OFFSHORE WIND: Maine’s governor signs a new law setting the state up to procure at least 3 GW of offshore wind power by 2040 — equivalent to about half the state’s power demand — with incentives to smooth out relations with the fishing industry. (Associated Press)
PIPELINES: The amount of gas flowing to Maryland’s Cove Point liquefied natural gas export plant has decreased to “at or near zero” after part of the Columbia Gas Transmission Pipeline exploded. (Reuters, Marcellus Drilling News)
SOLAR:
• Residents who live close to an upstate New York solar farm are advised to shelter in place to avoid exposure to toxic fumes from a “large battery fire.” (CBS News, SI Live)
• New York’s public service commission chair tells utilities they need to fix solar billing overcharges and late bills before the end of the year or risk large fines. (LoHud)
TRANSPORTATION: Federal highway agency records show that many states, including the majority of the Northeast, have collectively directed $755 million in federal climate funds toward general highway accounts. (Washington Post)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• A Portland venture capital firm intends to invest up to $100 million through 2025 on mainly early stage companies working on fleet electrification, electric vehicle infrastructure and related energy transition tech. (WMTW)
• Connecticut’s e-bike rebate program proved more popular than funds could support, resulting in thousands of rejected voucher applications. (CT Public)
• Some delivery bikers are switching to gas-powered mopeds after struggling to charge their e-bikes on the go. (Streetsblog NYC)
• A south-central Pennsylvania county seeks a federal voucher for just under $275,000 to buy eight electric vehicles for its municipal fleet. (The Sentinel)
UTILITIES:
• Nicole LeVine talks about being the first female chief operating officer of PECO Energy, a Philadelphia-area utility, and increasing summertime operations reliability. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders endorses the campaign in Maine to form a statewide public power authority, boosting activists as they are significantly outspent by opposing utilities. (Portland Press Herald, Bangor Daily News)
GRID:
• Heat waves and associated power demand increases lead PJM Interconnection to issue alerts for generators to be ready to come online. (S&P Global)
• Massachusetts ratepayers will likely pay for most of the 50% cost increase for developers to finish the New England Clean Energy Connect transmission line. (Boston Globe)
• A northern Maine utility may receive $1.75 million in federal funds to upgrade a four-mile-long, almost-45-year-old transmission line that connects to a manufacturing plant. (The County)
• As the Pittsburgh International Airport’s microgrid hits two years of operation, officials say other airports are sending representatives to learn more for their own resiliency plans. (news release)
CLIMATE: New York City residents are proving essential to climate data collection efforts, noting temperature and humidity measures or observing hyperlocal rainfall totals. (Yes! Magazine)
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