Exciting Maine Offshore Wind Roadmap Released Today by Governor Mills’ Energy Office

Maine has announced  a plan to harness offshore wind is doubly exciting and promising, both for addressing climate change and taking advantage of an economic opportunity that only comes along once in a generation. The Roadmap is a result of the dedicated efforts of Maine’s Governor, the Maine Climate Council, the State Legislature, and many others. Offshore wind could become one of Maine’s leading industries, providing jobs to laborers, engineers, electricians, constructions experts and a host of other jobs yet to be developed. Maine is a world leader in developing offshore floating wind turbines, and the future is bright with promise.

But Maine’s Offshore Wind Map plan is not a gold rush toward wind power. Instead, it is designed to protect Maine’s existing fisheries and wildlife habitats. The roadmap won’t be accomplished behind closed doors, but out in the open as part of an effort to include all stakeholders. All of Maine’s people must rise on the tide of economic and environmental benefits: rural communities, labor, indigenous peoples, and those who are economically disadvantaged.

The Roadmap sets a specific timeline from 2023 and beyond to accomplish various tasks, from a procurement project to fulfill a percentage of Maine’s electricity needs to permitting and leasing. All to further and complete Maine’s offshore wind goals.

Acadia Center is dedicated to using its expertise to promote clean, efficient energy now and in the future, and we welcome the fantastic commitment Maine has made to climate matters generally, to promoting Maine’s abundant offshore wind resource, and for providing a Roadmap to achieving the goal of harnessing offshore wind.

Why a ‘temporary’ Portsmouth LNG site is expected to remain for another decade

PORTSMOUTH – Ever since a faulty valve in Weymouth, Massachusetts, caused Enbridge’s Algonquin natural gas pipeline to fail in January 2019 and threw Newport County residents into a heating crisis for a week, Portsmouth Town Councilor Keith Hamilton has been advocating for new natural gas infrastructure on Aquidneck Island.

Specifically, he wants a second pipeline connected to the island, both to serve as a redundancy for the existing line and to complete a loop system that would connect the island to the larger regional transmission network from two directions and address the potentially catastrophic issue of low pressure in the lines.

As Rhode Island begins the statewide process of working towards ambitious emissions reduction goals set forth in the 2021 Act on Climate (10% below 1990 levels by 2020; 45% below 1990 levels by 2030; 80% below 1990 levels by 2040; net-zero emissions by 2050) environmental and clean energy advocates such as the Acadia Center are calling for a complete moratorium on natural gas infrastructure, including a ban on residential and commercial hook-ups in new developments.

Hank Webster, senior policy advocate and Rhode Island director of the environmental policy non-profit Acadia Center, comes to a very different conclusion than Hamilton.

In a text message to the Daily News, Webster said, “We don’t think the (Old Mill Lane LNG storage) facility is necessary if (Rhode Island Energy) instead pursued investing in improvements that actually benefitted their customers, like weatherization, cleaner, safer appliances, and demand response programs. Proposals to build new infrastructure only benefit the companies building the project and the companies selling the gas.”

He continued, “Let’s not forget that the federal and state government found that the January 2019 outage only occurred because of an extraordinary coincidence of management failures and lack of attention to existing infrastructure like an upstream valve and backup power module. Without any one of those, the outage would not have occurred, and we would not be seeing these proposals for new long-lived infrastructure.”

Despite the state’s continued reliance on natural gas and local concern in both Middletown and Portsmouth about the siting of an industrial LNG storage facility in a residential neighborhood, there seems to be limited appetite at the state level for an infrastructure project of the magnitude Hamilton has in mind. This is not least because pushing for a second pipeline to the island would necessitate a huge political battle at a time when Acadia Center and other Act on Climate advocates in the state legislature and in the ranks of Rhode Island’s registered lobbyists are beginning to actively fight for a moratorium on natural gas infrastructure and eventually full abandonment of natural gas as an energy source.

Despite mounting public backlash from neighbors who have seen the facility in their backyards expand its capacity from one to five portable LNG tanks over the course of the past four winters, public documents submitted by Rhode Island Energy to the PUC and the state’s Energy Facility Siting Board indicate this “temporary situation” is likely to be in place for at least another decade to come, at an estimated cost of $31 million as opposed to $147 million for the construction of a second pipeline extending from the main line in southern Massachusetts. Webster and Acadia Center’s preferred solution, weatherization and electrification, is the most expensive option at $190 million.

2023 Key Opportunities Webinar Summary

In Acadia Center’s most recent webinar, we discussed the most impactful work we undertook in 2023 and some of the projects in 2023 we believe will have the greatest effect in the fight for a livable climate and a stronger, more equitable economy.

First to present was Amy Boyd, Vice President of Climate & Clean Energy Policy. She highlighted many of the ways our work in 2022 sets us up for the work we are now pursuing in 2023. She broke down the major accomplishments Acadia Center achieved in 2022 by our 3 core themes: Research, Advocate, Implement.

Research

We produced PowerHouse, a home energy simulator that provides state specific data that allows us to tell the emissions and costs of energy in single and small multifamily housing. With this information, we are able to show the environmental, health, and cost impacts that come from electrification or continued use of fossil fuels, as well as weatherization for our buildings. This allows us to persuasively advocate for better building regulations, electrification, and health standards for consumers, and works to counter the information that fossil fuel companies rely on to assert that electrification is too expensive.

We also published “The Future Is Electric” in February of 2022, which showed that electrification and weatherization would reduce operating costs of New Jersey homes and emissions substantially in the state. We were able to advocate for better incentive programs to make electrification and weatherization more accessible for consumers.

Advocate

We were able to support and pass major bills in Rhode Island that will deliver 100% clean energy in the state by 2033, the earliest target in the nation. Half of RI’s load will be met through procurements for offshore wind and other clean energy can come through partnership with other states to build more clean energy transmission. Acadia Center was able to deliver on our advocacy here by calling attention to the urgency of the climate crisis with our partners and backing up our proposals with data and analytics.

Implement

We  created the Beyond Gas Coalition, which brings together advocates to combine powers and bring forth comments that push for the phasing out of fossil fuels in electrifiable sectors.

Reforming Energy System Planning for Equity and Climate Transformation (RESPECT) highlights significant barriers the utility business model creates for driving change at the speed of the climate crisis. It proposes two key reforms: creating a statewide entity charged with implementing a state’s climate and equity goals, and integrated planning across fuels, utility territories, and other unnecessary silos.

Amy spoke at the Restructuring Roundtable and New England Conference of Public Utilities Commissioners about the issues raised by RESPECT and are continuing to push for changes to the utilities business model.

Acadia Center used its expertise on renewable natural gas and alternative fuels to fight back against gas companies’ attempts to justify expansion on the Liberty RNG docket and Rhode Island Energy Facility Siting Board.

Part of RESPECT was passed in Maine through LD1959, and we are introducing legislation to introduce RESPECT reforms in Massachusetts in 2023.

Additional 2022 highlights include:

• Being quoted in over 90 articles
• Made 10 podcast appearances
• Featured in 4 TV news segments
• Received 15,610 visitors on Twitter
• Got 355 mentions on Twitter
• Gained 200 followers on Twitter

Oliver Tully, Director of Utility Innovation and Reform was next to present on “Changing How Government & Utilities Work.” Our Utility Innovation initiative is focused on aligning utilities and energy policy with climate, consumer, and equity problems. We do so through 5 key strategies:

1. Reforming Energy System Planning for Equity and Climate Transformation (RESPECT)
2. Holding Public Utility Commissions (PUC) and state agencies accountable for advancing climate and environmental justice goals
3. Reforming utility business models and incentives so they benefit the public
4. Advancing grid modernization to enable a flexible and consumer-friendly energy system
5. Advancing gas utility reform to phase-out fossil gas

Our primary goals of RESPECT specifically are:

• Align utility planning with climate, equity, environmental justice, and clean energy requirements
• Clarify the role of utilities and reduce risk for investments
• Maximize benefits to consumers and the grid by enabling non-biased planning

The utility regulatory system gives utilities far too much power, including planning the future of the grid, owning the infrastructure that gets built, and serving customers. By having a financial stake, utilities have a conflict of interest that increases costs for consumers. The planning today is often siloed and falls short of equity and environmental justice goals.

The RESPECT proposal breaks down siloes and fully incorporates climate and environmental justice impacts through comprehensive energy system planning, as well as creating independent statewide planning entities to enforce transparency and reducing conflicts of interest.

We are currently working on Maine’s PUC’s Integrated Grid Planning proceeding, which builds on “An Act Regarding Utility Accountability and Grid Planning for Maine’s Clean Energy Future” which passed in 2022. We are also building support for bills that would implement RESPECT reforms in Massachusetts and New Jersey. Lastly, we are anticipating an Integrated Distribution System Planning proceeding sometime this year in Connecticut and will be involved in ensuring effective change.

Next to speak was Paola Moncada Tamayo, Policy Analyst for Acadia Center. She discussed Multistate Cooperation and its ability to maximize impacts, reduce costs, and expand reach. Through a multistate cap-and-trade program called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, known as RGGI, 11 states are able to cap greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. RGGI states have seen a reduction of 64 million tons of carbon emissions since the program began. The proceeds from the quarterly auctions so far have generated $1.19 billion dollars, which go towards clean energy programs. So far, RGGI has produced $1.2 billion in energy bill savings, 31.4 million MMBtu of thermal energy saved, 1,400-1,500 new jobs created, and saved 3.4 million MWh of energy.

Acadia Center has been deeply engaged in RGGI’s development over the past 15 years. We are currently updating our RGGI 10 Year Program Review, which will analyze the effectiveness of the program, as well as its impact on environmental justice communities.

Last to present was Ben Butterworth, Director of Climate, Energy, and Equity Analysis. He discussed the future of the gas distribution system. Right now, the gas distribution system delivers gas to 41% of the homes in New England. This gas is used for space heating, water heating, cooking, and drying clothes. The big question Acadia Center is asking is whether the continued existence of the gas distribution system is compatible with achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The lowest cost path to net zero emissions is to electrify almost everything. This means building space heating, water heating, cooking, cars, and smaller trucks should all be pushed toward electrification, not natural gas. However, this presents a direct threat to the continued existence of the natural gas utilities. Gas utilities have been promoting the idea of replacing natural gas with “green hydrogen” and “renewable natural gas,” allowing their continued existence while still hitting climate targets. However, these “alternative fuels” are still expensive, limited in supply, prone to leaking, not carbon neutral, incompatible with current infrastructure, present safety issues, and are inefficient. These “alternative fuels” should be reserved for hard-to-electrify sectors like aviation and chemical production.

Acadia Center has been active in this current debate. In Massachusetts we participated in the DPU 20-80 Investigation Assessing the Future of Natural Gas. In Rhode Island, we are involved in the PUC 22-01-NG Investigation into the Future of Gas, which is similar to the work happening in Massachusetts. And lastly, in Connecticut, where we are part of the Comprehensive Energy Strategy and Hydrogen Task Force. Acadia Center brings to the table our excellent analysis and data, modeling, questioning of assumptions, and we aim to highlight how those problematic assumptions impact policy recommendations. We did so in Massachusetts Future of Gas Study, which we demonstrated was flawed due to its ignoring of lifecycle emissions, underestimation of methane leaks, usage of outdated science, and underestimation of future costs of alternative fuels. For 2023, our goal is to leverage data and analysis to ensure that state-level policies utilize the best available data and science to treat RNG and hydrogen in a fair and balanced manner.

Rhode Island climate goals may require statewide ban on new gas hookups

The chair of the state’s Public Utilities Commission said Thursday that a statewide ban on new gas hookups could be necessary to meet the state’s mandatory target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

A wide-ranging discussion followed about the many challenges and conundrums facing the commission in the so-called “Future of Gas” docket. Regulators opened the investigation in response to the passage of the state Act on Climate, which includes a mandate to zero out greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Ben Butterworth, director of climate, energy and equity analysis at the Acadia Center, said in response that the commission must prioritize safety above all else first, but could perhaps investigate ways to repair pipes rather than replace them. That would reduce costs and the time period over which the utility is spreading those costs.

“That’s why it’s essential to determine a plan as soon as possible for the future vision of the gas system,” Butterworth said. “It might make sense to do it on a case-by-case basis.”

Read more here.

Heat pumps had their first major local test last weekend. Here’s how it went.

Acadia Center’s 2023 Summer Internship and Fellowship Opportunities

Acadia Center is thrilled to announce our newest openings for internships and fellowships in Summer of 2023. These internships and fellowships will run for 8-10 weeks from June to August and are open for applications now.

Howard Gray, Jr. Climate, Equity and Justice Internship

Acadia Center is seeking motivated undergraduate and graduate students to apply for its 2023 Howard Gray, Jr. Climate, Equity and Justice Internship. The Intern will work with Acadia Center staff – policy experts, researchers, attorneys, and communications professionals– on projects that directly impact the work of the organization. Interns may have the opportunity to meet with policymakers, attend state hearings and meetings, and work in coalition with other advocates. To learn more, follow the link below.

Howard Gray, Jr Climate, Equity, and Justice Intern 2023

Energy and Climate Data Analysis Internship

Acadia Center is seeking motivated undergraduate and graduate students for a summer internship program. The Energy and Climate Data Analysis Intern will conduct data research and analysis projects under supervision of our CLEAN-E team on issues around climate, clean energy, and energy justice challenges. Candidates should be excited by opportunities to use data to inform public policy and enjoy exploring creative ways to communicate their findings to broad audiences. Depending on the projects, the Interns may have the opportunity to meet with policymakers, attend state hearings and meetings, and work in coalition. To learn more, follow the link below.

Acadia Center Data Analysis Internship 2023

Roger E. Koontz Fellowship in Law and Climate Policy

Acadia Center is seeking motivated law students to apply for its Roger E. Koontz Fellowship in Law and Climate Policy. The Koontz Fellow will work with Acadia Center staff – policy experts, researchers, attorneys, and communications professionals– on projects that directly impact the work of the organization. Depending on the work, the Fellow may have the opportunity to meet with policymakers, attend public meetings and engage in coalition interactions. To learn more, follow the link below.

Roger E. Koontz Legal Fellow Summer 2023

My Turn: Paying too much for energy? We agree

On any given week, our email inboxes reflect the concerns of our constituents. For years, emails have poured in about COVID-19, education, climate change, infrastructure, and more. This winter, a top concern is the price of energy.

We share this concern and have been working together since we were elected to reform the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) and break down barriers to green energy.

We wrote about the utility sweetheart deals last session along with the President of the Acadia Center, a clean energy nonprofit with which we have partnered.

But even with this legislation, utilities would still be responsible for energy system planning, owning and operating grid infrastructure, and serving customers. Not only would conflicts of interest remain, so would planning silos between different utilities, which cause overspending, reduced reliability, and more pollution. There is also no incentive to consider equity and environmental justice concerns.

That’s why we’ve partnered again with the Acadia Center to file legislation to implement the RESPECT initiative. An Act reforming energy system planning for equity and climate transformation (SD.863 / HD.1696) is an ambitious proposal to overhaul energy system planning and reimagine the regulatory framework for utilities.

It shouldn’t break the bank to keep your lights on and your home at a reasonable temperature.

If you think you’ve been paying too much for energy, please know we’re channeling our energy toward an affordable and clean energy future for all.

State Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, represents the Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester District. State Rep. Natalie Blais, D-Deerfield, represents the 1st Franklin District.

Read more in the Greenfield Recorder here.

Rhode Island Energy Policy Simulator Publicly Released

Rhode Island Energy Policy Simulator (EPS) is a free, open-source, peer-reviewed model created by Energy Innovation LLC and RMI. The EPS allows users to estimate climate and energy policy impacts through 2050 on emissions, the economy, jobs, and public health using publicly available data. Acadia Center, in collaboration with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, developed a customized scenario using the Rhode Island EPS. The results of this customized scenario were included in the Rhode Island 2022 Climate Update with the goal of providing a high-level decarbonization analysis based on a select subset of key actions identified in the plan.

Rhode Island Energy Policy Simulator

For more information:

Ben Butterworth, Director of Climate, Energy, and Equity Analysis, bbutterworth@acadiacenter.org, 617-742-0054  ext. 111

Hey Mass. residents, your monthly gas bill is about to go down

The state has some good news for people who heat their homes with gas, just as they prepare to turn up the thermostat ahead of the weekend’s expected cold snap.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities on Thursday ordered utilities to reduce the price of natural gas they provide to customers. As that rate drops, so will your monthly utility bill.

The department estimates that the average household in the state could see a 4-5% decrease in monthly bills for the period beginning Feb. 1, though the amount you pay depends in part on how much gas you use.

Though this reduction in gas prices will provide some relief to Massachusetts residents paying really high utility bills, Kyle Murray of the Acadia Center hopes it also serves as a reminder of the benefits of moving away from natural gas.

“We are still extremely vulnerable to the whims of a competitive market that we have little control over because we are overly reliant on natural gas for both electricity generation and home heating,” he said.

“Transitioning to a diverse fuel mix of local renewables paired with home electrification would allow Massachusetts to have greater control over energy costs and supply while also delivering well-paying local jobs.”

Read more here.

