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

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Rhode Island Is First State to Complete Phase 1 Under National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program

We write with some exciting news regarding Rhode Island’s transportation emission reduction efforts! Last week, Rhode Island became the first state...

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Energy policy & advocacy Electric vehicles/Transportation Rhode Island Phasing out fossil fuels

Rhode Island Is First State to Complete Phase 1 Under National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program

We write with some exciting news regarding Rhode Island’s transportation emission reduction efforts! Last week, Rhode Island became the first state in the nation to complete Phase 1 of the alternative fuel corridor under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program. The NEVI program is part of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and funds states to deploy electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, aiming to create an interconnected network that enhances data collection, access, and reliability for EV charging funding and development.

Picture of Amanda Barker Amanda Barker
Electric vehicles/Transportation

Chevy Has Two New EVs Worth A Look

Pardon this first-person account, but if you are thinking about buying or leasing an electric vehicle (EV) this year, this might be of help. Given what I do for a living, I know a lot of people who drive EVs, all different makes and models, and about 99% love the car they have. Our family has really enjoyed driving a Chevy Volt since 2014 (plug-in hybrid, or PHEV) and a Chevy Bolt (all-electric) since that came out a few years later. (Back when we got that Volt, we wrote a blog series about it – boy has the EV market come a long way in 10 short years!) Both cars are great for the money. We have had a decade of very low maintenance costs.

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien
Energy policy & advocacy Massachusetts Electric vehicles/Transportation Rhode Island Climate change

Building & Transportation Emissions Heading in the Wrong Direction

At Green Energy Consumers Alliance, we’re all about that “think globally, act locally” thing. So it hurts to report that our beloved states, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, have carbon emissions going up, not down as their laws and the planet require. Unfortunately, this is true at a global and national level as well. These sobering facts are a renewed call to action for all of us.

Picture of Larry Chretien, Amanda Barker & Anna Vanderspek Larry Chretien, Amanda Barker & Anna Vanderspek
Electric vehicles/Transportation Climate change Phasing out fossil fuels

A Reminder On Electric Cars, Climate, and Air Pollution

A June 18 Boston Globe story, “If even the secretary of transportation won’t take the train, who will?” greatly understates the value that electric vehicles bring to us in terms of reducing pollution causing both global warming and severe health problems. Much of the article is about how we need to support public transportation and reduce the total vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by individual cars. We agree heartily on that point. We absolutely need to reduce the number of vehicles on our roads and overall VMT to meet our climate goals, and public transit is a key way of doing that. (Not to mention all the social and economic benefits of a better public transit system.) But the cars that are left on our roads do need to be electric, and as soon as possible, for the sake of our climate and our health.

Picture of Larry Chretien & Anna Vanderspek Larry Chretien & Anna Vanderspek
Energy policy & advocacy Massachusetts Climate change Phasing out fossil fuels

Massachusetts State Senate Passed a Good Climate Bill

On Tuesday, June 25, the Mass. State Senate passed, by a vote of 38-2, An Act Upgrading the Grid and Protecting Consumers. We appreciate the Senate’s good work. They’re doing the right thing for consumers by banning retail electricity suppliers. They’re supporting EV adoption. And they are authorizing the Department of Public Utilities to regulate gas utilities in alignment with our climate mandates.

Picture of Larry Chretien, Carrie Katan, & Anna Vanderspek Larry Chretien, Carrie Katan, & Anna Vanderspek
Renewable energy Electricity and the grid Climate change

The High Cost of Saying NO to Offshore Wind

If you’re a New Englander concerned about climate change, you’re likely anxiously awaiting the results of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island’s joint offshore wind solicitation. With recent supply chain and economic constraints causing project costs to rise, the three states issued a joint solicitation to allow developers to bid on larger projects and access economies of scale in October of 2023. They received the following proposals in March of this year.

Picture of Amanda Barker Amanda Barker
Energy policy & advocacy Massachusetts Phasing out fossil fuels

Massachusetts Polling Shows Strong Support for Gas Utility Regulation and Electrification

Recent polling conducted by MassInc on behalf of Rewiring America and Green Energy Consumers Alliance shows strong public support for regulating gas utilities in ways that are compatible with the Commonwealth’s climate laws. The public also supports efforts aimed at switching from fossil fuel heating to electrification.

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien