Massachusetts governor again urges clean energy permitting reform

CLEAN ENERGY: Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey yesterday reiterated her call for lawmakers to return to work to pass a clean energy permitting bill, saying ​“we need to build infrastructure and modernize the grid as quickly as possible.” (Boston Herald)

THERMAL: Con Edison wants to launch a pilot project that would capture the heat from a data center and pump it into a thermal energy network for a nearby affordable housing complex, taking advantage of typically wasted energy. (Business Insider)

SOLAR: To meet its Scope 3 emissions goal, Microsoft hires Pivot Energy to develop 500 MW of community solar projects through 2029, including in Delaware and Maryland. (news release)

PIPELINES: Maryland energy officials want the state’s gas utilities to look at non-pipe alternatives in lieu of replacing old, leaking pipes, given how expensive and inconsistent with state climate goals in comparison. (RTO Insider, subscription)

BATTERIES: An energy developer finishes installing its first standalone battery energy storage system, 4.29 MW worth of Tesla MegaPacks in New York City’s Bronx borough. (news release)

NUCLEAR: About a fifth of New York’s energy needs come from its four remaining nuclear power plants, but both the subsidies supporting the sites and the operating licenses of two are set to expire in 2029, and the operator warns that the sites must ​“be economic” to continue. (NY UP)

AFFORDABILITY: In Connecticut, Republican lawmakers want a special legislative session to try to alleviate utility bill affordability concerns related to the public benefits charge. (NBC Connecticut)

WIND:

• The failure of a Vineyard Wind turbine and the resulting pollution aren’t helping with the backlash against the energy resource, even though the break doesn’t seem to be a harbinger of further issues. (Wall Street Journal, subscription)
• In Massachusetts, some Nantucket residents are using the failure of a Vineyard Wind turbine to push for an offshore wind development moratorium. (Boston Herald)
• A New Jersey lawmaker who opposes offshore wind plans to hold a media event next week in the seaside town of Brigantine. (DownBeach)
• The operator of Mack Point, the preferred location of a future offshore wind hub for some environmentalists, says their location makes more sense than the undisturbed Sears Island. (Republican Journal)

WORKFORCE:

• Two Delaware colleges host a joint, weeklong offshore wind worker training program to help people earn relevant certifications to begin working in the industry or adjacent positions, like port workers or sea rescuers. (DBT)
• A nearly $300,000 state grant will help southern Maine schools recruit and train students for clean energy and energy efficiency apprenticeships, internships and jobs. (Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier)

COMMENTARY:

• The majority of resources receiving payouts from PJM Interconnection’s recent capacity auction are coal, gas or nuclear facilities, leading to questions of how equipped the grid operator is to navigate the energy transition, a journalist says. (Inside Climate News)
• An editorial board writes that bringing the world’s largest battery storage system to a small northern town would ​“change the electricity landscape in Maine and the country” while redeveloping a vacant industrial site. (Bangor Daily News)