From offshore wind to geothermal power

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Northeast Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning.

WIND

• After striking a deal to give up four offshore wind leases in exchange for $765 million, energy company Invenergy plans to invest the money in geothermal power projects and natural gas–fired power plants. (Canary Media)

STORAGE

• Tesla offers Massachusetts and Connecticut residents steep discounts on Powerwall batteries in exchange for allowing the company to discharge their batteries onto the grid 70 to 100 times per year. (Canary Media)

COAL

• A proposed new coal mine in western Pennsylvania could discharge millions of gallons of wastewater that is treated but still contains pollutants into area waterways. (Allegheny Front)

LEGISLATION

• A major energy bill passed by the Massachusetts House hits delays in the Senate amid last-minute new proposals. (Worcester Business Journal/​State House News Service)

NUCLEAR

• At its Massachusetts headquarters, Commonwealth Fusion Systems is building what will be the world’s most powerful tokamak, a machine that uses powerful magnets to harness charged particles to create fusion power. (NBC Boston)

• The company that has leased the former site of Vermont’s Yankee Nuclear Power Station is considering a range of options for the property, including small nuclear reactors, batteries, and a data center. (VTDigger)

DATA CENTERS

• Delaware lawmakers advance a bill that would create a separate electric rate for data centers in order to pay for any new infrastructure needed to accommodate their energy use. (CoastTV)

RENEWABLES

• Vermont Gov. Phil Scott signs a bill authorizing the use of balcony solar panels that residents can assemble themselves and plug in to a conventional outdoor outlet. (State Affairs)

• Gov. Scott also vetoes a renewable energy siting bill, claiming the measure could open up the state to more wind development. (WCAX)

• A Delaware city approves a plan to buy up to $1 million in solar panels and equipment to install on municipal property, with the goal of making the purchase before July 4 in order to qualify for federal tax credits. (Newark Post)

BUILDINGS

• An elementary school in Boston receives a $5.7 million energy overhaul, including air filtration upgrade and heat pumps that will allow students to enjoy air conditioning for the first time in the school’s history. (WBUR)

• Somerville, Massachusetts, expands a microgrant program giving owners of low-to-moderate income rental properties up to $2,000 to complete energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades. (Somerville Times)