Study evaluates New England investment in clean energy as alternative to natural gas
January 12, 2015 | By
Barbara Vergetis Lundin
Prioritizing energy efficiency, renewable energy, and imports of Canadian hydroelectricity would reduce Massachusetts's exposure to wintertime price spikes that result from the state's growing dependence on natural gas for heating and electricity generation. That is according to a new analysis conducted by Synapse Energy for Acadia Center, a non-profit, research and advocacy organization with a self-described commitment to advancing the clean energy future. The report evaluates investments in clean energy in order to reduce over-reliance on natural gas. "Massachusetts has taken an important but preliminary step toward thorough analysis of viable supply- and demand-side solutions to meet our energy needs," said Acadia Center President Dan Sosland. "Because electric ratepayers across New England are being asked to subsidize the construction of a pipeline that could take decades to pay off, alternatives need to be examined in all New England states to ensure that we have an accurate, up-to-date picture of how to power the region while reducing risks to consumers and bringing down greenhouse gas emissions." Proposals to expand natural gas pipeline capacity rely on an unprecedented region-wide electricity tariff requiring federal approval, according to the report, and it is critical for policymakers to demonstrate that they have fully examined and exhausted alternatives across the region in order to minimize risks to consumers, including natural gas price increases due expanded exports, which could raise prices by almost 50 percent according to DOE. The report notes that New England states' consideration of subsidizing new pipeline capacity has likely undermined potential private sector financing for energy infrastructure. In contrast to the proposed pipeline tariff in New England, private producers are bearing the financial risks associated with the Constitution Pipeline running from Pennsylvania to New York. Since New England Governors initially proposed supporting new pipeline capacity in 2013, similar private financing proposals have failed to materialize in New England, as developers wait to see if the public will bear project risks. For more:
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