New Jersey offshore wind solicitation gets two more bids

WIND: New Jersey gets two more bids for its latest offshore wind power solicitation: one that is a rebid of the Atlantic Shores 1 project that bundles in Atlantic Shores 2, and the other is a project from Attentive Energy. (Associated Press)

POLICY:

• While meeting its ambitious clean energy and electrification goals has been difficult, Ithaca, New York, is serving as a ​“catalyst for hope” for other small cities looking to make climate progress. (Christian Science Monitor)
• A group of environmental organizations says a review of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is now 18 months overdue and that Northeast officials need to update the regional carbon market’s climate goals. (E&E News, subscription)
• Budget cuts proposed by Maryland’s governor would reduce funding for a new Morgan State University climate change research center by $1 million. (Baltimore Sun)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• Maryland plans to install 130 electric vehicle charging ports at 23 locations near state highways by fall 2025. (Baltimore Sun)
• Three Massachusetts’ transit agencies will collectively receive nearly $60 million to purchase low-to-no-emission buses. (State House News Service)
• Two companies launched in Massachusetts work to make it easier for older homes to charge electric vehicles without costly upgrades through smart monitoring technologies. (Boston Globe)
• Pennsylvania lawmakers advance a bill to have electric vehicle owners pay a $200 registration fee, with an increase to $250 in 2026, to account for lost gasoline tax revenue to maintain roads. (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)

SOLAR:

• In Delaware, the Dover Transit Center receives almost $5 million in federal grants to add solar panels and a solar-powered bus shelter to its facility, among other environmentally minded additions. (Delaware Business Times)
• A solar company sells off two of its 975 kW Maine community solar projects, one in Mechanic Falls and the other in Windham. (news release)
• A West Seneca, New York, manufacturer is turning truck bed covers into portable, solar power banks. (Buffalo News)

TRANSIT: Maryland’s Prince George’s County receives just over $25 million in federal grants to purchase electric buses, vans and related charging infrastructure. (The Daily Record)

GRID: Recurring power outages in Consolidated Edison’s New York City territory show that the city’s grid and other critical infrastructure aren’t ready for the implications of extreme heat. (Brooklyn Daily Eagle)

FOSSIL FUELS: New Hampshire environmental officials have around $250,000 in remaining federal funds to disburse for diesel engine emission reduction projects, with project proposal applications still open until August 2. (New Hampshire Bulletin)

UTILITIES: Massachusetts utility regulators hasten the process through which localities seek approval for municipal power aggregation plans and allow for updated plans without rereview, but tack on new transparency measures. (RTO Insider, subscription)