Revolution Wind has its first turbine foundation in the water

WIND: The developers behind the 704 MW Revolution Wind project install the first foundation needed for the facility’s 65 turbines. (Providence Journal)

ALSO:

• During a visit to the now operational South Fork wind project, a Connecticut lawmaker says the project was never ​“excellent” but is ​“paying off” given its tax revenue and related local economic activity. (CT Examiner)
• In Maine, state officials and labor leaders describe a future of good-quality blue collar jobs in Searsport, the potential future home of the state’s offshore wind hub facing criticism over plans to site it on an undeveloped island. (Maine Morning Star)

CLIMATE:

• Portland, Maine is considering a novel program to fund climate initiatives with proceeds from renewable energy credits from city-owned solar arrays. (Energy News Network)
• A top Massachusetts lawmaker teases a yet-to-be-detailed climate package to be introduced at the end of the legislative session. (Boston Herald)

OIL & GAS: Pennsylvania lawmaker introduces legislation to bar local governments from receiving any state oil revenues if they sue oil companies, responding to a climate lawsuit filed by Bucks County against the fossil fuel industry. (E&E News, subscription)

TIDAL: The firm testing tidal energy turbines on Lake Erie says their prototype is better than that of their competitors because it doesn’t need to be plunged as deeply and is less visually intrusive. (Go Erie)

GRID:

• The owners of the Brandon Shores coal plant in Maryland want to close the facility in 2025, but ineffective planning for a renewable energy heavy grid means it may need to stay online for several more years. (Canary Media)
• Boston’s history of land removal and expansion means much of the city sits just above historic flood lines — leaving its grid infrastructure particularly vulnerable to floods and extreme weather. (RTO Insider, subscription)
• Vermont’s utility commission is looking for three new members to represent different stakeholders on a statewide transmission system planning committee. (news release)

SOLAR:

• The NY Green Bank will provide $100 million in financing to help a developer build 79 MW worth of community solar projects. (news release)
• A northern New York school district will soon decide whether to build a 5 MW solar array on a currently unused field. (NCPR)
• A solar manufacturing firm’s director says a Pittsburgh plant upgrade underway is its most substantial expansion yet, allowing them to create enough torque tubes on site for 4 GW worth of panels. (Solar Power World)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: New York City records show that neighborhood stores and major online retailers alike are ignoring summons and cease and desist orders issued over uncertified e-bike battery sales. (The City)

BUILDINGS: In response to climate protests, a Baltimore art museum drafts a sustainability plan that its director says will hopefully include energy efficiency measures and rooftop solar. (Baltimore Sun)

COMMENTARY: A New Jersey doctor argues a free market approach to developing more clean energy doesn’t account for the ​“lives lost and illnesses caused by fossil fuel pollution.” (NJ Spotlight)