[SPN-Discussion] “Energy Efficiency & Renewables: NY State Summit” NOV 30, Troy, NY
Kiku Loomis
ikeeks at gmail.com
Mon Oct 22 12:54:20 PDT 2018
Begin forwarded message:
*From: *NY Solar Energy Society <wyldon1 at gmail.com>
*Date: *October 01, 2018 8:26:04 PM
*To: *kiku.loomis at me.com
*Subject: **Monthly Digest - September 2018*
View this email in your browser
<https://mailchi.mp/200bd7f5ac49/monthly-digest-september-2018?e=12bbbfd083>
* New York Solar Energy Society*
*Monthly Digest -- September 2018*
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*New York Solar Energy Society’s*
*“Energy Efficiency & Renewables: NY State Summit”*
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=7c6594a1ad&e=12bbbfd083>
*Friday, November 30, 2018*
*7:45 am to 6:00 pm*
*Osborn Amphitheater*
Hilton Garden Inn Troy
Hoosick Street, Troy, New York
(Reserve a Hotel Room)
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=e87fa56d12&e=12bbbfd083>
Topics:
*“Turbine and Transmission System Technologies for Offshore Wind Power
Plants”,"Research Trends in Clean Energy Technology: the Bi-coastal Solar
Research Consortium""Net Zero Village", “The Value of Zero Energy”,
"Blockchains and Renewable Energy", “Solar Thermal Northeast: Load, Design,
Pipe Management & Control”, "State Policy"*
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Register Here for the Conference!
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*Education is the NYSES mission, in a nutshell. Sponsor a student! *
To give the gift of conference registration to a deserving student, please
check the scholarship box on the November 30 Exhibitor page at *www.nyses.org
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=d6eda7a4f4&e=12bbbfd083>*
or send a check to NYSES, 5270 Sycamore Avenue, BX NY 10471.
Last year NYSES raised scholarship funds to bring 25 students from the
local solar job training sites to our November conference. Most
importantly, the trainees brought curiosity and great questions to the
conference. They all hailed from Florida and Puerto Rico. Your gift
includes full conference registration.
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*Not Everyone Digs Coal *
*Standard Chartered will no longer provide financial support to new
coal-fired power plants*
The bank said, it is taking this step in order to help it meet its
commitment to supporting the Paris Agreement on climate change. The bank
will honor all existing commitments relating to 14 coal-power stations in
the project pipe line. Standard Chartered has joined a growing list of
financial institutions which have pledged to end involvement in coal
projects.
9/26/2018 https://www.spglobal.com/
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=c8b0069c2c&e=12bbbfd083>
As of September 25th, 2018:
- 19 banks have stopped direct financing to new coal mines projects
worldwide;
- 17 banks have stopped direct financing to new coal plants projects
worldwide.
https://www.banktrack.org/
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=3ebc30475e&e=12bbbfd083>
*Spain Now Sides with European Commission on Coal*
The Spanish government has begun winding down state aid for coal power,
saying it now sides with a European Commission plan to prohibit so-called
capacity payments for plants emitting more than 550g of carbon dioxide per
kilowatt hour.
9/21/2018 https://www.euractiv.com/
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=4f8ae8e7b1&e=12bbbfd083>
*Ex-GOP FERC chair on coal bailout: 'This too shall pass' *
Pat Wood III, a Republican appointed to FERC by President George W. Bush in
2001 and former FERC Chairman has been a vocal critic of the Trump
administration's efforts to provide a lifeline to failing generators. "I
just hate that everybody's wasting time worrying about this [stuff]," he
said, "instead of worrying about real things that matter, like getting
investor confidence back in this market, getting cybersecurity figured out,
and making sure that we don't overspend billions modernizing the grid."
9/7/2018 https://www.utilitydive.com
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=13889b54b7&e=12bbbfd083>
*Utilities are reluctant to invest in coal plants*
Utilities are expressing little interest in the Trump administration’s bid
to help keep their coal plants alive, remaining committed to providing
energy from cleaner and cheaper sources such as natural gas, wind, and
solar. No utilities contacted by the *Washington Examiner* would commit to
improving their coal plants, or re-evaluate planned coal plant retirements
because of the Trump administration's new rule, known as Affordable Clean
Energy.
