Manhattan co-op goes fully electric

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ELECTRIFICATION

• A 110-unit building in Manhattan becomes the first housing co-op in the borough to fully electrify, replacing its fossil fuel-fired steam system with large-scale electric heat pumps. (Canary Media)

OFFSHORE WIND

• Anti-wind advocates ask the U.S. Supreme Court to rule in favor of fishing groups asking Vineyard Wind to be halted, arguing that the federal government overstepped its authority in approving the project. (E&E News)

• In another attack on Vineyard Wind, Nantucket anti-wind activist group ACK for Whales asks the Trump administration to revoke the project’s permits, contending that a January 2025 approval failed to properly consider the risk of breaking blades and lightning strikes. (news release)

• The Trump administration cancels $4.4 million in unspent grants to the University of Maine’s floating offshore wind research project, disrupting plans to put a research turbine in operation this spring. (NOTUS)

COAL

• Under a deal with grid operator PJM intended to ensure grid reliability, Maryland’s last coal-fired power plant could stay in operation until 2029 rather than shutting down in June as previously planned, though the agreement is under appeal. (Bay Journal)

SOLAR

• Solar developers in Maine now have to apply for a special permit and pay extra fees if they want to build projects larger than five acres that encroach upon ​“high-value” farmland. (Bangor Daily News)

• The parks department in Montgomery County, Maryland, plans to double the amount of solar energy produced in its parks over the next five years to reach 6.8 million kilowatt-hours. (The MoCo Show)

EFFICIENCY

• A Vermont food co-op loses a $500,000 federal grant to install an energy-efficient, ​“state of the art” refrigeration system, but forges ahead with the project using money it received for continuing to employ workers during the COVID pandemic. (Natural Refrigerants)

TRANSPORTATION

• New York city and state transportation departments join the ongoing lawsuit contesting the Trump administration’s demands that the city transit authority stop collecting congestion pricing fees in Manhattan; meanwhile transportation secretary Sean Duffy threatens to withhold federal highway funding if the city continues to disobey. (E&E News, Gothamist)

• A ferry service connecting Cape Cod to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket starts to lay plans to switch from diesel ferries to hybrid boats, though lack of federal funding support could slow the transition. (Rock 92.9)

WORKFORCE

• In New York City, growth in ​“green jobs” has been slower than expected, according to a new report — a trend that could leave students training to work as solar installers, energy efficiency technicians, and similar positions without many professional options. (Inside Climate News)

GRID

• New York announces $12 million to support innovative grid technologies aimed at enhancing grid performance and integrating clean energy resources. (T&D World)