WBUR.ORG: "Mass. outlines new strategy for getting customers and utilities off of natural gas"

Miriam Wasser (@MiriamWasser) posted on Thu, Dec 07, 2023:

"What's the future of natural gas in Massachusetts? A new order from the Dept of Public Utilities says won't it won't be "renewable natural gas."

The order is a sweeping rejection of "business as usual" More on what's in it 👇
https://t.co/GpRtnI6Wsr"

https://Twitter.com/MiriamWasser/status/1732742040423731668

WBUR.ORG: "Mass. outlines new strategy for getting customers and utilities off of natural gas"

Register Now! The Transmission Challenge: Unleashing New England's Renewable Energy Potential featuring Sen. Markey

The Transmission Challenge:Unleashing New England's Renewable Energy PotentialA new era of renewable energy beckons in New England. Yet the promise of deploying abundant clean energy — both on land and at sea — faces a fundamental obstacle: the need for new and upgraded transmission infrastructure.  Without significant transmission planning and investment, New England states risk squandering clean and inexpensive energy sources while falling short of vitally important carbon reduction goals. Effective transmission planning will help ensure states meet greenhouse gas reduction goals and reward New England ratepayers with billions in energy savings.Join RENEW Northeast, an organization that unites environmental advocates and the clean energy industry, along with energy regulators, elected officials, and thought leaders, for a conference on the urgent and necessary steps to build the transmission foundation for the next era of clean energy.Monday, April 3, 20238:30 a.m. - NoonFederal Reserve Bank of BostonProgram Details:Keynote Address - Senator Edward J. MarkeyPresentation - Maria Robinson, Director, Grid Deployment Office, U.S. Department of EnergyPanel Discussion - Making the Connection: Transmission Challenges Confronting Renewable EnergyNew England faces a variety of challenges in connecting needed renewable energy resources to a legacy grid built around fossil fuel power plants. Our panel of leading clean energy executives, public interest organizations and leading academic researchers will explore the opportunities and obstacles in harnessing the full potential of New England renewable energy.Featured Panelists: Clarke Bruno, CEO, AnbaricMichelle Gardner, Executive Director, Regulatory Affairs - Northeast, NextEra Energy ResourcesCarrie Hitt, Lead Transmission Strategy & Innovation Hub, EquinorSarah Jackson, Northeast Climate Mitigation Strategy Lead, The Nature ConservancyLopa Parikh, Head of Electricity Policy, OrstedPanel Discussion - The Transmission Infrastructure Opportunity: The Regional PlanIn recognizing the need to expand transmission and work collaboratively, New England states are joining together to pursue Department of Energy funding to support the expanding grid capacity and building critical new infrastructure. What are the potential benefits from this innovative multi-state collaboration and what hurdles remain? Join leading New England energy officials working on the proposal (panel in formation).Featured Panelists:Moderator: Jon Chesto, Reporter, The Boston GlobePhilip L. Bartlett II, Chairman, Maine Public Utilities CommissionChristopher Kearns, Interim Energy Commissioner, Rhode Island Office of Energy ResourcesJason Marshall, Deputy Secretary & Special Counsel for Federal & Regional Energy Affairs, Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy & Environmental AffairsRegister Now for what promises to be an engaging morning. We look forward to seeing you there!

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The Transmission Challenge: Unleashing New England's Renewable Energy Potential A new era of renewable energy beckons in New England. Yet the promise of deploying abundant clean energy — both on land and at sea — faces a fundamental obstacle: the need for new and upgraded transmission infrastructure.   Without significant transmission planning and investment, New England states risk squandering clean and inexpensive energy sources while falling short of vitally important carbon reduction goals. Effective transmission planning will help ensure states meet greenhouse gas reduction goals and reward New England ratepayers with billions in energy savings. Join RENEW Northeast, an organization that unites environmental advocates and the clean energy industry, along with energy regulators, elected officials, and thought leaders, for a conference on the urgent and necessary steps to build the transmission foundation for the next era of clean energy. Monday, April 3, 2023 8:30 a.m. - Noon Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Program Details: Keynote Address - Senator Edward J. Markey Presentation - Maria Robinson, Director, Grid Deployment Office, U.S. Department of Energy Panel Discussion - Making the Connection: Transmission Challenges Confronting Renewable Energy New England faces a variety of challenges in connecting needed renewable energy resources to a legacy grid built around fossil fuel power plants. Our panel of leading clean energy executives, public interest organizations and leading academic researchers will explore the opportunities and obstacles in harnessing the full potential of New England renewable energy. Featured Panelists: Clarke Bruno, CEO, Anbaric Michelle Gardner, Executive Director, Regulatory Affairs - Northeast, NextEra Energy Resources Carrie Hitt, Lead Transmission Strategy & Innovation Hub, Equinor Sarah Jackson, Northeast Climate Mitigation Strategy Lead, The Nature Conservancy Lopa Parikh, Head of Electricity Policy, Orsted Panel Discussion - The Transmission Infrastructure Opportunity: The Regional Plan In recognizing the need to expand transmission and work collaboratively, New England states are joining together to pursue Department of Energy funding to support the expanding grid capacity and building critical new infrastructure. What are the potential benefits from this innovative multi-state collaboration and what hurdles remain? Join leading New England energy officials working on the proposal (panel in formation). Featured Panelists: Moderator: Jon Chesto, Reporter, The Boston Globe Philip L. Bartlett II, Chairman, Maine Public Utilities Commission Christopher Kearns, Interim Energy Commissioner, Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources Jason Marshall, Deputy Secretary & Special Counsel for Federal & Regional Energy Affairs, Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs Register Now for what promises to be an engaging morning. We look forward to seeing you there! Monday, April 3, 2023 8:30 AM Transmission Challenge: Unleashing New England's Renewable Energy Potential Register Federal Reserve Bank of Boston RENEW Northeast PO Box 383, Madison, CT 06443 US