9/4/2018 https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/
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*Hurricane Impact*
*North Carolina’s solar farms took a beating from Hurricane Florence*
About one-third of the 3,000 megawatts of solar capacity connected to Duke
Energy Corp.
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=8490b7c89f&e=12bbbfd083>’s
system went down initially.
9/21/2018 https://www.bloomberg.com
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*Duke Energy shut down a power plant in Wilmington, N.C.*
On Friday, 9/21, after a dam on a lake at the site breached, hazardous coal
ash spilled into the nearby Cape Fear River, the company said. The Cape
Fear River supplies drinking water to much of the southeastern part of the
state. It was not immediately clear how much ash was moving into the river.
The extent of the release will depend on how quickly the breach can be
stopped.
9/21//2018 https://www.nytimes.com
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=a930640353&e=12bbbfd083>
*Report: Florence floodwaters breach dam near retired Duke plant,
potentially leaking coal ash *
Duke had issued a high level emergency alert on 9/20
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=8733398aa0&e=12bbbfd083>
due
to flooding in Sutton Lake, which compounded the spill of more than 2,000
cubic yards of coal ash
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=663171a29e&e=12bbbfd083>
from the Sutton plant from earlier in the week.
Storing coal ash near waterways poses liability risks for utilities and
pollution risks for the surrounding communities. Toxic coal ash waste
contains heavy metals, such as arsenic and mercury, and has been linked to
certain types of cancer
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=6f7d837477&e=12bbbfd083>
.
9/21/2018 https://www.utilitydive.com/
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*Florence Floodwaters Breach Coal Ash Pond and Imperil Other Toxic Sites*
Surging floodwaters from hurricane Florence have swept away part of a
retaining wall holding back a pond of coal ash – which contains mercury,
arsenic and other toxic substances – and have also overrun several lagoons
of pig waste in North Carolina. The mishaps amplified concerns about an
array of danger zones including Superfund sites, chemical plants and the
region’s industrial hog farms.
Multiple disposal facilities have flooded and several breached, with toxic
substances flowing into the open environment.
9/17/2018 https://www.nytimes.com/
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*Trump Congratulates Himself (Again) on Puerto Rico Disaster Response*
Trump said that one of his administration's "best jobs" was the response to
the hurricanes in Puerto Rico last year, storms that officials estimate led
to the deaths of nearly 3,000 people. Electricity was restored to all
customers 11 months after the hurricane Maria devastated the island. He
added. "I think that Puerto Rico was an incredible, unsung success."
9/11/2018 http://thehill.com/
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=d956e453ad&e=12bbbfd083>
A Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll
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Puerto Ricans are widely dissatisfied with local and federal government for
their utter failure to respond to their needs. The most intense ire was
aimed at Mr. Trump: Eight of 10 residents gave him negative reviews,
including roughly half who gave him the lowest grade of “poor.”
Eighty-three percent of the Island residents reported either major damage
to their homes, loss of power for more than three months, employment
setbacks or worsening health problems. To this day, complaints persist of
unreliable power, damaged roads and suspect water
9/12/2018 https://www.washingtonpost.com
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=5ffa33ea4f&e=12bbbfd083>
*Solar*
*Five Texas munis partner to add 500 MW of solar*
Five utilities in Texas have teamed up to create the purchasing power
necessary to fund their commitment to renewable generation, with a focus on
solar.
9/20/2018 https://pv-magazine-usa.com/
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*Tariffs Have Clearly ‘Dampened’ U.S. Solar Market, According to Q2 Results*
For a second consecutive quarter, the residential PV sector was essentially
flat on both a year-over-year and quarter-over-quarter basis after a year
in which the market contracted 15%. On the other hand, non-residential PV
fell 16% quarter-over-quarter and 8% year-over-year.
9/13/2018 https://solarindustrymag.com
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*Solar Broke Records All Over Europe This Summer*
9/13/2018 https://www.greentechmedia.com/
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*Lawsuit Challenges Tennessee Valley Authority's Attack on Solar Energy in
South*
Five climate and energy-conservation groups today sued
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=dde8624233&e=12bbbfd083>
the Tennessee Valley Authority for imposing discriminatory electricity
rates that discourage homeowners and businesses from investing in renewable
energy and energy efficiency.
