Category: Energy

Highlights from CT Green Energy News, May, 2023

Newsletter about clean energy, energy efficiency, and climate action, focusing on Connecticut. To subscribe, send an email to [email protected]. To find out more about People’s Action for Clean Energy (PACE), go to www.pacecleanenergy.org.

Mix of progress and lags in CT environmental goals, report shows, Connecticut Public.
​A new report assessing the state of Connecticut’s environment says solar installations rose in 2022, which is helping to lower carbon emissions. But the report found those same solar installations are also complicating some efforts to conserve agricultural land.

Southern Connecticut State University completes $52.4M first CT-owned, net zero building, New Haven Register.
​Southern Connecticut State University is in the final construction stage of its $52.4 million new building, ready for the faculty to move in [soon]. The four-story, 64,000-square-foot School of Business will use a 500-foot-deep geothermal system for air conditioning and green power.

Coventry farm begins producing electricity from biogas, Hartford Business Journal.
​A ​new biogas facility in Coventry has been commissioned to begin producing renewable electricity. The facility at Hytone Farm converts dairy manure and food waste into power using an anaerobic digester. The project is expected to produce up to 4.4 million kWh per year. Ag-Grid, based in Kennett Square, PA, develops and operates small-scale renewable electricity projects and has five projects in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Enko Chem begins clean-energy project projected to save $10M over 20 years, Hartford Business Journal.
​​​An agricultural company in Mystic that develops products for farmers to protect their crops from pests and diseases has begun a clean-energy project that is expected to save more than $10 million over 20 years. Enko Chem Inc. is installing energy-efficient lighting on two floors of the interior office, lab and greenhouse of its facility on Maritime Drive. The projected energy savings includes utility incentives, tax credits and operational energy savings. The energy efficiency project is financed with a long-term, fixed-rate C-PACE loan totaling $3.6 million. C-PACE is administered by the Connecticut Green Bank.

Connecticut, other northeastern states will seek over $1 billion in federal funding for hydrogen fuel projects. CT Insider.
​Connecticut will join six other northeastern states in competing for over $1 billion in federal funding to create a regional “hub” for clean hydrogen fuel, Gov. Ned Lamont announced last week…Many environmental advocates have expressed skepticism about turning toward hydrogen as a way of combating climate change and lowering traditional emissions.​..The Northeast Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub will focus its efforts on other, cleaner methods of producing hydrogen fuel, such as water electrolysis that can be powered by solar and wind turbines.

News from Citizen’s Oil Co-op

by Adrian Hutson, Citizen’s Oil Co-op

Citizen’s Oil Co-op is a buyers’ club that has negotiated extremely competitive pricing for its members throughout Connecticut and Rhode Island for home heating oil and propane. We work with several full service companies and our pricing is typically 50-60 cents cheaper per gallon than the state average. We find that our average member can save $200-$600 annually on their home heating costs.

It is easy to join, just call our office or sign up online. We then connect you with a participating company in your town. That company contacts you directly to set up your account under the contracted Co-op pricing. With the price of oil on the rise we advocate on behalf of our members for negotiated fair pricing without the hassle of shopping around every time you need a delivery.

We also offer additional services and benefits to being a member of the Co-op such as a waived tank rental fee for propane customers. We have partnered with Trinity Solar to offer our members free consultations for solar panels and renewable electricity. We work with Bearing Star insurance to offer members free insurance quotes. Members can also get set up for a home energy audit through our partnership with New England Smart Energy. We are a one-stop shop where our members can get more information about their home energy and some of the most competitive pricing in the state for full service heating oil and propane.

We are also active in community partnerships and have a program called The Next Step. The Next Step is a platform where any community organization or nonprofit can inform their membership about the Co-op and for every person that signs up, we will donate $10 back to that organization. Through community partnerships we can pass on additional savings and support our local organizations.

For additional information on becoming a member, getting your organization involved in The Next Step, or about any of our other additional services, call 860-561-6011 or visit our website at oilco-op.com.

Saving More. Together.

Highlights from CT Green Energy News, Feb. 17, 2023

Newsletter about clean energy, energy efficiency, and climate action, focusing on Connecticut. To subscribe, send an email to [email protected]. To find out more about People’s Action for Clean Energy (PACE), go to www.pacecleanenergy.org.

CT legislators vow harder look at utilities, and a regulator applauds

CT Mirror. “Frustrations over Connecticut’s high cost of electricity and concerns over its ability to adequately regu-late Eversource, the state’s largest distributor of electricity, are fueling a bipartisan effort to revise the complex rules of utility regulation for the second time in three years… Eversource officials sat stone-faced as [PURA Chairman Marissa] Gillett recently told lawmakers that a $103 million settlement the company negotiated with the Lamont administration in 2021, which was hailed by the governor who hired her, was instead another missed opportunity to examine Connecticut’s largest utility…“The fact that I’m going into my fourth year or fifth year here before you and have not seen a rate case from our largest utility in the state is a travesty. I honestly believe that,” Gillett told lawmakers.”

