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

EPA Proposes Ground-Breaking New Vehicle Emissions Standards

Posted by Anna Vanderspek on Thursday, April 20, 2023 @ 09:02 AM

Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released historic new proposed emissions standards for vehicles, both light-duty and medium- and heavy-duty. To meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, the US as a whole must phase out the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035. So far, the US is not on track to meet this challenge, but these new standards would set the country on the path to meeting this goal. These proposed regulations are the strongest emissions standards ever proposed by the EPA and the federal government’s “most aggressive climate regulation” ever.

Read More

Tags: Energy policy & advocacy, Electric vehicles/Transportation, Climate change, Phasing out fossil fuels

The Latest IPCC Report & What It Means for Massachusetts & Rhode Island

Posted by Larry Chretien & Anna Vanderspek on Saturday, March 25, 2023 @ 09:25 AM

On Monday, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)released its most recent report, whichstatesin no uncertain terms that we need to increase the pace of greenhouse gas emissions reductions. To avoid the worst effects of climate change, the IPCC report said we must reduce carbon emissions by two thirds by 2035.With the release of the report, United NationsSecretary General António Guterres called on developed nations to achieve net-zero emissions by as close to 2040 as possible, rather than the 2050 date that has been the standard – and the date around which Massachusetts and Rhode Island climate policy has developed. What does this latest international call for urgency and speed mean for our work here in Massachusetts and Rhode Island?

Read More

Tags: Climate change, Phasing out fossil fuels

Rhode Island’s 2022 Climate Plan Falls Short

Posted by Amanda Barker on Tuesday, December 27, 2022 @ 05:49 PM

On December 15th, Rhode Island's Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council (EC4) approved the final draft of the 2022 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan. Green Energy Consumers, unfortunately, found the Plan lacking in several ways, which we will detail in this blog.

Read More

Tags: Energy policy & advocacy, Rhode Island, Climate change

Two states & their Decarbonization challenges

Posted by Larry Chretien on Tuesday, December 27, 2022 @ 11:31 AM

Rhode Island and Massachusetts both have mandates to reduce statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels: 50% for Massachusetts and 45% for Rhode Island. Let’s take a look at the approaches they’re taking in the building sector, specifically – what they have in common, what’s different, and what might work.

Read More

Tags: Energy policy & advocacy, Energy efficiency, Climate change, Phasing out fossil fuels

Our Review of the Massachusetts Clean Heat Commission Report

Posted by Larry Chretien on Monday, December 05, 2022 @ 07:21 PM

On November 30, the Massachusetts Clean Heat Commission released its long-awaited report with recommendations for “strategies and policies to achieve deep emissions reductions from heating fuels in the state.” We’ve been waiting for this report for a long time (see our open letter to the Commission from January 2022 here), but it’s important to note that the report does not set policy itself.  We expect the report to be well-read by Governor-Elect Maura Healey and the legislature – the ultimate deciders for what happens now.

Read More

Tags: Energy policy & advocacy, Massachusetts, Climate change

New Electric School Buses Coming to Massachusetts & Rhode Island

Posted by Malia Ching on Friday, November 25, 2022 @ 10:26 AM

Earlier this summer, we wrote about applications being open for the Clean School Bus Program. Now, the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced who got awarded – and school districts in Massachusetts and Rhode Island are on the list!

GECA staff and partners with an electric school bus in Beverly, MA.

Read More

Tags: Massachusetts, Electric vehicles/Transportation, Rhode Island, Climate change

Take Action On Rhode Island’s 2022 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan

Posted by Amanda Barker on Thursday, November 10, 2022 @ 04:14 PM

Rhode Island’s Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council (EC4)needs your input on their draft chapters of the 2022 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan: Priority Actions within the Electric, Transportation, and Thermal Sectors. Comments are due by December 2nd. You can access the draft chapters here.

Read More

Tags: Energy policy & advocacy, Climate change, Action Alert

Is Mass Save capable of phasing out natural gas?

Posted by Larry Chretien on Monday, November 07, 2022 @ 11:55 AM

Massachusetts and Rhode Island have both committed to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions economy-wide to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Achieving these required reductions means zeroing out emissions associated with heating our homes and businesses, which means phasing out the combustion of fossil fuels for heat.

Our two favorite states have had nation-leading energy efficiency programs for many years and those programs have saved an impressive amount of electricity, heating oil, propane, and natural gas. But are these programs up to the task of actually phasing out fossil fuels by 2050?

Read More

Tags: Energy policy & advocacy, Energy efficiency, Climate change, Phasing out fossil fuels

Take Action on Massachusetts’ 2050 Climate Plan

Posted by Larry Chretien & Anna Vanderspek on Saturday, October 15, 2022 @ 10:00 AM

Once again, Massachusetts is working on a clean energy and climate plan – this time for 2050 – and your input is needed by October 21.

Read More

Tags: Energy policy & advocacy, Massachusetts, Climate change, Action Alert

What the Inflation Reduction Act Means for Massachusetts & Rhode Island

Posted by Anna Vanderspek on Monday, September 12, 2022 @ 12:53 PM

On August 16, President Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the largest investment in fighting climate change on the national level this country has ever seen. The IRA is a huge deal and fundamentally changes the game for our work here at the state level. On August 31, we held a webinar to discuss the IRA and its impact on three levels: on individual consumers who want to go green, on towns and cities, and on the state. Here is the webinar recording, as well as a summary and clips of each individual section. Enjoy!

Read More

Tags: Energy policy & advocacy, Electric vehicles/Transportation, Electricity and the grid, Energy efficiency, Climate change, Phasing out fossil fuels