Thelawsuit, filed in the Northern District of Alabama, notes that the
utility’s new fixed “grid-access charge” will, for the first time, require
its customers to pay a mandatory electricity fee regardless of their energy
usage. Such fixed fees make rooftop solar less cost-effective.
The utility is also reducing electricity rates for large businesses. This
move encourages companies to continue relying on its fossil fuel-powered
energy rather than investing in distributed solar. The new rates also cut
costs for the biggest energy users, discouraging efficiency.
The utility’s board of directors, with a majority appointed by President
Trump, has now given final approval to all of these rate changes.
9/6/2018 https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=ed1565af92&e=12bbbfd083>
*Solar for Peace*
U.S.-based start-up, Energy Peace Partners is currently implementing a
program to help humanitarian missions across the world transition from
diesel dependence to a safer and cheaper source of electricity: solar
energy.
The scheme, dubbed Peace Renewable Energy Credit (PREC), is intended to
help existing international humanitarian and peace operations utilize solar
and renewable energy power generators, thus making them independent from
local fuel supply chains, which are often tied up in the conflict.
9/5/2018 https://www.pv-magazine.com
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=cc5bdc96fd&e=12bbbfd083>
*Environment**Trump administration assumes world will warm by devastating
amount*In calculating the potential environmental impacts
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=58b5e571dd&e=12bbbfd083>
of freezing federal fuel economy standards in 2020, the Trump
administration made the assumption that the world will warm by about 4°C,
or 7.2°F, by 2100, when compared to preindustrial levels. This would far
exceed the amount that scientists say would result in potentially
catastrophic impacts, including the partial to complete collapse of the
Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets. It also would be double the amount of
warming that world leaders set as their target in the Paris Climate
Agreement, which the Trump administration intends to pull out of. The
document states that the impacts of nearly 7°F of global warming would be
severe, including "increases in mortality and morbidity due to excessive
heat and other extreme weather events" and the swamping of cities due to
sea level rise. *And what is the current Washington administration going
to do about the unsustainable rise in the Earth's temperature? Nothing!* *To
the contrary*, they continue to take and to propose action exacerbating the
situation!
9/28/2018 https://www.axios.com
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10/1/2018 https://www.washingtonpost.com/
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*Carbon Neutrality Coalition Established*
A group of 19 countries (including the most recent members of the group --
Canada, Denmark, Spain and the United Kingdom), officially launched the
Carbon Neutrality Coalition (CNC) in New York September 27, just weeks
before the European Commission is expected to publish a document outlining
policy scenarios to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
The group – Canada, Denmark, Spain and the United Kingdom – joined the
initial 15 members, meaning Europe is strongly represented, with 12 of 19
members.
“Today, we announce we will develop long-term low-greenhouse gases emission
climate resilient development strategies, in line with the agreed long-term
temperature increase limit. We will do so well ahead of 2020, and if
possible by 2018,” reads the declaration of the Carbon Neutrality Coalition.
9/27/2018 https://www.euractiv.com
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=1ab80ee865&e=12bbbfd083>
*EPA denies Delaware, Maryland petitions on cross-state coal plant
pollution *
EPA said the two states did not prove that out-of-state coal plants will
emit pollutants at a level that violates the "good neighbor" policy of the
Clean Air Act (CAA). Delaware submitted four petitions charging that plants
in Pennsylvania and West Virginia violated the policy. Maryland's petition
named 36 electric generating units (EGUs) in five states that it believed
were in violation. Maryland's Attorney General said he would appeal the
decision in court.
9/19/2018 https://www.utilitydive.com/
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=3e71811175&e=12bbbfd083>
*Scott Pruitt, Former E.P.A. Chief, Is in Talks for His Next Job: Coal
Consultant*
9/12/3018 https://www.nytimes.com/
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=8a19c771ce&e=12bbbfd083>
*Trump Administration to Make It Easier to Release Methane Into Air*
The Trump administration announced a plan to make it significantly easier
for energy companies to release methane into the atmosphere. Methane, which
is among the most powerful greenhouse gases, routinely leaks from oil and
gas wells. the rollback would increase emissions by about 380,000 short
tons by 2025. It would also increase public exposure to ozone pollution and
hazardous air pollutants.
