For some time now in Massachusetts, you have been able to choose green power for your home or business. And for some time, your community has been able to choose an electricity supplier to serve the entire town. Today, we can put the two ideas together: renewable energy by community choice.
Climate scientists have concluded that in order to prevent the Earth’s temperature from rising 2°C and avert the most dangerous impacts related to climate change, we must reduce carbon emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. Since a significant portion of GHG emissions come from the electric sector, an obvious way to reduce emissions is to displace fossil fuels in that sector with zero-emission resources such as wind and solar. Not only does investing in renewables reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, but together with efficiency, renewable energy is the best way to hedge against price volatility of natural gas.
Mass Energy and PP&L source a very specific type of renewable energy to ensure the greatest impact per dollar that our members spend. Not only do we want our members to buy renewable energy, we want their purchase to displace electricity generated by fossil fuels. Don't get fooled by green power suppliers who greenwash New England consumers.
Last week, we learned that National Grid and NSTAR decided to withdraw their commitment to purchase electricity from the Cape Wind project. Many of us were looking forward to seeing Cape Wind become the first offshore wind project in the United States. Now that seems unlikely. Without the contracts with NSTAR and National Grid, Cape Wind will find it extremely difficult to get financing.
Acting on the recommendations of the Department of Energy Resources and Attorney General, on December 16th, the...
We like to keep our members and the general public updated on renewable energy progress in New England. Our green power updates will tell you a little more about what’s going on in renewable energy construction. All of these up-and-coming projects are being supported by Mass Energy/People’s Power & Light members!
Coming up on July 27th is Mass Energy and People’s Power & Light’s 4th annual Berkshire East Wind Turbine Festival in Charlemont, MA (get your tickets here). Local wind turbine power at Berkshire East is a huge success story—it literally helped keep this family-run ski and zip-lining resort from shutting its doors. Mass Energy/PP&L was able to play a role in Berkshire East’s success by contracting to purchase renewable energy certificates (RECs) from their local wind turbine long-term.
Thanks to a 4-2 vote of the Town Council on June 3, there is a good chance for the Portsmouth, RI local wind turbine to spin again. And if everything falls into place, Portsmouth will once again become part of People’s Power & Light/Mass Energy’s green power portfolio as early as September 2014.
Rhode Island was one of the first states in the country to establish a renewable energy standard, a requirement for electricity suppliers to include an increasing percentage of power from sources such as local wind turbines and solar. The standard has worked well, changing the mix that Rhode Islanders get, whether they purchase from National Grid or through a competitive supplier. The standard is scheduled to increase by 1 or 1.5% per year. However, we were disappointed in December to learn that the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), appointees of Governor Chafee, voted 2–1 to delay a scheduled increase in the state’s requirement. What it means, very simply, is less renewable energy purchased by Rhode Islanders. And that means less green power on the New England grid because generators cannot get financing to build projects unless there is sufficient demand.
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