On June 20, 2025, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (“DOER”) filed emergency regulations for the SMART 3.0 Program, the newest iteration of DOER’s Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (“SMART”) tariff-based...more
6/25/2025
/ Clean Energy ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Projects ,
Filing Deadlines ,
New Regulations ,
Public Comment ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Renewable Energy ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Solar Energy ,
State and Local Government
Massachusetts recently stepped closer to its first major solicitation for long-term energy storage contracts under its new Section 83E authority. On May 5, the MA Department of Energy Resources (DOER), in partnership with the...more
5/22/2025
/ Batteries ,
Clean Energy ,
Comment Period ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Storage ,
Filing Deadlines ,
Public Utility ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Renewable Energy ,
Request for Proposals ,
State and Local Government ,
Utilities Sector
On March 31, 2025, FERC signaled that it will rule on ISO New England’s proposed interconnection reforms this week—on or before Friday, April 4.
In May 2024, ISO New England filed proposed tariff revisions at FERC in...more
Some of the biggest questions—and opportunities—facing the electric power sector in 2025 revolve around data centers and how to power them. The U.S. Department of Energy projects that the share of the nation’s electricity...more
U.S. grid operators and policymakers are rushing to prepare for the Trump Administration’s threatened tariffs on imported Canadian electricity and the Canadian reaction, an unprecedented state of affairs disrupting one of the...more
3/11/2025
/ Canada ,
Clean Energy ,
Climate Change ,
Energy Sector ,
FERC ,
Imports ,
International Trade ,
Tariffs ,
Trade Relations ,
Transmission Grid ,
Trump Administration
On November 21, 2024, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healy signed into law sweeping clean energy legislation (St. 2024 c. 239, An Act Promoting a Clean Energy Grid, Advancing Equity and Protecting Ratepayers, referred to here...more
1/15/2025
/ Clean Energy ,
Climate Change ,
Department of Energy (DOE) ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Sector ,
Energy Storage ,
Infrastructure ,
New Legislation ,
Popular ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Renewable Energy ,
State and Local Government
As a further update to our blog series on the landmark 2024 Massachusetts Clean Energy Bill, this post summarizes some changes to Massachusetts law affecting natural gas use. Previous posts addressed how the Clean Energy Bill...more
1/9/2025
/ Carbon Emissions ,
Clean Energy ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Infrastructure ,
Natural Gas ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Renewable Energy ,
Utilities Sector
This is another installment of our blog series on the landmark 2024 Massachusetts Clean Energy Bill, signed into law on November 21, 2024. Previous posts addressed how the Clean Energy Bill aims to transform the deployment of...more
In this Issue: Mission is Market -
As with many, we in the Foley Hoag energy and climate practice have felt the results of the 2024 election reverberate through our industry. We’ve gathered and digested the most current...more
12/20/2024
/ Biden Administration ,
Charging Stations ,
Clean Energy ,
Climate Change ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Electricity ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Energy-Efficiency Tax Credits ,
Environmental Justice ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Funding ,
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) ,
Investment ,
Investors ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Production Tax Credit ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Renewable Energy ,
Tariffs ,
Tax Credits ,
Trump Administration ,
U.S. Treasury
On November 20, 2024, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed “An Act Promoting a Clean Energy Grid, Advancing Equity, and Protecting Ratepayers,” into law as Chapter 239 of the Acts of 2024. Among other things, the new...more
In this Issue: Permitting Reform, the Supreme Court, EV’s, and Climate Week 2024 -
After nearly a decade as New York State’s environmental chief, I recently joined Foley Hoag to help the firm’s clients emerge as global...more
9/19/2024
/ Climate Change ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Electricity ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Reform ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Renewable Energy ,
Utilities Sector
On August 29, 2024, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (“DPU”) issued a highly anticipated order approving the Electric Sector Modernization Plans (“ESMPs”) filed by the three Massachusetts electric distribution...more
As energy storage facilities (“ESFs”) are developed and deployed in the Northeast, questions about how ESFs will be charged for use of the electric distribution system while participating in wholesale markets have become...more
As soon as tomorrow (Thursday, April 4, 2024), New England could have a new long-term transmission planning process—and one that puts the states in the driver’s seat.
The New England Power Pool (“NEPOOL”) Transmission...more
On February 15, 2024, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (“DPU”) issued a much-anticipated order in docket D.P.U. 21-100 that finally promulgates regulations (220 CMR 18.00) to implement 2021 statutory changes...more
2/22/2024
/ Clean Energy ,
Climate Change ,
Energy Sector ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Renewable Energy ,
Solar Energy ,
State and Local Government ,
Tax Credits ,
Utilities Sector ,
Wind Power
On October 25, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order extending the deadline for Transmission Providers to submit compliance filings to implement the requirements of FERC’s Order No. 2023, which...more
In tentative decisions issued on April 26, 2023 (here and here), the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) proposes to conclude that it lacks jurisdiction under current laws to review battery energy storage...more
Sometimes, “mostly dead” is just a pause before successfully storming the castle. On July 14, Governor Baker vetoed the climate bill that passed the Massachusetts Legislature on July 4 with overwhelming support... I couldn’t...more
On January 4th, as the legislative session came to a close, both houses of the Massachusetts legislature passed “An Act Creating a Next-Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy.” My colleague, Seth Jaffe, posted on...more
1/6/2021
/ Clean Energy ,
Electricity ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Net Zero ,
New Legislation ,
Offshore Wind ,
Renewable Energy ,
SMART ,
Solar Energy ,
State and Local Government ,
Utilities Sector ,
Wind Power
When the Massachusetts DPU opened docket DPU 20-75, I described it as a proposal to fundamentally change system planning and cost allocation in Massachusetts. The interconnection process in Massachusetts has been a perpetual...more
On October 22, the Massachusetts DPU issued an Order opening a new docket (DPU 20-75) that seeks comments on a proposal to shake up the way the electric distribution system is planned and paid for in Massachusetts. As I see...more
On July 23, 2020, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (“DOER”) filed final regulations implementing a “Clean Peak Energy Standard,” which formally went into effect on August 7, 2020. The final regulations are...more
On July 2, 2020, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities launched an “Investigation into the Modernization of the Electric Grid – Phase Two.” In this investigation, the DPU will look again at deploying advanced...more
On July 10, 2020, the D.C. Circuit upheld FERC Order 841, the landmark order requiring wholesale markets to allow participation by energy storage resources. Challengers had contended that by prohibiting states from barring...more
On Monday, August 19, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (“DPU”) provided additional information on the timing, process, and scope of its investigation into DG interconnection. The full memorandum from the...more