Energy companies have long said that the rules requiring them to test for
emissions were costly and burdensome.
The new rules follow two regulatory rollbacks this year. In July, the
E.P.A. proposed weakening a rule on carbon dioxide pollution from vehicle
tailpipes.
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=48eaf63687&e=12bbbfd083>
And in August, the agency proposed replacing the rule on carbon dioxide
pollution from coal-fired power plants that would allow far more
global-warming emissions to flow unchecked from the nation’s smokestacks.
The administration posture and actions severely undermine the foundation of
the United States’ effort to rein in global warming.
The news broke the day that the U.N. secretary general, António Guterres
called on global leaders to increase efforts against global warming
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=ab10731d18&e=12bbbfd083>.
“Climate change is the defining issue of our time, and we are at a defining
moment,” he said.
9/10/2018 https://www.nytimes.com
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=8b3168fb24&e=12bbbfd083>
&
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/10
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=4fc70d0868&e=12bbbfd083>
9/10/2018 thehill.com/
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9/11/2018 http://thehill.com/
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=74e56158d0&e=12bbbfd083>
*Mercury Rules Could Remake Its Methods for Valuing Human Life and Health *
The 2011 mercury rule — based on decades of research showing that mercury
damages the brain, lungs and fetal health — is among the costliest but most
effective clean-air policies put forth by the Environmental Protection
Agency.
Evidence to the contrary, Trump administration still took a crucial step
toward de-emphasizing the life and health benefits in this calculus when
the Environmental Protection Agency said it would rethink a major
regulation that restricts mercury emissions by coal-burning power plants.
9/7/2018 https://www.nytimes.com
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=7f27578e04&e=12bbbfd083>
*More than 500 words deleted: Dire Climate Change Warnings Cut from Trump
Power-Plant Proposal*
Among the abandoned assertions: an acknowledgment that “the climate has
continued to change, with new records being set” for global average surface
temperatures, Arctic sea ice retreat, carbon dioxide concentrations and sea
level rise, all markers of the phenomenon.
The administration also scrapped a reference to numerous “major scientific
assessments” that “strengthen the case that GHGs endanger public health and
welfare both for current and future generations.”
9/4/2018 https://www.bloomberg.com/
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=a32b3bd175&e=12bbbfd083>
*Goal Set by Influential Actors: Cut US Transportation Energy Use 50% by
2050*
A diverse group of transportation stakeholders launched a new campaign
pressing for significant advances in efficiency and vehicular systems, with
a goal of *slashing transportation energy consumption 50% by 2050
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=bd45cfde10&e=12bbbfd083>*,
while
simultaneously improving mobility.
Recommendations include improving efficiency for all vehicle types,
accelerating inefficient vehicle turnover and incentivizing the rollout of
charging infrastructure, all while ensuring the new transportation economy
equitably benefits all groups.
Vehicle efficiency is not typically a controversial area, but in August the
Trump administration proposed *freezing automobile emission standards at
2020 levels
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=1a30420194&e=12bbbfd083>*,
as well as pulling California's authority to set its own standards. The
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is holding three public hearings this
week on the proposed freeze.
9/26/2018 https://www.utilitydive.com/
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*DOE Funding the Development of Energy Storage Technologies*
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will provide $148 million to fund two
separate initiatives aimed at advancing research into energy storage
technologies:
- $28 million for Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E)
program which will fund 10 projects that aim to increase the duration of
energy storage systems up to 100 hours.
- $120 million for the Joint Center for Energy Story Research (JCESR)
program that does research and development on new battery materials.
9/19/2018 https://www.utilitydive.com
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=7b4f9b2906&e=12bbbfd083>
*RES Americas cancels 600 MW wind project in Indiana *
The wind project became a center of controversy in Cass and Miami counties
where the project was sited and where some landowners were looking forward
to tax revenues and lease payments from the wind farm.
