Winter in New England – How this year is different from last
This time last year, many in New England were understandably nervous. The war in Ukraine was entering its first winter, retail electricity prices were higher than some had ever seen in their lifetimes, and the grid operator was expressing concern about reliability. Taken together, it was probably the most uncertainty that many of us have […]
We Need to Talk About the Elephant(s) in the Room: Carbon and Pricing
New England is a leader in the country in its commitment to a decarbonized economy, with policies to “electrify everything” and support the construction of exponentially more clean energy. The electrification movement is already having a measurable impact on the engineering of the grid and will, over time, embed even more deeply the cost of […]
What on earth is going on with energy in New England?
New Englanders are pretty good at braving winter. They know which shovel to use for which kind of snow, which neighbor will need some help, and which grocery store sells out of milk first. But this coming winter feels different, and it’s shaking the confidence of even some of the hardiest Yankees because — from […]
How much can you rely on your friends?
We’ve all been there. You’ve got a big move coming up. Nobody likes moving, and this one is going to be extra bad – the forecast is hazy, hot, humid. That air conditioner needs to make it up the stairs. A bunch of your friends offer to help, but will they actually show up? And […]
Long-term Energy Contracts Keep on Being a Bad Idea
It’s all the rage in energy public policy right now: Pass a law effectively mandating the construction of really big energy projects by requiring the local electric distribution companies to buy the energy for decades. Most of those proposed projects are for large offshore wind farms or from some other low-carbon energy source. The latest […]