Whole-home heat pumps take off in Maine

ELECTRIFICATION: Maine’s whole-home heat pump rebate program picks up speed after it replaced a previous incentive that was not having the hoped-for impact on fossil fuel use. (Maine Public)

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TRANSPORTATION:

• New Jersey lawmakers propose a delay in a rule requiring increasing sales of zero-emission trucks, saying the state’s charging infrastructure is inadequate and the vehicles are too pricey. (New Jersey Monitor)
• The state also announces federal funding to boost plans to build 24 new charging stations along the New Jersey Turnpike. (NJ Spotlight News)

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EMISSIONS: Business groups and utilities object to a potential carbon market program in Maryland, claiming the system would increase energy bills and hurt the state’s economy. (E&E News, subscription)

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GAS: Natural gas pipeline operators in Maine seek to raise their prices, likely increasing the cost of gas service and electricity for consumers. (Portland Press Herald)

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CLIMATE:

• The Biden administration’s two signature climate bills have sent $5.6 billion in federal funds to Pennsylvania in the form of clean energy tax breaks, grants to reduce industrial emissions, support for hydrogen hubs, and more. (StateImpact Pennsylvania)
• The Maine Climate Council removes green hydrogen goals from its draft climate plan and instead raises its target for getting new electric vehicles on the road. (Portland Press Herald, subscription)

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GRID: Long-duration batteries, small modular nuclear reactors, and synthetic natural gas could all help the New England grid maintain reliability as the region transitions to more variable renewable energy sources like solar and wind, according to a report from ISO New England. (RTO Insider, subscription)

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RENEWABLE ENERGY: Maryland lawmakers and advocates push to remove trash incineration from the state’s definition of renewable energy, noting how often these facilities are located in low-income neighborhoods. (Inside Climate News)

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UTILITIES: Eversource kicks off deployment of smart meters throughout its Massachusetts territory, allowing consumers to better monitor and manage their power consumption, the company says. (news release)

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OFFSHORE WIND: U.S. offshore wind executives worry about the future of the industry if Donald Trump wins the presidential election. (Reuters)

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COMMENTARY: A proposed natural gas pipeline from New Jersey to Massachusetts is unnecessary as offshore wind and heat pump adoption gain steam in Massachusetts, an environmental advocate argues.  (CommonWealth Beacon)

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