WIND: Citing concerns about rates, Maine regulators will reconsider a previously negotiated contract for a proposed offshore wind farm; developers say the decision won’t necessarily prevent the project from moving forward. (Portland Press Herald)
ALSO: The decision underscores how Maine, which once sought to be a leader on offshore wind, has fallen behind other New England states. (Portland Press Herald)
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SOLAR:
• A new report predicts a steep drop in solar installations in Massachusetts in part because of caps on net metering. (MassLive)
• A New Hampshire city plans to move forward with a plan to power all municipal buildings with solar if a net metering cap is expanded in that state. (New Hampshire Union Leader)
• A 2.9 MW community solar project in upstate New York is expected to go online this fall. (Watertown Daily Times)
PIPELINES:
• A Pennsylvania lawmaker who is challenging the Mariner East pipeline project asks state regulators to post all public comments related to the case online. (Natural Gas Intelligencer)
• At a conference in Boston, pipeline developers express confidence that projects in the Northeast can move forward. (Platts)
OIL AND GAS: A new book explores how the fracking boom impacted a small Pennsylvania town. (Marketplace)
UTILITIES: A Baltimore utility is seeking a rate increase to cover $63 million in upgrades to the natural gas system. (Daily Energy Insider)
GRID: Scientists say the bedrock beneath Interstate 95 could amplify the effects of geomagnetic surges from the sun, making the Northeast corridor uniquely vulnerable to grid disruptions. (Bloomberg)
HYDROPOWER: A zinc mine in upstate New York is reopening with help from a 4 MW hydropower allotment from the state. (Associated Press)
POLITICS: Backers of a proposal to increase Maryland’s renewable energy standard say they have support from more than 250 legislative candidates. (Associated Press)
COMMENTARY:
• The Union of Concerned Scientists outlines four clean energy policy recommendations for the Massachusetts legislature.
• An editorial says Maine Gov. Paul LePage’s “lack of leadership” has limited clean energy opportunities in the state. (Portland Press Herald)
• A nonprofit leader says community solar legislation in New Jersey will empower consumers to choose their own energy source. (NJ Spotlight)
• A Massachusetts advocate says resistance from utilities is partly to blame for a solar slowdown in the state. (CommonWealth Magazine)