Other residents of the counties opposed the project for the effect it would
have on their property even if they were not hosting a wind turbine.
9/20/2018 https://www.utilitydive.com
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*Delaware Governor signs bill creating new energy efficiency program*
9/5/2018 http://www.delawarebusinesstimes.com
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*NEW YORK *
*NYC Pension Funds Will Increase Their Investment in Clean Energy*
City pension funds have announced a new goal to double the funds’
investments in climate change solutions to $4 billion, or 2% of the city’s
$195 billion pension portfolio, over the next three years.
9/13/2018 https://solarindustrymag.com/
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*Two initiatives in support of clean energy workforce development *
Totaling $15 million, they will provide funding for programs to state
universities for training, apprenticeships, internships, and educational
programs and support through industry partnerships across the state. These
initiatives are part of Climate Jobs NY, a component of the Clean Climate
Careers initiative.
9/4/2018 https://solarindustrymag.com/
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*NORTHEAST*
*FERC Urged to Rescind its Closed Door Policy *
Six New England senators urged FERC
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=c8cf7cace7&e=12bbbfd083>
to end the New England Power Pool’s ban on public and press attendance at
stakeholder meetings. “Consumers deserve to be aware of the important
decisions that are made that affect their household energy bills and the
environment. Such decisions should be transparent and subject to public
scrutiny.” the senators said. The letter to FERC was signed by joined Sen.
Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), U.S. Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jack
Reed (D-R.I.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Jeanne
Shaheen (D-N.H.)
9/25/2018 ttps://www.rtoinsider.com/
*Outage at Exelon's Mystic plant drove tight ISO-NE Labor Day conditions *
- The 1,700 MW natural gas plant, located near Boston, tripped offline
during the afternoon of Sept. 3 due to a fault in a power line connecting
it to the grid,
- ISO-NE , purchasing power from neighboring regions and calling for
voluntary conservation as real-time prices topped $2600/MWh.
- ISO-NE said at the time that errors in its load forecast and unplanned
outages caused the situation.
9/29/2018 https://www.utilitydive.com/
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*Connecticut*
*Utilities prepare for recovery from successful cyber intrusions *
- While there were no successful intrusions in the past year, officials
say there were millions of attempts, with issues consuming more and more
time and effort to combat. The analysis also cites "significant
improvements and areas of progress" and concluded there were "no known
cyber breaches" despite millions of attempts in the last year.
- Protecting critical infrastructure from intruders has become a major
challenge and priority in recent years, and has risen the ranks of utility
concerns. This summer the Department of Energy announced from outages
caused by cyberattacks.
9/20/2018 https://www.utilitydive.com/
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*Maine*
*Secretive wind energy commission appears near collapse*
The governor’ wind energy commission has been surrounded by controversy –
and secrecy – ever since its inception in January. And multiple
resignations indicate that, at least to date, the commission has existed
only on paper.
Last January, the governor announced a moratorium on new wind energy
projects in western and coastal Maine, prompting a lawsuit from the
industry and a conservation group. The announcement came days before
Massachusetts regulators were expected to unveil the initial winners of a
bidding competition to supply huge amounts of renewable energy to that
state. According to the governor, the advisory commission was created to
develop the right policies that balance tourism, the needs of the
communities, the environment and development”. The governor exempted the
commission from Maine’s public meetings and public records laws, exploiting
a rarely used loophole
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=4df91ce230&e=12bbbfd083>
in state law initially created to shield some sensitive discussions from
public disclosure. And his administration has refused to even release the
membership list
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=f4d0c58bc7&e=12bbbfd083>
of the commission
9/25/2018 https://www.pressherald.com
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=d485808500&e=12bbbfd083>
*Massachusetts*
Department of Public Utilities (DPU) has issued
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=bfa46185a7&e=12bbbfd083>
an order approving compensation for owners of new solar projects under the
commonwealth’s Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) program. The
SMART program promotes solar development in the commonwealth through an
incentive paid directly by the utility company to the solar generation
owner. It also will be the first in the nation to offer incentives to solar
projects that are paired with storage to capture the benefits of solar
regardless of time of day or weather conditions. The program
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=73467e4c70&e=12bbbfd083>
is expected to save ratepayers an estimated $4.7 billion over current
programs, according to the DPU.
