ReNewable Now: Hydro, Going Strong at the Birthplace of America's Industrial Revolution
Guest blog originally posted on ReNewable Now's website about our tour of the Pawtucket Hydro Facility on Nov 7, 2015.
Timmons Roberts: The greenest thing to do
Guest blog originally posted in the Providence Journal on Nov. 13, 2015.Last summer, I took about five minutes and switched my electricity from National Grid’s regular plan to a group called People’s Power and Light, which sources electricity from all renewables here in our own region. In those five minutes, I did more to combat climate change than perhaps anything else I do.
A New Bio-Heat Program: Heat Leaner & Cleaner with Biodiesel
Today, People’s Power & Light (PP&L) and Mass Energy are excited to reinvigorate our Bio-Heat program. Joined recently by Newport Biodiesel, our program provides members in certain areas of Massachusetts and Rhode Island with a cleaner fuel option: biodiesel.
We have offered biodiesel options in Massachusetts for some time, launching our original Bio-Heat program in 2005. But over the years, the program has not grown much—until today.
Being positive about negative Texas wind prices
In September, it was reported that wholesale electricity prices in Texas were negative during some evenings, largely a result of high wind production. Wind makes up a higher percentage of Texas’ energy mix than in New England, but we want to see more wind here. So what does it mean that there were negative electricity prices? To get a good answer, we asked our expert friends at the Cambridge-based Synapse Energy Economics.
SustainPVD: New Plan, Big Potential for Providence Sustainability
The City of Providence is actively improving a plan to become more sustainable in several sectors, and PP&L is thrilled that the recent topic for open review was energy. The “Sustainable Providence” plan was spearheaded by the Office of Sustainability and the Environmental Sustainability Task Force. The old plan is being revitalized as “SustainPVD” by Mayor Jorge Elorza and new Sustainability Director Leah Bamberger. The revision process is open to the public and all interested are encouraged to engage in the development.
Why I voted against the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Three Year Plan
In Massachusetts, three-year plans for energy efficiency are developed by the utilities with input and oversight from the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council (EEAC). Right now, the next plan’s final draft is filed with the MA Department of Public Utilities for approval, accompanied by a recommendation from the Council. As a member of the EEAC, representing the Mass. Nonprofit Network, I was the sole vote on October 26 against the plan for 2016-2018. This post will explain why.
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Another Year of Clean Energy Success: Mass Energy's 33rd Annual Meeting
On Wednesday, October 21st 2015, Mass Energy celebrated 33 years of working to make energy more affordable and environmentally sustainable.
Those who attended the meeting will remember Executive Director Larry Chretien’s reference to Mass Energy as being akin to the “platypus of the animal kingdom”— highlighting Mass Energy’s unique structure as a non-profit run like a business. Larry referred to Mass Energy as a “social business”, composed of people who understand that there is more than one way of making energy more affordable and environmentally sustainable.
Massachusetts’ Three Year Energy Efficiency Plan Update: Where will the country’s most efficient state take EE next?
The Massachusetts Green Communities Act (GCA) requires investor-owned gas and electric utilities to capture all efficiency and demand reduction resources that are less expensive than supply. Proposed savings through efficiency are detailed in what is referred to as Three Year Efficiency Plans (3YP). The plan for 2016-2018 has been in development for the last ten months. The utilities released their most current draft plan on September 23rd and the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council (EEAC), a group of appointees tasked with overseeing plan development, has yet to approve what has been proposed or to make its recommendation to the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) regarding plan approval.
Feds Forecast a Less Expensive Heating Oil Winter: What does that mean for state policies?
On October 6, the Federal Energy Information Administration (EIA) projected that heating your home with oil will cost 25 percent less than last year and heating your home with natural gas will cost 10 percent less due to a nice combination of lower prices and a forecast for warmer weather. Temperatures for each month from October through March are expected to be higher than the 10-year average. For heating oil customers, this winter could cost $500 or $1000 less than last winter.
Great Heat Pump Prices Are Here: A New Pilot Program in Western Mass
There is good reason why the popularity of heat pumps has risen dramatically in recent years. Advancements in technology have made Cold Climate Air-Source Heat Pumps (ccASHPs) a safe, comfortable, convenient, and efficient source of heating, even in cold climates like Massachusetts. Much like your refrigerator, air-source heat pumps work by moving heat into or out of a building. Because they don’t burn fuel, they can improve air quality, both indoor and out. Furthermore, ccASHPs can also cool, dehumidify, and integrate nicely with solar PV systems.