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

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Get Your Electric Car By September 30

If you are in the market for a new or used electric car, plan to get it before September 30, 2025. The “Big Beautiful Bill” signed by President Trump...

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Massachusetts Energy efficiency Heating Climate change

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.

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien
Massachusetts Energy efficiency Heating Climate change

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.

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien
Electric vehicles/Transportation Rhode Island Climate change Phasing out fossil fuels Action Alert

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.

Picture of Anna Vanderspek Anna Vanderspek 
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Picture of Tina Munter Tina Munter
Energy policy & advocacy Massachusetts Climate change

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).

Picture of Carrie Katan Carrie Katan
Electric vehicles/Transportation Energy efficiency

Fish Can Ride Electric, Too

For the past year or so, we’ve been working with fisheries businesses up and down the Massachusetts coast to learn what they’re already doing to reduce their energy costs and emissions, and to help them find new energy and emissions saving opportunities. Many companies are interested in solar and energy efficiency, and increasingly they are considering electric vehicles (EVs). Since we all need a good news story, here’s a cool video of one fisherman who’s made the switch to an EV truck for his business! 

Picture of Loie Hayes Loie Hayes 
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Picture of Anna Vanderspek Anna Vanderspek
Electric vehicles/Transportation Phasing out fossil fuels Action Alert

Take Action at the MA DPU for EV Charging Programs

Way back at the beginning of 2023, we reportedon the approval by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) of new electric vehicle (EV) programs by the electric utilities National Grid, Eversource, and Unitil. Together, the utilities got the OK to spend more than $400 million on helping to build out EV charging infrastructure over the next four years. We are now halfway through that program, and the utilities have just filed “Mid-Term Modification Proposals” with the DPU. You have the right to weigh in at the DPU – here's everything you need to know.

Picture of Anna Vanderspek Anna Vanderspek
Energy policy & advocacy Climate change

Tariffs On Canadian Energy Are Trouble For New England

Over the weekend, you may have read or heard that the Trump administration is going to impose new 25% tariffs on imported goods from Canada, Mexico, and China, effective on Tuesday. The depth and scope of how these tariffs will affect our economy and international relations is incredibly wide and deep. It will affect food, cars, lumber, and much more – and that’s before those countries retaliate by raising tariffs on things that we export. But with this blog, Green Energy Consumers will stay in our lane, meaning we will focus on the impacts of these tariffs on New England energy markets.

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien
Climate change

Los Angeles is Burning. Will Californians Care About Flooding In New England?

We’re going to see another horrible flood in New England. It’s just a matter of when and where. If it’s in Providence, will people in Boston care? If it’s in Boston, will people in Providence care? Maybe it’ll be in Vermont; floods don’t require oceanfront property. Wherever it happens in our region, should we expect Californians to put aside their sadness about wildfires to care about our global warming symptoms? Let’s be honest. When we see Los Angeles burn, don’t we think for a second, “At least it’s not here, at least it’s not me”?

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

How Electrifying Homes Improves Public Health & Cuts Emissions

Rewiring America, a non-profit focused on electrifying homes and businesses, recently released Breathe Easy, a report about how building electrification improves outdoor air quality and reduces premature deaths. The report finds that electrifying buildings not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also improves public health, especially for marginalized communities.

Picture of Carrie Katan Carrie Katan 
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Picture of Tina Munter Tina Munter
Electric vehicles/Transportation Rhode Island Phasing out fossil fuels

New Smart Charging Program for EV Drivers in Rhode Island

Here at Green Energy Consumers Alliance, we talk a lot about the need for managed charging programs for electric vehicles (EVs), both to reduce stress on our electric grid and to incentivize more EV adoption. So, we’re excited to announce that Rhode Island Energy (RIE) has just launched a new Electric Vehicle Demand Response (EVDR) program. Here are all the details and how you can sign up to help reduce grid demand during peak times – and earn up to $70!

Picture of Anna Vanderspek Anna Vanderspek 
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Picture of Tina Munter Tina Munter