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

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What caused the Recent Increase in Massachusetts Natural Gas Rates?

On October 31st, the Boston Globe and other media outlets reported that most natural gas (methane) customers in Massachusetts are going to experience...

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Energy efficiency Heating

Save Energy: Update Your Heating Equipment

If your heating system leaves your home too cold or burns too much fuel, it might be time to look into an upgrade.  Consumers in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island should pay close attention to incentives being offered by utilities.  Gas and oil prices have been low the last couple of years, which makes now a good time to invest some of your fuel savings into making your home more efficient.  The payoff will be big when fuel prices rebound (not if, when). Read on to learn more about the incentives and rebates in your state.

Loie Hayes and Anna Vanderspek
Renewable energy Energy policy & advocacy

Solar Panels, SRECs, Double-counting, Oh My!

Thanks to New England’s relatively strong solar policies, many of our members have gone solar – by owning panels, leasing panels, or participating in community solar programs. To those of you who have gone solar – congrats! However, even though you’re generating solar power, you’re probably not consuming the solar power you generate. In other words, even if you have solar panels or are participating in community solar, you cannot necessarily make the claim that you’ve reduced your personal greenhouse gas emissions as a result.

Picture of Anna Vanderspek Anna Vanderspek
Energy policy & advocacy Massachusetts

Taxing Electricity to Pay for a Gas Pipeline Makes No Sense

On February 25, the Mass. Department of Public Utilities (DPU) held a public hearing on a petition filed by Eversource that permits the company to charge electricity ratepayers for a 20 year contract to source fracked gas from New York and Pennsylvania. The gas would come to Massachusetts through the proposed Access Northeast gas pipeline. This is the first of three such cases. National Grid has filed a similar petition with the DPU and is seeking permission to charge its electricity ratepayers for the Access Northeast and Northeast Energy Direct gas pipelines.

Picture of Eugenia T. Gibbons Eugenia T. Gibbons
Renewable energy Electric vehicles/Transportation Energy efficiency

Having Our Cake and Eating It Too: How to use your heating oil savings wisely

Updated: August 10, 2017.
Compared to many years ago, the last few heating seasons have shown moderate prices and very little fluctuations. According to the federal Energy Information Administration (EIA), the inventory of distillate oil (which covers heating oil and diesel fuel) is high. As a result, the likelihood of a price spike is quite low. However, the EIA does project a modest price increase of about 20 cents per gallon on average in the US between now and mid-winter.

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien
Energy policy & advocacy Massachusetts Climate change

A Reality Check on the Massachusetts Clean Energy & Climate Plan

The Baker Administration just released its Clean Energy & Climate Plan (CECP) as required by the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA). They claim that the Commonwealth is on pace to meet our GWSA requirement of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 25% by 2020 and that we will reach that number if certain things fall into place. It’s worth reading in full, but here’s a bit of a reality check.

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien
Energy policy & advocacy Massachusetts

Validation from the AG’s Study: More Gas Pipeline Capacity Not Needed

As readers of the blog are aware, on October 26 I voted against the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Three-Year Plan for 2016-2018. I did so primarily because the plan represented a retreat on energy savings in the Commercial and Industrial (C&I). Compared to every other resource, savings from that sector is the cheapest by a country mile.

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien
Energy policy & advocacy Massachusetts Climate change

Climate Change Had Its Day in Court

Back in November 2014, I wrote about how Mass Energy has joined with the Conservation Law Foundation in a lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Massachusetts because the Mass. Department of Environmental Protection had not written regulations required by the Global Warming Solutions Act. The regulations are about ensuring that we meet the law’s requirement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 25% by 2020, an important milestone on the way to the ultimate requirement of 80% by 2050. On Friday, January 8, oral arguments in the case were presented to the Supreme Judicial Court. I’m happy to report that the attorney on our side, Jenny Rushlow of the Conservation Law Foundation, did an outstanding job of presenting our argument and answering good questions from the justices.

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien