Solar boat launches in Massachusetts

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.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• A Massachusetts company founded by an EV pioneer has developed two solar-powered, customizable boats. (Canary Media)
• Fifty new plug-in electric school buses in New York City are slated to transport students and store energy to share with the grid. (Canary Media)

WIND

• Eight Northeastern states sue to block two deals between the Trump administration and developers that agreed to abandon their offshore wind leases for payments from the federal government. (Canary Media)

SOLAR

• Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island announce a joint procurement of 102 MW of new solar energy selected through a multistate solicitation. (news release)
• Hundreds of people oppose a solar development proposed for 60 acres of farmland in a small Delaware village. (Spotlight Delaware)
• A Pennsylvania grant program helping fund solar installations on school roofs is helping districts across the state save millions of dollars. (WHYY)

CLIMATE

• A second federal judge strikes down New York’s climate ​“superfund” law, which would charge oil and gas companies for the costs of climate change. (New York Times)
• Activists rally to ask New Jersey state lawmakers to pass climate superfund legislation that would require fossil fuel companies to pay up to $50 billion. (WHYY)

BUILDINGS

• In New York City, a supposedly grassroots residents group opposed to the city’s local law restricting greenhouse gas emissions from large buildings receives substantial funding from a lobbying group that represents major real estate developers. (New York Focus)

DATA CENTERS

• New Jersey fines a data center more than $1 million for illegally installing and operating 62 gas-burning generators, but activists say it isn’t enough and want the site shut down. (NJ.com)

NUCLEAR

• The U.S. Army considers developing an advanced nuclear reactor at a facility in Maryland. (WMAR)
• Three dozen New York state legislators speak out against Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposal to spend $24 million in taxpayer money to subsidize the construction of new nuclear power plants in the state. (Brooklyn Eagle)
• Candidates in New York’s 17th Congressional District are at odds over the future of the former Indian Point nuclear power plant, with the Democrat pushing to continue decommissioning the facility and the Republican advocating to reopen the plant. (Inside Climate News)

AFFORDABILITY

• Rhode Island utility commissioners approve $28 million in winter electric bill relief, amounting to about $20 per month for the average customer. (What’s Up Newp)