With the Oil Industry, Climate Change, and emissions top of mind after last night's Presidential Debates, we thought it was a good time to review what Massachusetts, New England, and specifically, the Oil Industry in the Northeast have been doing on emissions and climate change recently.
Topics: Massachusetts, Climate Change, renewable energy, maine
The newest passenger boat for Maine's Casco Bay Lines will be running a diesel-electric hybrid propulsion engine. The hybrid will be handling the Portland to Peaks Island run, fully on electricity. The diesel engine will function as a backup, or be engaged for trips longer than the normal run. This assigned route is approximately 2.5 miles, which should allow the ferry to travel one way, charge at docking (~10-15 minutes) and run the return trip on electricity as well.
Topics: Oil & Energy Magazine, Climate Change, Carbon Emissions, maine, Hybrid
Even as Coronavirus disrupts business as usual, talks regarding the TCI (Transportation Climate Initiative) continue via video conference and email amongst the involved 12 States & Washington DC.
Topics: Climate Change, Carbon Emissions, renewable energy, TCI
Back in April the NERA (New England Ratepayers Association) filed a petition that would have changed the way so called "net metering" works for solar energy generation, by essentially considering the excess "buyback" solar energy sold back to utilities as constituting a wholesale transaction, governed by the established rates. (We discussed that here: "Net Metering Under Threat" ).
Topics: Solar, net metering, ferc
This April, the New England Ratepayer's Association (NERA) filed a petition asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to "declare exclusive federal jurisdiction over wholesale energy sales from generation sources located on the customer side of the retail meter (rooftop solar), and order that the rates for such sales be priced in accordance with public law.”
Topics: Solar, Clean Energy, net metering
Local farms in Massachusetts are producing their own renewable energy, and they're doing it while diverting food waste and dropping their carbon footprint at the same time. How? By utliizing anaerobic digesters, produced by Vanguard Renewables.
Topics: Oil & Energy Magazine, methane, Carbon Emissions, renewable energy
You may have been hearing about the Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI) on the news recently - in particular, you have probably been hearing about the implications the TCI would have on the gas tax. (That goes double for those of you in Massachusetts, where gas taxes were a major point of contention in the prior few election cycles)
Topics: Massachusetts, Climate Change, Carbon Emissions, TCI
The United States' largest privately owned coal company filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection in late October. Murray Energy joins at least 7 other major companies as casualties in the move toward cleaner and more sustainable energy.
Topics: coal, renewable energy, Clean Energy
The Massachusetts legislature is considering a bill that would set up what would essentially be test geothermal projects to determine if what are being called "GeoMicroDistrict"s could be used going forward for heating & cooling of buildings and neighborhoods. The goal of this is that if it works, utilities would able to buy/source geothermal for energy supply in addition to (or instead of) natural gas.
Topics: Massachusetts Clean Cities, Climate Change, Carbon Emissions, renewable energy, geothermal
This September, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts awarded competitive grants to 91 municipalities across the state to the tune of 14.9 million dollars, at up to 250,000 per municipality. The grants allow cities to fund renewable energy projects for the community that help MA move towards its clean energy goals.
Topics: Oil & Energy Magazine, Mass DOER, Massachusetts Clean Cities, Energy Efficiency