Gov. Lamont wants more CT options to buy power: ‘A clear public need’

CT Insider. “Connecticut is considering more alternatives to obtain power independent of the market exchange created during the deregulation of the electric industry a quarter century ago, amid continuing frustration with high rates this winter… [T]he Connecticut General Assembly’s Environment Committee will examine the state’s alternatives… Under the bill, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection would be able to “issue multiple solicitations for long-term contracts from providers of resources,” sidestepping the central market for electricity overseen by ISO New England, the region’s independent system operator based in Holyoke, Mass… The Connecticut bill would allow DEEP to consider a broader range of factors in making any independent purchase of power, to include whether adequate amounts of natural gas are available for the generation of electricity; reducing pollution; and infrastructure costs.”

New Haven Tenants and Landlords Needed for Research Study on Energy Costs

Yale University researchers, in partnership with Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven, are conducting interviews with New Haven tenants and landlords about their experiences with energy costs and energy efficiency programs, and about how they may work together to have energy efficiency upgrades to their homes.

Each interview participant will receive a gift card of $50. If you have any questions, please call or text 203-868-0137.

Researchers want to hear from New Haven tenants and landlords about:

Electricity and Heating Bills Assistance Available

Residents, advocacy groups, environmental organizations, and even some politicians are outraged over the massive increase of the prices of electricity, gas and oil.

Here are links for programs that can help lower the bills for a large number of greater New Haven-area residents:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ok4oU80L6KyhUKyq1v-u2hFgsabrSN5h/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eKfhdNH9LJjw3m70akTri7yZP6L8ZIG7/view (Spanish)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EUkiJ6YNtytnXZW8tEG9AKZImP75kCpZ/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PB8vrmbnGEqy0cQhCmvCbip-g8jyjn8L/view

CT Green Energy News, Jan. 20, 2023

E-newsletter about clean energy, energy efficiency, and climate action, focusing on Connecticut. To subscribe, send an email to [email protected]. To find out more about People’s Action for Clean Energy, go to www.pacecleanenergy.org.

Connecticut homeowner associations can no longer block solar installations

Energy News Network. The provision was added to the 35-page Connecticut Clean Air Act before it was approved by lawmakers last session,” session. Associations may still adopt rules on the size and placement of solar installations.​..​ “This is one of the best-kept secrets from the past legislative session,” said Mark Scully, president of People’s Action for Clean Energy, or PACE.​..​ Condominiums are exempt from the rooftop solar provision.​..​ As written, the law only impacts a small subset of households, probably under 1,000, according to Kim McClain, executive director of the state Community Associations Institute.

Future CT electric rate increases would be left to legislature under new proposal

CT Insider. ​Representative Christine Conley introduced House Bill 5013 last week. The proposed legislation, if it became law, would give both chambers of the state’s General Assembly the opportunity to vote on any electric or natural gas rate increases approved by Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority… Claire Coleman is Connecticut’s Consumer Counsel and she said Friday she “would caution against adding yet another hurdle in the rate-setting process such as a legislative stamp of approval… I appreciate that the legislature is eager to find solutions for the high price of energy, and I stand eager to work with members on both sides of the aisle,” Coleman said. “Given the stringent process required by the Constitution for setting rates, and the detailed factual and technical record needed in order to meet those standards, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority is best suited to set rates for electric and natural gas companies.”

Branford, East Haven Collaborating to Offer Residents Energy Efficiency Programs

Zip 06. In 2023 Branford and East Haven will work together on HeatSmart. They are applying for Energize Connecticut Community Partnership Initiative funding. HeatSmart will reach out to all Branford and East Haven residents, with special emphasis on Income Eligible residents who struggle with utility bills and often live in energy-inefficient dwellings.

Republicans Outline Proposals to Reduce Energy Costs

CT News Junkie. ​House and Senate Republicans called Tuesday for state government to pick up the tab for more than a dozen energy charges and fees normally paid by rate-payers as part of a package of proposals aimed at reducing the cost of electricity in Connecticut…An element of their plan involved sparing ratepayers an estimated $362 million per year by shifting cost of expenses like supply and delivery fees onto the state budget. Based on 2020 energy costs, the change would save the average Connecticut household around $210 per year, they said. “The reality is that government is deeply entrenched in energy and is a partner in energy. There are many costs embedded into our bills that are policies that lawmakers have passed. Some of them are laudable but they are all paid for by the rate payers.”

50% Fossil Free in 2023

 

by Chris Schweitzer, New Haven Climate Movement

In recognition of the current climate emergency, the New Haven Climate Movement is calling on individuals, organizations, and governments in the greater New Haven area to substantially reduce their fossil fuel emissions in 2023. As national governments fail to act with urgency, cities around the world have begun to step up as crucial agents of change. It is time for New Haven to do its part.

If you are an individual, please join us by signing our 2023 Pledge at newhavenclimatemovement.org to work for a 50% reduction in individual and collective emissions in 2023. In signing our pledge, you are joining a community of local residents committed to both advocacy and individual change. Together, we can transform our city and become leaders in the movement for environmental justice.

For more information, email Chris at [email protected].

Community, Ownership, and the Road to Energy Justice  

by Lucy Marinelli, Neighborhood Housing Services

On Sept. 22, 2022, Kathy Fay, Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) of New Haven’s Director of Community Sustainability, had the honor of presenting to the Yale School of Environment’s “Green Building: Issues and Perspectives” class.  

Kathy took students down the road to energy justice by beginning with the discussion of redlining. This racially discriminatory act denied Black people mortgage loans and various financial services required to purchase a home. Although redlining was banned 50+ years ago, the systemic impact of redlining is still very evident, even in New Haven. A historically redlined area today manifests as a community with people of color living in financial instability as renters, not homeowners.  

Kathy stated, “Being able to keep property in the family becomes difficult when you’re struggling with energy bills and leaky, old buildings.” This is a common plight in formerly redlined communities and creates a snowball effect: people are living in an area where past generations did not have the ability to finance mortgages. This means that when houses were not passed down to future generations, poverty is still rampant today, thus, generational wealth was never achieved. 

NHS works to make change a reality by transforming these old houses into safe, energy-efficient, affordable homes. The work is done by I Heart My Home CT, an NHS program. Clients get counseled in ways to have home-energy conversations with landlords, how to identify trusted services (for example, barrier remediation programs to remove mold or asbestos), and the advantages of getting home energy audits.  

Kathy hopes to see the intersection of energy efficiency and equity be more prevalent. One way to accomplish this is through a mandated landlord energy-efficiency requirement. She left the students with a call to action: “Reach out to your local representatives.”  

The CT General Assembly proposed Governor’s Bill No. 5041, An Act Concerning Home Energy Affordability for Home Renters. The bill essentially holds landlords accountable regarding transparency with “home energy labels.” Tenant right-to-know is important. If people use their voice to encourage their local representatives to vote in favor of this bill next session, they will have the power to change the trajectory of energy justice in Connecticut. 

 For more info: https://nhsofnewhaven.org/ 

On Instagram and Facebook: @NHSofNewHaven

203-562-0598 [email protected] 

Did You See the Notice in Your Electric Bill from UI?

United Illuminating is requesting permission from the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) to increase their electric rates 8%. If approved, the bill for the average residential customer will be raised $16.63 a month. Many people can’t afford their electrical bills as is! Let PURA know what you think of this increase request! In December, there will be two Zoom hearings in which you can participate.  1- Tuesday, Dec. 13 at noon. Register at ctdeep.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYtcuGvqzMuGtQLJ0g8YoslFHhuja6jXuXM

2- Thursday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. Register at ctdeep.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0sd-uvpzMsE92fo03vV7n1obVu8TQoud4l

Update: UI sent the notice in the October bills that the monthly increase to expect in January is $16. Seems the notice is already outdated – the New Haven Register reported that we can expect an $83 per month increase to start in January (for the “average” 700 kWh/month).

PURA Establishes Low-Income Utility Rate

Julie Martin Banks, CT News Junkie, Oct. 19, 2022

The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority today established a two-tiered discount rate to help provide relief for low-income Connecticut residents who have trouble affording electricity. PURA Vice Chairman Jack Betkoski said the decision was a momentous one that will help ease the pain for Connecticut families who are currently facing a variety of rising costs.

“I think this is a step toward assisting those individuals that are having difficulty quite frankly putting food on the table,” Betkoski said. The final decision unanimously adopted by the three-member commission requires Eversource and United Illuminating to each implement a discount rate with an overall eligibility cap at 60% of the state median income (Tier 1), and eligibility for Tier 2 aligned with existing state benefit programs (up to 160% federal poverty guidelines).

PURA has determined that those who qualify for Tier 1 will receive a 10% discount applied to their monthly bill, while those who fall into Tier 2 will receive a 50% discount to their total monthly bill, according to the decision.

Those who qualify will be able to participate in existing energy assistance, arrearage forgiveness, renewable energy, and energy efficiency programs, the decision states.

The companies will start accepting applications by August 2023 and will be required to create a communications plan to notify and educate eligible residential customers. PURA will re-evaluate the discounted rates every two years as part of its annual energy affordability review process. The first review of the discounted rates will be conducted in 2025.

PURA Chairwoman Marissa P. Gillett […] said the decision is a reflection of PURA digging into the topic of affordability and its recognition of the societal impacts of losing electricity.

It’s also a move to reduce uncollectibles – collecting outstanding amounts from delinquent accounts. “The goal of minimizing uncollectibles is one that helps us all,” she said.

[Read the entire article at ctnewsjunkie.com/2022/10/19/pura-decision-establishes-low-income-rate]

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