Another canceled Northeast offshore wind contract

BUILDINGS: Southern Maine communities collaborate on a pilot program to help residents overcome cost and logistical barriers to accessing climate-friendly home energy upgrades. (Energy News Network)

ALSO:

• Maryland announces a new program to help decarbonize public school buildings, with a fiscal year 2024 budget of $24 million. (news release)
• A New York county receives $1.5 million from NuEnergen for an energy conservation program. (News 12)

OFFSHORE WIND:

• Equinor and BP cancel their power contract for the proposed 1.2 GW Empire 2 offshore wind project but say they may rebid at a higher price, the latest blow to the industry in recent months. (Times Union, Law360)
• Vineyard Wind announces it has begun delivering a fraction of its nameplate capacity to Massachusetts’ grid, a historic milestone that comes later than expected but was nonetheless celebrated by clean power advocates and officials. (State House News Service, NBC Boston)
• Delaware environment officials finish a report for the state’s governor and lawmakers on offshore wind procurement and potential partnerships with other states. (news release)

SOLAR:

• A developer announces plans for a 90 MW solar farm spread across two towns in New York’s Seneca County, intending to file its application with the state by the end of the month. (Finger Lakes 1)
• A New Jersey solar developer under investigation for scamming residential customers in multiple states has filed for bankruptcy without the intent to reorganize. (Hartford Business Journal)
• A municipal Massachusetts utility acquires $15 million in green bonds to construct a Ludlow solar farm to power over 1,500 homes. (WWLP)

FOSSIL FUELS:

• Pennsylvania’s Independent Fiscal Office says towns and municipalities received the lowest-ever collective amount of gas drilling impact fees in 2023, reflecting a 37% decline from 2022. (WESA)
• Maine emergency management officials want state residents whose oil systems were damaged in recent floods to mitigate and remediate any leaks and spills. (Portland Press Herald)
• Pennsylvania receives around $44.5 million in Inflation Reduction Act funds to plug up oil and gas wells to reduce methane emissions. (WGAL)

UTILITIES: A recently released report commissioned by Vermont lawmakers finds that transitioning to 100% renewable power by 2030 would modestly raise rates. (NHPR)

TRANSIT: A recent study from the Central Maryland Transportation Alliance finds that the state’s public transit network doesn’t reach where most jobs are. (Baltimore Sun)

GREEN TECH: Maine’s energy office signs an almost $112,000, one-year contract with the Central Maine Growth Council to expand an environmental and clean energy tech accelerator program. (news release)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Delaware car dealerships say demand for electric vehicles has lagged despite the state’s recently passed clean car regulations, leading to surplus vehicles on lots. (Delaware News Journal)