New Massachusetts port makes more room for wind

OFFSHORE WIND: A newly completed, $42 million commercial port on the New Bedford, Massachusetts waterfront could host offshore wind operations. (Cape Cod Times)

ALSO:

• Offshore wind experts answer questions about the future of floating offshore wind turbines in Maine and elsewhere. (Maine Public)
• Maine’s governor promotes Maine as a premier destination for companies looking to invest in offshore wind while touring wind facilities and meeting with industry in Norway and Denmark. (news release)

FOSSIL FUELS: A Philadelphia refinery agrees to pay a settlement of $4.2 million, after the U.S. EPA found the owners failed to remedy corrosion that caused an explosion and fire in 2019. (Associated Press)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: New York is one of 40 cities in which ride-sharing option Uber Green will go fully electric, removing hybrid vehicles from its lineup. (NBC New York)‘

AGRIVOLTAICS:

• A Boston-based solar developer is planning three community solar projects, totaling 16 MW, for cattle grazing land in upstate New York. (PV Magazine)
• A New York state research group will install a solar canopy over 1,100 apple trees to test whether the panels will help protect the trees while generating power. (NNY360)

UTILITIES: FirstEnergy — a utility serving New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania — receives poor marks in a new Sierra Club report tracking utilities’ progress toward decarbonization. (Canary Media)

EQUITY: Energy efficiency contractors in Connecticut call on the state and private companies to improve the treatment of workers of color in the industry. (CT News Junkie)

NUCLEAR: A Maryland startup raises $45 million for its plan to build modular nuclear reactors at shipyards using existing labor and infrastructure. (DCInno, subscription)

RENEWABLES: The New York State Power Authority releases a draft plan identifying potential renewables projects across the state totaling as much as 3.5 GW of capacity. (news release)

TRANSIT: A new study recommends reviving a little-used rail line in Boston and adding electric train service to make commuting easier and attract more riders. (CommonWealth Beacon)