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

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Should Data Centers Receive a Sales Tax Exemption?

Recently, data centers have rapidly become a topic that advocates and policymakers need to reckon with in the clean energy space. Mostly, we’ve seen...

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Our programs

People’s Power & Light's 14th Year Celebration

Little Rhody has the opportunity to be a big leader for sustainability. There are several bills on the table this legislative session that span a range of energy issues. These policies were highlighted this past week at People’s Power & Light’s (PP&L) 14th Annual Meeting.

Community members and industry professionals gathered at the meeting to hear from Rhode Island officials, including Attorney General Peter Kilmartin, Office of Energy Resources Commissioner Dr. Marion Gold, Senator Susan Sosnowski, and Representative Deborah Ruggiero. In The Attorney General’s words, “PP&L is a pro-clean energy group, an inexpensive energy group, a group that wants to help disseminate power to those that need it most.”

by Kat Burnham
Renewable energy Our programs

Why We Host Renewable Energy Tours

Some of the unique and, for us, most exciting aspects of our work at Mass Energy and People’s Power & Light are our site visits to local sources of renewable energy.

Since we only buy renewable energy from New England projects on behalf of our members, it’s not hard to bring them right to the source of their electricity. And not only that, but many developers and owners are keen to share their particular story.

Pua Higginson 
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Picture of Erin Taylor Erin Taylor
Electric vehicles/Transportation Heating Climate change

Electric vehicles and heat pumps are key to achieving significant emissions reductions

Preface from Larry Chretien, Executive Director:

Readers of this blog should be aware that we are enthusiastic supporters of electric vehicles and air-source heat pumps. Costs of these products have come down in recent years while quality has gone up. We see them as economically sensible ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to the point that we see them as essential parts of any climate action plan. That would mean for a plan for Massachusetts, Rhode Island, any other state, your city or town, and your family. In our work, we are lucky to come in contact with experts who have figured all this out and who are kind enough to explain their findings to the rest of us. So please enjoy this blog from our guest, Patrick Knight of Synapse Energy Economics.

Picture of Patrick Knight of Synapse Energy Economics Patrick Knight of Synapse Energy Economics
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.

Picture of Loie Hayes Loie Hayes 
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Picture of Anna Vanderspek 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 Gibbons Eugenia 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