Northeast

Solar

New Hampshire’s low-income community solar program finally moves forward

The state energy department is reviewing seven proposals for community solar arrays that will allocate a portion of their bill credits to low-income households.

By Sarah Shemkus . 9 October 2024
Policy & regulation

With new draft rules, Vermont’s clean heat standard faces murky future

Last year, Vermont became one of the first states to pass a clean heat law. Now, its regulators and lawmakers are trying to figure out how to implement the policy.

By Carrie Klein . 8 October 2024
Batteries

A Massachusetts town uses batteries to help its grid — and its schools

Batteries can serve double-duty, shoring up the grid and providing backup to buildings when the power goes out. This project shows how.

By Jeff St. John . 7 October 2024
ENN

Grid capacity, data centers among topics at New Jersey hearing on electricity prices

A PJM Interconnection official tells lawmakers to avoid "any policies that are designed to push resources off the system before we have an equal and equivalent amount of replacement resources."

By Nikita Biryukov . 4 October 2024
Heat pumps

Mass. regulator orders National Grid to set lower winter rate for heat pumps

The decision instructs the state’s second-largest utility to develop a more affordable wintertime electricity rate for customers who have a heat pump.

By Sarah Shemkus . 4 October 2024
Wind

Huge New Jersey offshore wind project approved for construction

The 2.8 gigawatt Atlantic Shores project aims to start construction next year and connect to the grid by 2029. It’ll have to beat legal challenges to get there.

By Keaton Peters . 3 October 2024
Transmission

Why won’t PJM let batteries and clean power bolster a stressed-out grid?

The country’s biggest grid operator is preventing developers from adding batteries to existing projects that have extra grid space, in defiance of a federal mandate.

By Jeff St. John . 3 October 2024
ENN

Advocates hope utility’s winter heat pump rate discount becomes model for Massachusetts utilities

Unitil will begin offering a lower wintertime electricity rate next year to customers with heat pumps, which is expected to make the high-efficiency, low-emission furnace alternatives more affordable.

By Sarah Shemkus . 30 September 2024
Electrification

Getting a heat pump took some effort. Here’s what I learned.

Millions of Americans will have to switch out their boilers and furnaces for heat pumps in the years to come. These are my main takeaways from getting one.

By Dan McCarthy . 30 September 2024
Air travel

Air Company raises $69M to convert CO2 into jet fuel

The market for sustainable aviation fuel is small but growing. Brooklyn-based startup Air Company intends to use its new funding to expand production of its SAF.

By Aaron Mok . 18 September 2024