$450M grant to boost New England heat pump deployment

BUILDINGS: The U.S. EPA grants $450 million to a coalition of five New England states to encourage heat pump adoption, aiming for 65% of home heating and air conditioning sales by 2030. (Canary Media)

ALSO:

• The Vermont Public Power Supply Authority is providing up to $10,000 in rebates for efficient energy system upgrades. (WCAX)
• Amid sweltering summer heat waves, Maine theater workers consider how to keep patrons and actors comfortable in their rustic, uninsulated and un-air conditioned facilities. (Portland Press Herald)

GRID:

• An Exelon executive says the record-high prices awarded in PJM Interconnection’s latest capacity auction could lead to double-digit rate increases for some of its utilities. (Utility Dive)
• In light of the capacity auction results, the head of power utility PPL says he’s in favor of proposed Pennsylvania legislation that would allow the wires-only utility to own its generation resources. (RTO Insider, subscription)
• Complicated issues around grid modernization and renewable power interconnection in Maine are leading state utility regulators to hire more staff and spend more money to get through their workload. (Portland Press Herald)
• Eversource hasn’t sufficiently justified a proposed $385 million transmission line rebuild project in New Hampshire, argues the New England States Committee on Electricity, noting it will bring the case to federal energy regulators if necessary. (RTO Insider, subscription)

CLEAN ENERGY: Some Pennsylvania businesses say state and federal requirements are making it difficult for them to get involved in clean energy manufacturing, like a Meadville glass maker that wants to hire at least 120 workers to make solar panel glass. (Environment + Energy Leader)

TRANSPORTATION: In New York, two lawsuits aim to revive the Manhattan traffic congestion tolling program, with one claiming the governor’s indefinite pause is an unlawful use of her powers and another making a constitutional law argument. (Sierra)

LEGISLATION: New Hampshire’s governor signs several energy-related laws, including nuclear power studies, renaming an offshore wind office, and rules around involuntary retirement or decommissioning of power generation assets. (InDepth NH)

WORKFORCE: Pennsylvania’s Bucks County Community College receives a $2 million federal grant to invest in a clean energy HVAC technician program and expand a manufacturing apprenticeship. (WHYY)

WIND: As Maine seeks to put an offshore wind port on an undeveloped island that conservationists want to preserve, a reporter does a flyover of the Sear’s Island and Mack Point area to get a bird’s eye view of the current land uses. (Maine Monitor)

COMMENTARY: Massachusetts lawmakers need to reconvene their session to pass a consensus climate bill — which includes project permitting reform — or otherwise ​“pay a steep price” for the lack of climate action, writes the Northeast Clean Energy Council’s president. (CommonWealth Beacon)