Maine community solar bundled, sold to global investment firms

SOLAR: In Maine, community solar projects are being bundled and sold to large global investment firms — but a lack of ownership data makes it hard to see where ratepayers’ dollars are going. (Maine Monitor)

ALSO:

• Massachusetts lawmakers advance a bill to encourage more renewable energy development, including solar and storage projects, by updating interconnection, siting and permitting processes. (Associated Press, news release)
• Connecticut’s attorney general sues several solar firms for allegedly deceptive or illegal sales tactics, including impersonating customers. (Fox 61)
• With 40 applications approved and another 100 being evaluated, an energy developer looks to sign up roughly 250 households to a new community solar project in Albany, New York. (WAMC)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Rhode Island is now the first state to finish building out its high-speed highway charging network with funds from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program. (E&E News, subscription)

WIND:

• Nantucket’s select board intends to recover costs from Vineyard Wind related to the recent turbine blade failure that has led to debris washing up on shore and floating in nearby waters; ocean currents and wind patterns could possibly push the debris south along the coast. (Boston Herald, Asbury Park Press)
• A huge ship intended to help install wind turbines at the Revolution Wind offshore project site is scheduled to arrive in New London, Connecticut, tomorrow. (The Day)
• A group of residents sues Centerville, Massachusetts, for allegedly breaking open meeting policies by reaffirming an agreement to allow the installation of underground cables for the New England Wind 1 project during an executive session. (Boston Herald)

GRID:

• Some residents of Maryland’s Carroll County push back against plans to install a $424 million, 70-mile energy transmission line that would run through their county and two others around Baltimore. (Carroll County Times, Baltimore Banner)
• In Baltimore, the subsidiary of a European energy and data company wants to build a cable plant to fulfill offshore wind and power grid demand, first starting with land cables and eventually adding capacity for sub-sea cables. (Baltimore Sun)
• New England’s grid operator says year-to-date peak energy demand occurred last Tuesday, attributing that milestone to the lengthy heat wave. (NHPR)

CARBON CAPTURE: Utility PPL Corp. looks to partner with the University of Rhode Island to fund research into carbon capture technology. (PBN)

HYDROPOWER: A collection of 10.7 MW worth of hydroelectric facilities in New Hampshire and New York are up for sale. (news release)

BUILDINGS: The Massachusetts Port Authority approves a major redevelopment of a former power plant in South Boston into a new transit-oriented, mixed-use complex; demolition has already begun. (Boston.com)

WORKFORCE: A jobs training program looks to help 300 Mainers develop skills in the clean energy field as the state’s aging workforce begins retiring. (Mainebiz)