9/26/2018 https://solarindustrymag.com/
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=ee3d8e9837&e=12bbbfd083>
*Court Rules: State Limist CO2 Emissions from Power Plants Legal*
Massachusetts' highest court resoundingly upheld the state's power to
impose limits on carbon emissions from power plants.
It's the latest example of states establishing their authority to fill the
regulatory void the Trump administration is creating as it moves to roll
back the Clean Power Plan and other federal climate regulations.
9/6/2018 https://insideclimatenews.org
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=aa9e49f12b&e=12bbbfd083>
*New Jersey*
*The Governors’ Wind & Solar Energy Coalition has welcomed
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=45d8ce297d&e=12bbbfd083>
Gov. Phil Murphy, D-N.J., as its newest member.*
The bipartisan group of governors aims to further develop the U.S.’ wind
and solar resources. The other governors are from Arkansas, California,
Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island, South Dakota, Virginia and Washington.
9/13/2018 https://solarindustrymag.com
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=452e5d9cb6&e=12bbbfd083>
*Capped New Jersey Landfill to Become Solar Project*
Following a public request for proposals, the Borough of Hopatcong entered
into a long-term lease agreement with ACCP NJ Solar LLC, a joint venture
co-owned by AC Power and Citrine Power, to design, permit, interconnect and
build a solar installation on the landfill.
9/13/2018 ttps://solarindustrymag.com/
*Community Solar Kick Start*
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) has approved
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=ac3b3d4d4f&e=12bbbfd083>
rule will that enable electric utility customers to remotely participate in
solar energy projects while receiving a credit on their utility bills
proportional to the size of their participation. The pilot program will
also create an opportunity for access to solar for households that have
been previously excluded due to an abundance of shading, unsuitable roofing
conditions or financial reasons.
9/06/18 https://solarindustrymag.com
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=cf7e50c5ab&e=12bbbfd083>
*New Hampshire*
On Sept. 13, the New Hampshire House and Senate will attempt to override
two renewable energy bills Gov. Chris Sununu vetoed in June.
The net metering and biomass bills appear to have broad citizen support
aligned with a large bipartisan coalition of lawmakers, which will be
needed for the difficult-to-achieve two-thirds majority threshold required
for an override.
The first bill, SB 446, which would allow municipalities, schools and
businesses to increase solar or hydro electric generation projects from 1
megawatt to 5 megawatts, seems like a no-brainer to us and has the support
locally of the mayors of Portsmouth, Dover, Rochester and Somersworth,
cities which all have large solar projects either in operation or on the
drawing boards.
9/9/2018 http://www.fosters.com/news/
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=559161d424&e=12bbbfd083>
*Rhode Island*
*More Renewable Energy *
Rhode Island continues to push for more renewable energy. The latest is a
call for 400 megawatts of power from new energy projects developed in and
outside Rhode Island.
The eligible projects include solar, offshore and onshore wind, small
hydro, biomass, fuel cells, geothermal, and ocean-tidal and current-powered
projects. All energy proposals must be 20 megawatts or greater. Hydro
projects 30 megawatts and larger, including Canadian hydro, aren’t eligible.
9/18/2018 https://www.ecori.org
<https://nyses.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=72c2dba466a2493a7f232aa67&id=1d6d4a2e9d&e=12bbbfd083>
*Vermont*
*Attorney General Challenges Federal Exemptions of Mercury Products*
Mercury exposures at high levels can harm the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs
and immune systems of people of all ages, and mercury in the bloodstream of
developing babies and young children may harm their nervous systems and
ability to think and learn.Ingestion of mercury by animals, causes reduced
reproduction, slower growth and development, abnormal behavior, and death.
The “final” Mercury Rule promulgated by the EPA earlier this year will
exempt from reporting information on the amount and use of mercury in any
product that contains the element as a component of a larger product, e.g.,
mercury battery in a watch or toy, or a mercury switch or relay in a lamp
or pump.
9/19/2017 *Green Energy Times*
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