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

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Rhode Island Wants Your Feedback on New Electric Car Charging Stations!

Rhode Island is preparing to install new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and wants to hear from you about where those stations should go....

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Renewable energy Rhode Island Climate change

Offshore Wind Critical to Preservation of a Livable & Equitable Future

The climate crisis demands a fundamental cultural shift in our energy system. Revolution Wind 1 and the South Fork Wind projects off Rhode Island’s coast meet a critical need for large-scale carbon-free electricity generation in the Northeast. Two stewards of historic and cultural structures, the Preservation Society of Newport County and the Southeast Lighthouse Foundation, recently positioned their organizations at odds with these projects in a group of appeals that cite alleged impacts to ocean views.

Picture of Amanda Barker Amanda Barker
Energy policy & advocacy Massachusetts Electric vehicles/Transportation Action Alert

Massachusetts Residents: Take Action For Smart Charging Rates for Electric Cars

If you drive an electric car, it matters when you plug in and charge – both in terms of the emissions caused by the generation of each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity you consume and in terms of the costs you are imposing on the system as a whole. There are lots of tools at our utilities’ disposal to encourage electric vehicle (EV) owners to charge when both emissions and costs are low, but unfortunately, in Massachusetts, our utilities are behind. Now, we have an opportunity to advocate for a smart charging policy, called a “time-of-use rate,” before the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) at a virtual public hearing at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, December 13. Here’s how to take action.

Picture of Anna Vanderspek Anna Vanderspek
Renewable energy Energy policy & advocacy Electricity and the grid Action Alert

Watch Out for Misinformation About Electricity Suppliers

Green Energy Consumers Alliance has been supporting a bill in the Massachusetts legislature that would stop retail electricity suppliers from signing up new customers on an individual basis. The bill would not affect municipal aggregation. The legislation has been sponsored by Rep. Frank Moran and Senator Brendan Crighton in collaboration with Attorney General Campbell and with the support of Governor Healey. The bill is a common sense reaction to the fact that the Attorney General’s office has solid data showing how consumers receiving power from competitive electricity suppliers have collectively paid over a half billion dollars more over six years than if they received service from their utility. Low-income families and people of color have been disproportionally targeted and harmed.

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien
Electric vehicles/Transportation

Car Corner

The electric car market is evolving rapidly, which offers a mix of excitement and frustration for both enthusiasts and curious customers. The Drive Green team is deeply entrenched in the day-to-day development of the car market, and we’re here to provide you with a comprehensive update in our new quarterly blog series called Car Corner. While the electric vehicle (EV) market has certainly improved since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to understand that issues with lead times still exist, from supply-chain issues to manufacturing delays. Car Corner will be a valuable resource to consumers, where we’ll navigate through the maze of misleading information and share important updates on the market, new EVs to look out for, shifts in state rebates, and some insider tips from dealerships. 

Picture of Ezra Messinger Ezra Messinger
Renewable energy Massachusetts Green municipal aggregation

New report: GMA continues to be a success in the Bay State

Our newest report shows how Green Municipal Aggregation (GMA) allows a municipality to contract for cleaner, more affordable electricity for residents. Green Energy Consumers Alliance serves GMA programs in 21 Massachusetts communities and seven Rhode Island communities by providing additional renewable energy above and beyond what is required by state laws.

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien
Energy policy & advocacy Massachusetts Heating Phasing out fossil fuels

Introducing the Massachusetts Clean Heat Platform

Green Energy Consumers Alliance and our allied organizations are certain that more legislation is needed if Massachusetts is to meet its greenhouse gas emission reduction mandates. This is especially true when it comes to the state's second-largest source of emissions, the residential and commercial building sector. No one bill or policy proposed in this session is sufficient by itself to meet these objectives. However, several complementary policies have been proposed together that would move us away from fossil fuels and towards electrification.

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien
Heating Climate change Phasing out fossil fuels

Renewable Propane: A Reality Check

The propane industry has been advocating for the use of renewable propane to reduce emissions for their customer base. According to 2022 American Community Survey estimates, 153,000, or about 5 percent, of homes across Massachusetts and Rhode Island use propane as their primary heating fuel. That is a large enough number to take a close look at what renewable propane is all about. This blog provides a brief introduction to the fuel, if it will ever be affordable, and its climate impacts.  

Picture of Carrie Katan Carrie Katan
Electric vehicles/Transportation

The Economics of Battery Supply Chains: Paving the Way for Electric Vehicle Expansion

The electric vehicle revolution is well underway, promising a greener, more sustainable future for the automotive industry. However, despite the growing popularity of electric vehicles (EVs), several significant hurdles are obstructing their widespread adoption. At the forefront of these challenges are supply chain issues, particularly concerning critical components like batteries. Among the most pressing concerns is the heavy reliance on rare and essential minerals, including lithium, cobalt, and nickel, which are indispensable for battery cathodes. We’ve written before about the human rights and environmental issues with mineral mining, and that’s something we’re continuing to learn about. This blog post is more focused on the economic side. Though the supply chain for these vital materials is far from stable, and the necessary infrastructure is not yet fully developed, the last year has seen some significant progress – particularly thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act.

Picture of Ezra Messinger Ezra Messinger