dams says Vermont’s undeveloped resource could power microgrids statewide instead of relying on large imported electricity contracts with Hydro-Quebec. (VT Digger)
• The Connecticut Senate environment committee chair says a regional plan to cut tailpipe emissions is a good investment for the climate, the economy and residents’ health. (CT Post)

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Bill Opalka

Bill is a freelance journalist based outside Albany, New York. As a former New England correspondent for RTO Insider, he has written about energy for newspapers, magazines and other publications for more than 20 years. He has an extensive career in trade publications and newspapers, mostly focused on the utility sector, covering such issues as restructuring, renewable energy and consumer affairs. Bill covers Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire and also compiles the Northeast Energy News daily email digest.