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Offshore & Onshore Wind Power

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http://energypolicyupdate.blogspot.com/

Energy Policy Update

A blog about energy resources, energy policy, and their effects on society and the environment. From fossil fuels to renewable energy, electricity to natural gas and oil, traditional technologies to innovations, this blog presents an unbiased look at the past, present, and future of energy.

This blog includes a collection of blog posts related to offshore wind and wind power in general.

This blog site is published by and reflects the personal views of Todd Griset, in his individual capacity. It does not necessarily represent the views of his law firm or clients, and is not sponsored or endorsed by them. The purpose of this blog site is to assist in dissemination of information about energy policy and related issues, but no representation is made about the accuracy of the information. The information contained in this blog site is provided only as general information for education purposes, and blog topics may or may not be updated subsequent to their initial posting.

By using this blog site you understand that this information is not provided in the course of an attorney-client relationship and is not intended to constitute legal advice. This blog site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed attorney in your state. This blog site is not intended to be advertising and Todd Griset does not wish to represent anyone desiring representation based upon viewing this blog site in a state where this blog site fails to comply with all laws and ethical rules of that state.

Recent Blog Posts

  • Court suspends EIA-862 survey of crypto mining energy use The U.S. Energy Information Administration's efforts to require cryptocurrency miners to report on their electricity use have been suspended by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, following a complaint by Texas crypto miners alleging that EIA exceeded its regulatory authority in requiring the report. Earlier this year, EIA announced a new, mandatory survey of crypto miners. The Form EIA-862 report would cover topics like the nature and scale of equipment installed, electricity consumption, and sources of power. EIA... More
  • Will ISO-NE capacity market shift from forward to prompt/seasonal? The operator of New England's transmission grid and wholesale electricity markets has proposed major reforms to its market for capacity. For 18 years, ISO New England has administered a "Forward Capacity Market", featuring annual auctions to procure commitments from energy resources, for a capacity commitment period three years in the future. ISO-NE has now proposed to shift to a "prompt/seasonal" model. If adopted, the reforms will change important elements of New England's electric market systems.According to ISO-NE, its Forward Capacity... More
  • EIA Form EIA-862 cryptocurrency mining electricity use survey A federal agency will start requiring commercial cryptocurrency miners to report on their electricity consumption. The U.S. Energy Information Administration has obtained an emergency clearance allowing it to begin collecting data on a monthly basis from February through July 2024. EIA's new Form EIA-862, the "Cryptocurrency Mining Facilities Report", is mandatory for all commercial cryptocurrency mining facilities in the U.S. Failure to file could result in criminal and civil fines and penalties that could exceed $10,000 per violation per day.According... More
  • 2022 Maine power outages quantified Maine electricity customers experienced more frequent and longer power outages on average in 2022, compared to the national average, according to recently released federal data.According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. electricity consumers in 2022 experienced one or two outages, averaging about 5.5 total hours of power outage. According to EIA, major incidents like storms are most likely to cause outages with extended durations, while heavily forested states are most likely to experience a higher frequency of outages.EIA tracks reliability... More
  • ISO-NE 2022 generation portfolio emissions report New England's electric power generation fleet emitting slightly less carbon dioxide in 2022 relative to 2021, according to the grid operator's 2022 ISO New England Electric Generator Air Emissions Report.ISO New England operates the regional transmission grid and the wholesale market for electricity. In support of this role, ISO-NE tracks the portfolio of generation resources used in the region, as well as the resources' emission characteristics.According to ISO-NE, New England generation emitted 33,382 kilotons of carbon dioxide in 2022, a... More
  • US renewable output exceeded coal in 2022 The U.S. generated more electricity from renewable sources than from coal last year, for the first time in history. The nation's portfolio of electric generation resources continues to shift away from coal and oil and towards renewable resources and natural gas.The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) tracks statistics on a variety of energy sources and their related infrastructure. According to EIA, the domestic electric power sector generated 4,090 million megawatthours (MWh) of electricity in 2022. The greatest share of this... More
  • Maine "Solar for All" program proposed for EPA funding The Maine Governor's Energy Office has applied to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for $99.5 million to establish statewide "Solar for All" programs for Maine. If selected for funding by EPA, the programs could create new incentives for residential solar development in Maine with a focus on low-income and disadvantaged communities.The Inflation Reduction Act allocated $7 billion to the EPA, to fund a system of competitive grants to states and other entities to establish or expand "Solar for All" programs... More
  • Feds predict winter oil heating cost increase; Maine pursues heat pumps U.S. households that rely primarily on heating oil for heating will spend more this winter on heating compared to last winter, according to a federal projection.The U.S. Energy Information Administration's 2023 Winter Fuels Outlook supplement to its October 2023 Short-Term Energy Outlook includes heating data, projections, and analysis. Based on NOAA data and a 30-year weather trend, EIA projects that this winter will be colder than last winter, driving an increase in demand for heating fuels and energy. For households that... More
  • Solar, wind, and natural gas power plant construction costs declined in 2021 Construction costs decreased for several types of new power plants on average in 2021, according to federal data. The Energy Information Administration reports that compared to 2020, average construction costs for natural gas-fired generators fell by 18% in 2021, with average construction costs for solar and wind systems declining by 6% and 5% respectively.Source: U.S. EIA Average U.S. solar project construction costs in 2021 were $1,561 per kilowatt. Crystalline silicon tracking systems, which accounted for 56% of the nation's utility-scale solar capacity... More
  • Over 2 million light-duty EVs registered in the US in 2021 The number of light-duty electric vehicles registered in the U.S. reached 2.13 million in 2021, according to federal data. The Energy Information Administration reports a "sharp increase from the less than 100,000 EVs on the roads in 2012". The lagging nature of this data set and continued growth in EV adoption mean that an even greater number of EVs are now registered in the U.S. EIA's annual EV registration data is segmented into two categories: battery-electric vehicles (without any internal combustion... More
  • US added record amounts of small solar power in 2022 A recordbreaking amount of small-scale solar electric generating capacity was added to the U.S. grid in 2022, as the nation added more distributed solar than in any prior year according to federal energy data. The U.S. Energy Information Administration tracks the nation's portfolio of electric generation resources. EIA considers solar-power systems with one megawatt (MW) of capacity or less to be "small-scale solar", also called distributed solar or rooftop solar.According to EIA, U.S. small-scale solar capacity has grown consistently year-over-year since... More
  • Natural gas pricing drives New England's electricity costs Two factors are the main drivers of wholesale electricity prices in New England, according to the region's grid operator: the cost of natural gas and other fuels used to generate electricity, and the level of consumer demand for power.Fuel costs are a key component of the cost of electricity, and natural gas is the "predominant fuel in New England", used to generate 52% of the power produced in 2022 by New England’s power plants. According to ISO New England Inc.,... More
  • U.S.-Canada energy trade reached record-high value in 2022 Energy trade between the United States and Canada reached record high levels of value in 2022, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.EIA tracks and reports statistics concerning energy matters, including volumes and values of international trade. According to EIA, high energy prices contributed to a total of $190 billion in energy trade between the U.S. and Canada in 2022, when adjusted for inflation.EIA tracks four main types of energy commodity transacted between the U.S. and Canada: crude oil, other... More
  • Maine considers distributed generation interconnection reforms The Maine legislature has enacted a law designed to reform the state's procedures for interconnecting solar projects and other forms of distributed generation resources to the electric grid. The law, An Act to Provide Maine Ratepayers with Equitable Access to Interconnection of Distributed Generation Resources, requires the Public Utilities Commission to appoint an "interconnection ombudsman". The law also requires the PUC to align its interconnection rules with best practices and to prioritize interconnection of solar resources and energy storage systems... More
  • Maine enacts law to develop clean energy on PFAS-contaminated lands The Maine legislature has taken a significant step to promote the economic reuse of agricultural land contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) through the development of renewable energy projects. A newly enacted law will require state regulators to solicit proposals for renewable energy projects, with a primary preference given to projects located on PFAS-contaminated agricultural land. The law could help Maine address challenges arising from farmland contamination with PFAS, while promoting renewable energy development. Importantly, the law represents a new... More

