Emissions from the New England power grid have fallen significantly in the last several years and that’s obviously a good thing. But it’s even better when we can see that the wholesale price of electric energy has been holding fairly steady during this period of environmental progress. The transition to clean energy is producing benefits at a lower cost than might have been projected several years ago.
We are pleased to release the second edition of our “Green Municipal Aggregation in Massachusetts” status report. A lot has happened in the field since our first edition in the spring of 2018 necessitating this update. If there is one key takeaway, it’s that GMA has proven to be a way to bring more renewable energy to communities affordably and equitably.
Recent developments cause us to say again that Massachusetts is not doing enough to protect consumers from electricity suppliers making deceptive claims about pricing and the greenness of their electricity.
If you read our last EV owners blog, then you probably already know a little about what makes people so passionate about their electric vehicles—regenerative braking, quick pick-up, no noise, and of course, zero emissions! Because of this passion, we’ve sold a lot of cars through Drive Green, and the Chevrolet Bolt has consistently been one of the most popular. I spoke with some of our dedicated electric vehicle (EV) owners to see why they’re so committed to their Bolts.
In his State of the Commonwealth address, Governor Baker committed Massachusetts to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Then three bills touted by Senate leadership as a “next generation climate package” were released from Senate Ways and Means to be debated and voted on before month’s end. From carbon reduction goals to transit electrification and robust energy efficiency, efforts to address climate change in Massachusetts took a couple of steps forward this week. Now comes the work of turning these commitments into climate action!
Last week, Governor Raimondo signed Executive Order 20-01, Advancing 100% Renewable Energy Future for Rhode Island by 2030. The order came on the heels of particularly disconcerting assertions made in the same week by Speaker Mattiello about the limited impact that action taken in Rhode Island can have on the climate crisis overall.
With electric vehicles consistently gaining more and more media attention, we wanted to share what it was that made electric vehicle (EV) owners love their cars so much. I reached out to some of our members who have purchased a vehicle through Drive Green, and they assured me that whether you’re looking to drive across the country, zip through city streets, or even replace your motorcycle, there’s an EV for you! Check out what they had to say below.
After record sales numbers in 2018, the market for electric vehicles (EVs) experienced only modest growth in 2019. Most EV sales this past year (like last year and the year before that) were Teslas in California, but with an expected 19 million EVs to hit the road in the US by 2030, the tipping point for widespread vehicle electrification is near. Here are seven reasons that EVs should be on the upswing in Massachusetts and Rhode Island starting in 2020.
In November, we wrote about efforts to replenish Massachusetts’ state rebate for electric vehicles, which was then stalled in the legislature. Late the following month, lawmakers reached agreement on a proposed Supplemental Budget that included an infusion of much-needed dollars to bring back Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles (MOR-EV), the only direct incentive offered by the state to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles. Now MOR-EV will benefit from an infusion of at least $27 million dollars per year for the next two years!
There are many reasons to switch to an electric car - lower carbon emissions, less engine maintenance, and smooth handling, to name a few. But even if you’re sold on the consumer benefits of driving on electricity, it can still be a little intimidating to learn how to charge when you’re used to refueling with gasoline.
“Charged up: Everything you need to know about EV charging” is a 50-minute long webinar to make your transition to an electric vehicle as smooth as possible. View the whole webinar below.
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