New York taps into thermal heat

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Northeast Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning.

GEOTHERMAL

• New York regulators approve plans for two thermal networks, which will use thermal energy from the ground and wastewater to heat dozens of buildings. (Canary Media)

NATURAL GAS

• The U.S. Energy Department says it will give $42 million to support a controversial proposed pipeline that would carry natural gas from Pennsylvania into New York. (The Hill)

WIND

• The Trump administration files a request to reconsider the federal construction permit for a wind farm planned off the Maryland coast, claiming the project could harm whales, the fishing industry, and scientific research. (WTOP)
• The company behind an 800-MW wind farm planned for far-northern Maine start planning outreach in the local communities likely to be affected by the development. (Bangor Daily News)

DATA CENTERS

• A growing number of New England towns are restricting or banning data centers in the face of widespread concern about energy prices and environmental damage. (NHPR)

STORAGE

• A 3.75-MWh energy storage system comes online in an affordable housing building in New York, becoming one of the largest residential batteries in the country. (Associated Press)

ELECTIONS

• Democratic wins in both the governor’s race and the state legislature in Pennsylvania could revive stalled progress on renewable energy and greenhouse gas reductions, hopeful advocates say. (Inside Climate News)
• Gubernatorial candidates in Rhode Island have different ideas on how to lower utility costs, with Democrat Helena Foulkes pushing for more renewable energy and her opponents focusing on removing fees from electric bills and investing in advanced technologies. (ecoRI)

SOLAR

• A climate-minded investment firm is funding a portfolio of community solar projects in Maryland and Illinois that will create 126 MW of renewable energy capacity. (Solar Power World)

GRID

• Federal regulators approve grid operator ISO New England’s proposed process for reviewing utility plans to repair aging transmission infrastructure — projects that cost millions of dollars but were previously subject to little oversight. (Utility Dive)
• A Maine utility’s plan to spend more than $500 million on grid upgrades around Portland draws opposition from locals who say they’re not being told enough about the scale and impact of the project. (Maine Public)