The Energy Consumer's Bulletin- a New England energy news blog

Attend a Public Hearing on EV Charging in Massachusetts

Almost two years ago, we wrote a blog about the first report produced by the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Coordinating Council (EVICC) in Massachusetts. Now, EVICC is gearing up to write its second report – and wants to hear from you! There are four public hearings, in person and virtual, coming up for you to share your experience and ideas. If you have an EV or are thinking about getting one, you probably have an opinion on what the state could do to improve EV charging infrastructure.

Rhode Island & Massachusetts Must Continue To Lead On Offshore Wind

It’s no secret that the Trump administration poses a significant challenge to the offshore wind industry in the United States. On the first day of his second term, Trump issued an Executive Order halting all permitting and lease sales for the technology. Nonetheless, offshore wind remains imperative to not only meeting our climate goals, but ensuring energy independence, jobs, and local economic growth. Rhode Island and Massachusetts have been at the forefront of the US offshore wind industry, and as the federal government presents new challenges, it is now more important than ever that our states continue to lead and do everything they can to support this vital resource.

How To Get The Federal Tax Credit For Electric Vehicles

Back in November 2024, we wrote about the incoming federal administration’s intention to do away with the federal tax credit for electric vehicles (EVs). We’re now well into tax season in 2025, and the federal tax credit is still in existence — for now. However, we do have important news to share, whether you bought an EV in 2024 or are considering buying one in 2025.

Four Takeaways from the EPA’s Automotive Trends Report

Every year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) releases an Automotive Trends report to highlight shifts in total emissions, fuel economy, vehicle performance, and other data from the nation’s light-duty vehicle fleet. The 2024 report (released in January 2025) showed some stark differences with past automotive trends, dating back to 1975. Here’s what we learned from reading the report.

The Status of Federal & State Energy Efficiency Incentives

“Seize the day” might be a good mantra if you’re exploring your options for reducing your energy costs in 2025. While there is potential for changes to energy programs at both the local and federal levels, there are many incentives currently still available. Don't let fears about the future dissuade you from proceeding with projects that pencil out with the incentives in place when it comes time for you to decide on your project.

Listen Up! Our Green Energy Podcast Is Finally Here

We are excited to launch the Consumers for Climate Podcast, now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music! This podcast reflects our mission to empower consumers and communities to make energy choices that speed a just transition to a zero-carbon world.

Mass Save Plan Approved by DPU – What’s Next?

(Rhode Islanders – this is a story about Massachusetts, but it applies to the Ocean State just as well, given the Act on Climate.) 

Mass Save is the Commonwealth’s major energy efficiency program. It’s jointly administered by the investor-owned gas and electric utilities and the Cape Light Compact. Gas and electricity ratepayers pay into the program, which includes information, services, and incentives. On February 28, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) issued an order for Mass Save’s 2025-2027 Three Year Energy Efficiency Plan subject to some modifications and directives, including a $500 million reduction to the proposed $5 billion budget. In the order, the DPU wrote that the cut was made to protect ratepayers from excessive bill impacts. There’s a lot to unpack on the order.

Behold: Mass Save Will Deliver $13.6 Billion In Benefits Over Three Years

In the last few weeks, there has been much written about rising natural gas rates in Massachusetts and some commentary about whether the state’s energy efficiency program, Mass Save, is at fault. Two factors have caused our total gas bills to spike: gas rates were increased on November 1st and this winterhas had very cold weather that caused increased consumption. As a gas customer myself, that’s been my experience. But anger about Mass Save is misplaced. It’s true that the budget for Mass Save is likely to increase, but the program is a big part of the solution to our energy woes. And in fact, its existence benefits everyone financially – even folks who don’t take advantage of the Mass Save program offerings directly – by decreasing overall costs.

Action Alert: Oppose the Rhode Island Electric Vehicle Fee

Recently, electric vehicles (EVs) have been in the news because various states around the country – including our very own Rhode Island – are introducing extra registration fees for EVs. Though in some cases these fees are clearly punitive and motivated by politics, these registration fees are being justified as a way to balance out the fact that EV drivers don’t pay the gas tax. Here at Green Energy Consumers, we oppose a special EV registration fee – it's a disincentive to electrify at a time when we need to replace combustion engines as quickly as possible with EVs. However, the question of how to fund our roads and bridges is a fair one. It’s just way bigger than EVs versus gas cars.

How the Massachusetts Budget Can Advance Our Climate Goals

Despite the fact that they get the lion's share of coverage in the media, announcements of new climate programs by Governor Healey or clean energy laws passed by the State House are just pieces of paper. What turns these pieces of paper into real initiatives that can shut down coal plants, get solar projects connected to the power grid, and reduce utility bills, is the work of staff members at agencies like the Department of Public Utilities (DPU), the Department of Energy Resources (DOER), and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC).