South Fork offshore wind farm comes online

OFFSHORE WIND: Ørsted and Eversource begin sending power from their 132 MW South Fork wind project to the New York grid, the country’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farm to open. (Associated Press, Bloomberg)

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ALSO: Federal regulators approve an interconnection agreement for the 810 MW Empire Wind offshore project between New York’s grid operator and utility Con Edison. (news release)

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CLEAN ENERGY: Maryland legislators advance legislation to stop local jurisdictions from banning or limiting certain renewable energy resources, including incineration facilities, but some municipalities say it supersedes their zoning authority. (Frederick News-Post)

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FOSSIL FUELS: A development group finishes dismantling a former oil refinery in south Philadelphia, once the East Coast’s largest such facility, and begins construction on an industrial space and life sciences lab. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

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CLIMATE:

• A meeting of the Maine Climate Council discusses how the state is already seeing numerous side effects of the climate crisis, like experiencing its warmest four years since the last climate report was issued. (Bangor Daily News)
• Although New York City saw triple the amount of last winter’s snow total, it was only about 25% of the area’s typical accumulation. (CBS New York)

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SOLAR:

• A clean energy nonprofit’s new report finds Pennsylvania schools have tripled their solar resources in the past decade to around 39 MW. (news release)
• A Pennsylvania appeals court will hear a legal case over the denial of a conditional use permit for a proposed 858-acre solar farm in Pennsylvania’s North Annville Township. (LebTown)

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UTILITIES:

• A Maryland environmental group releases a study detailing the extent of lobbying efforts of the state’s investor-owned utilities toward state policymakers. (Maryland Matters)
• Concord and several other New Hampshire towns vote to adopt community power programs, despite some concern around existing net metering customers. (Concord Monitor)

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CLEAN VEHICLES:

• After being rejected in 2022, Princeton, New Jersey, school officials again apply for a state grant to help buy two battery-electric school buses. (Princeton Packet)
• New Jersey lawmakers advance legislation that would implement a $250 fee on zero-emission vehicles and five years of incremental gas tax hikes. (NJ Advance Media)
• Maine regulators begin using a 2021 law to fine those who sell diesel pick-up trucks modified to evade emissions control systems, with an Auburn dealership facing a possible $4,000 penalty. (Bangor Daily News)

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