Firm Highlights

Event

Accessing Police Misconduct Records

Preti’s Sigmund Schutz will be one of the Maine panelists in New England First Amendment Coalition’s Accessing Police Misconduct Records series. This series continues NEFAC’s freedom of information lessons and builds on the information...

Publication

USCIS Announces H-1B Registration Period for FY2025: New “Beneficiary Centric” Registration Process and Increased Fees

USCIS has recently announced a series of changes that will impact the FY2025 H-1B registration system and cap filing season. H-1B Registration Period and Organizational Accounts As in prior years, under this process, prospective petitioners...

News

Attorney Jeffrey Thaler Named to 2024 Lawdragon Green 500: Leaders in Energy Law

Preti Flaherty’s attorney Jeffrey Thaler has been recognized by  Lawdragon  as one of the top 500 Leaders in Energy Law. This is Jeff’s third time named to this prestigious list since the first publication...

News

David Van Slyke Named to 2024 Lawdragon Green 500: Leaders in Environmental Law

Preti Flaherty’s Managing Partner David Van Slyke has been recognized by Lawdragon as one of the top 500 environmental lawyers in the U.S. It’s the third time he has been named to this prestigious...

Event

Sigmund Schutz to moderate panel at 36th Annual Media and the Law Seminar: Under Attack! Existential Threats to Journalism and Free Speech

From unlawful searches and seizures of newsrooms and highly contentious litigation to physical harassment and calls for violence online, journalists and news organizations are under attack like never before. At the 36 th Annual...

Publication

November 7, 2023 Election Results

Maine’s November 2023 statewide elections were exclusively referendum questions, four were citizen initiatives, and four were proposed amendments to the Maine Constitution. Of these, Questions 5, 7 and 8 were placed on the ballot...

Publication

Helping Employers Navigate the New Independent Contractor Rule and Compliance Challenges

On March 11 th , the United States Department of Labor’s (DOL) new Independent Contractor Rule goes into effect.  As your organization readies itself for compliance, it’s imperative to scrutinize your independent contractor classifications...

News

Preti Flaherty Welcomes Trust and Estate Attorney Elise Salek to the Firm

Preti Flaherty is pleased to announce that Elise Salek has joined the firm’s Trusts & Estates Practice Group. Practicing out of the firm’s Concord, New Hampshire office, Elise brings nearly three decades of experience...

Publication

Failure to Follow Your Contract's Notice Requirements Can be Costly

In Kinetic Systems, Inc. v. IPS-Integrated Projects Services, LLC et. al., No.: 20-cv-1125 (D.N.H. February 6, 2024), the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire granted summary judgment for a general contractor...

News

Benchmark Litigation Names Preti Flaherty 2024 “Maine Firm of the Year"

Benchmark Litigation has named Preti Flaherty as 2024 Litigation Firm of the Year in the State of Maine. Through extensive peer- and- client reviewed research, as well as analysis of casework; the Benchmark Awards...