Connecticut Releases Hydrogen Task Force Study: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Background & Context

In January, the Connecticut Hydrogen Task Force released its report with recommendations on hydrogen-fueled energy in the state. The Task Force was established by Special Act 22-8 with an assignment to examine the sources of potential clean hydrogen and recommendations for potential end uses of hydrogen-fueled energy. It’s important to note that the legislation did not specifically ask the Task Force to study the most reasonable and cost-effective use of hydrogen to help the state reach its overarching GHG reduction goal of 80% below 2001 levels by 2050 – a critical shortcoming in Acadia Center’s view. Acadia Center has been heavily involved in the stakeholder process informing the development of the Report, including sitting on the End Uses Working Group.

The Task Force’s report comes at a time when hydrogen is a hot topic in the state and region. In 2022, Connecticut joined six other northeastern states to develop a proposal to become one of at least four regional clean hydrogen hubs designated through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs Program. If selected, the states could receive anywhere from $400 million to $1.25 billion to develop and deploy a hydrogen hub in the region. Simultaneously, DEEP is currently in the process of developing an update to the state’s Comprehensive Energy Strategy, the overarching document that covers a broad set of energy policy recommendations for the state. The role of hydrogen will be a key area of focus in the CES, but it remains to be seen how much the Task Force Study will influence the direction of the CES.

Largely Keeps the Focus on Hard-to-Decarbonize Sectors

As Acadia Center has previously explained in greater detail here, clean hydrogen is and will continue to be a limited resource that should be strategically used in the sectors of the economy that are hardest to electrify, not building heating and passenger vehicles. Fortunately, the Report largely echoes Acadia Center’s stance on this issue, concluding that heat electrification will ultimately be the most cost-effective option for reducing carbon emissions for residential and commercial customers, and that hydrogen fuel cell passenger cars will likely be more expensive in terms of both upfront purchase and fueling costs, and need for a whole new set of fueling infrastructure.

A Few Problematic Recommendations

However, Acadia Center does have some concerns with a few key recommendations stemming from the report.

• Hydrogen Vehicle Tax Exemptions: The Report recommends that “The Legislature should consider tax exemptions for hydrogen vehicles and critical facilities that produce or use clean hydrogen.” While it potentially makes sense to incentivize hydrogen vehicles in portions of the transportation sector that are challenging to electrify (e.g., shipping, long-haul trucking) it makes zero sense to incentivize hydrogen fuel cell passenger vehicles, which are inferior to battery electric vehicles by basically every measure (as the Repot itself acknowledges).
• Hydrogen Blending for Power Plants and Industrial Facilities: A second concern is that the Report categorizes hydrogen blending for “non-core gas customers” (i.e., power generation and industrial heat) as a “high priority hydrogen end use” that should be further investigated by DEEP. However, the report fails to specify that such blending should be done only at the facility level, and not into the gas distribution system that serves all customers.
• Encouraging Hydrogen Producers to Report Fuel Carbon Intensity: Finally, the Report recommends that DEEP “Develop accounting mechanisms that encourage hydrogen producers to certify carbon intensity of produced hydrogen.” This shouldn’t be a voluntary program – DEEP should require that hydrogen producers certify the carbon intensity of the fuel they produce. Only then can we be sure that clean hydrogen really is clean.

Much Work Still to Be Done to Define a Reasonable Role of Hydrogen in Connecticut

Ultimately, before DEEP can determine the most reasonable, cost-effective role for hydrogen to play in helping Connecticut reach its long-term GHG emissions reduction goals, it’s necessary to evaluate the tradeoffs between different future “pathways” through an economy-wide modeling analysis, similar to what Massachusetts did in the 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap. This type of analysis would help the state to clearly understand how hydrogen fits into the overall, long-term decarbonization puzzle in the state. Connecticut still hasn’t undertaken that type of comprehensive analysis and this Report does not (and doesn’t pretend to) fill that void. As a result, the recommendations from the Report are of limited value and really serve as only the first step in understanding the appropriate role for hydrogen in Connecticut.

The Report highlights next steps for DEEP which Acadia Center is on board with, including advising DEEP to:

• Develop a definition of clean hydrogen appropriate for Connecticut.
• Evaluate the sufficiency of zero-emission electricity sources to meet both electric sector decarbonization goals and hydrogen production targets.
• Lead interstate and interagency coordination to develop a hydrogen roadmap and strategy that, among other things, examines the cost and availability of zero-carbon renewable energy resources to produce clean hydrogen and examines overall alignment with state policies and goals, including GHG reduction goals.

It’s critical for DEEP to follow through on these recommendations and economy-wide pathways modeling will be essential in supporting them in this task.

 

For more information:

Ben Butterworth, Director of Climate, Energy, and Equity Analysis, bbutterworth@acadiacenter.org, 617-742-0054  ext. 111