I noted in July that emerging energy storage technologies have received increasing attention from policymakers as an essential element for improving the efficiency and reliability of the electric grid. Adequate storage is...more
As I last discussed in June, during the past few years, proximate property owners have increasingly raised complaints about the siting and operation of wind turbines in Massachusetts. This phenomenon is hardly unique to...more
Back in June, I noted that the New England states had tasked the New England States Committee on Electricity (“NESCOE”) with exploring the possibility of importing more large-scale Canadian hydro into New England. Earlier...more
On Monday, the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced the nation’s second offshore wind energy lease sale – this time for an area off the Virginia coast. The first competitive...more
In October, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities opened an investigation to explore policies that would enable Massachusetts to “take advantage of grid modernization opportunities.” ...more
Last week, Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard Sullivan announced an “inter-agency initiative . . . to provide support and guidance to municipalities, developers and stakeholders for land-based...more
It seems hard to believe now, but only a few years ago it looked like we might get federal cap-and-trade legislation to address greenhouse gas emissions. Almost exactly four years ago the House of Representatives passed the...more
Yesterday, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) issued an Order, D.P.U. 11-11-E, that addresses several controversies that had arisen out of its Order, D.P.U. 11-11-C, issued last summer. Although the Order...more
Both chambers of Congress have introduced bills that would provide investment tax credits for energy storage projects. Both bills even appear to have some (perhaps superficial) bipartisan support. In the Senate, the...more
Last week, five New England States (all but New Hampshire) announced a collaborative effort to explore opportunities for expanding imports of power from large hydro facilities into New England. The states tabbed the New...more
Google wants more options for how it buys its energy and has put out a white paper with a roadmap for how utilities could provide those options. In short, Google’s detail-light proposal is that utilities develop an optional...more
One concern with adding large amounts of renewable generation to the electric grid is that the variability of renewable resources such as solar and wind might render the electric grid unreliable. According to a recent report...more