CommonWealth Magazine: "Wind farm developer bucks DPU, pushes approach agency previously rejected"

Baker aide urges Avangrid to stay the course 

""GOV. CHARLIE BAKER’S top energy aide urged the offshore wind developer Avangrid to abandon efforts to reopen its electricity contract with the state and abide by the existing terms. 

Avangrid has asked the Department of Public Utilities for a one-month delay in approving the contract, saying the time is needed to work out new terms because the 1,200-megawatt Commonwealth Wind project is not viable without an adjustment in the electricity price. 

The company, which has said its project has been rocked by inflation, interest rate hikes, and supply chain difficulties, is expected to file a brief on the issue with the DPU on Monday."

Continue reading the article online
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/energy/baker-aide-urges-avangrid-to-stay-the-course-2/

Avangrid refuses to budge on need for pricing changes

"THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES was very clear a week ago, telling the state’s two leading offshore wind developers that they could either move forward with the pricing contracts they negotiated with the state’s utilities or withdraw from the proceedings and start over again. 

Mayflower Wind quickly responded that it would honor the terms of its contract but also said it would seek to inform all parties of the cost challenges wind farm developers are facing because of the war in Ukraine, interest rate hikes, inflation, and supply chain disruptions. 

Avangrid, the developer of the 1,200-megawatt Commonwealth Wind project, asked for more time to respond and then waited until the very last minute on Monday before filing a response that largely ignored the DPU’s order."

Continue reading the article online
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/energy/avangrid-ignores-dpu-order-refuses-to-budge-on-pricing-changes/

CommonWealth Magazine: "Wind farm developer bucks DPU, pushes approach agency previously rejected"

Department of Public Utilities Approves New Wave of Grid Modernization Investments

"The Department of Public Utilities last month approved plans from the state’s three largest electric utilities to invest more than $450 million to modernize grid technologies from 2022 through 2025.

Under the three-year plans, the electric distributors will expand grid monitoring, communication and automation technologies to increase the safety and reliability of the Massachusetts electric power system, state officials said.

NSTAR Electric, National Grid and Unitil had each filed their grid modernization plans last year."

Continue reading the article at Mass Municipal Association ->

https://www.mma.org/dpu-approves-electric-grid-modernization-plans/ 

The DPU website has additional information

https://www.mass.gov/news/department-of-public-utilities-approves-new-wave-of-grid-modernization-investments

Department of Public Utilities Approves New Wave of Grid Modernization Investments

Ted & I talk microgrids and more in this 18th episode of Making Sense of Climate - 10/25/22 (audio)

FM #870 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 870 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Ted McIntyre, Franklin resident and climate activist. We recorded this via the Zoom conference bridge Tuesday, October 25, 2022.  

In this episode our conversation covered the following topics: 

• Microgrids

• South Carolina residential building auto based

• DPU and municipal aggregation approval cycle

• Building code, stretch code revisions pending

• Offshore cable system

• Mother Jones says ‘microgrids’ are good

This discussion continues our journey understanding the MA roadmap toward net zero and while it helps me “make sense of climate”, we hope it helps with your understanding as well. 

If you have climate questions or Franklin specific climate questions, send them in and we’ll try to answer them in a future session.  

The conversation runs about 40 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Ted 

Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-870-making-sense-of-climate-18-10-25-22

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microgrid - Merriam Webster added the word in September

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/10/merriam-webster-we-added-370-new-words.html   

teaser to come back to microgrids

 

South Carolina massive residential building underway in 'low country' outside of charleston. 

no mass transit, while 55 housing is being built, all are hostage to the automobiles

not sustainable for net zero, or for those 55+ who as they age are going to be standed out there

 

municipal aggregation, we have it, others can't get it

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/10/16/science/these-communities-want-lower-residents-electric-bills-carbon-emissions-heres-whats-stopping-them/

 

public ownership of utilities I don't think it the answer, we need to ensure appropriate board and oversight of the utilities doesn't create/continue the fossil fuel domination

https://www.repmikeconnolly.org/public_ownership_of_public_utilities

 

Hard to find a good contractor.--- this will be important as we go forward in MA>

https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2022/10/8/23387530/home-electrification-heat-pumps-gas-furnace-contractors

 

offshore cable system, rather than extending electric grid above ground

https://www.wbur.org/news/2022/10/18/offshore-wind-transmission-lines-grid

 

microgrids, Mother Jones article

https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2022/10/tool-surviving-extreme-weather-mircogrids-distributed-power-batteries/

 

Eversource/Framingham pilot construction updates https://www.eversource.com/content/ema-c/residential/about/transmission-distribution/projects/massachusetts-projects/geothermal-pilot-project

See the page that collects the “Making Sense of Climate” episodes -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/02/making-sense-of-climate-collection.html 

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Eversource/Framingham pilot construction update