Fall, 2022 Dear Friend, As I write this letter, Congress has just passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), an ambitious, if long overdue leap by the U.S. towards taking responsible action to reduce pollutants that are threatening the health and safety of the planet. Colleagues at Energy Innovation conclude the IRA could reduce US emissions in 2030 by 40%, a huge step towards meeting needed emission reductions. IRA’s success will depend upon strong state, regional, and community action to meet and exceed the reductions in emissions needed. Critical concerns about whether the law will exacerbate inequalities in benefits and avoid further burdening communities long suffering from the pollution and ill health effects of a fossil fuel economy remain to be addressed. As always, Acadia Center is actively working to make a difference to all communities in the region and beyond. We are heartened by the action from Congress and can point to many state and community programs that are shifting buildings and transportation away from fossil fuels and can benefit from federal support. We know that it will take stateand community-level action for these federal efforts to truly make an impact. The work we do is only possible with supporters like you. We are grateful that you are a part of our team, and hope you’ll enjoy this special look at our work and continue the conversation with us on social media. Thank you and enjoy The Conduit. Sincerely,
@EnvironmentNortheast @acadia_center @AcadiaCtr
Daniel L. Sosland, President
Busting Clean Energy Myths
As states consider the pathways to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it is critical that the proposed solutions will be effective alternatives to fossil fuels. To make the most informed choices, it’s important to cut through the fog of claims and truly determine what qualifies as “clean energy”. Acadia Center is providing careful analysis regarding the climate impacts of these alternatives.
The Assumptions Behind the Potential Benefits of Renewable Natural Gas Two commonly advanced alternatives to fossil (“natural”) gas are “renewable natural gas” (RNG) and hydrogen. RNG can be created using biogas or “waste methane” from places like landfills or livestock farms, or “intentionally produced methane” made specifically for this purpose. After cleaning and upgrading, either type of methane can be injected into the existing gas distribution system and burned as a fuel that is nearly chemically identical to fossil gas. The potential emissions benefits of RNG rely heavily on a range of assumptions. RNG systems leak methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, potentially even more than current fossil gas systems. Methane leaks along the RNG supply chain are so high that injecting RNG into the system results in a net increase in GHG emissions compared to burning the biogas on-site at a landfill. To minimize GHG emissions from landfills, the best option is to capture the methane on-site and combust it in a combined heat and power facility that produces electricity and heat for nearby buildings, avoiding downstream methane leaks along the RNG supply chain.
“Grey” and “Green” Hydrogen Explained Blending hydrogen into the gas distribution system to displace fossil gas also seems attractive, but the reality is that the climate value of hydrogen depends entirely on the sources of energy used to produce it. Currently, 95% of hydrogen produced depends on fossil fuels. This “Grey” hydrogen produces 58-69% more emissions than an equivalent amount of fossil (natural) gas. Hydrogen made from renewable energy is attractive, but heating buildings using “green hydrogen” requires about 4-6 times more electricity than efficient heat pumps. Green hydrogen should be deployed to help decarbonize areas that are most challenging to electrify, like chemical production, aviation, and marine shipping. Acadia Center believes that transitioning our building heating and transportation systems to clean electric choices is the most efficient, consumer friendly, and healthy priority. We are providing detailed comments to inform and influence states that are considering the choices presented to them to build a clean energy future. By making informed decisions in the transition from the old ways of generating energy, we will achieve the clean energy future we all deserve.
“ Renewable natural gas and green hydrogen will play a critical role in global decarbonization efforts, but understanding why blending these fuels into the gas distribution system is a poor use of limited resources requires a sound technical understanding of economy-wide decarbonization pathways and nuanced analysis. Acadia Center is helping to fill this critical void in the face of gas utilities irresponsibly promoting blending of these fuels into the gas system.” — Ben Butterworth Director of Climate, Energy & Equity Analysis
Climate Solutions in Real Life Exciting new climate solutions are here now, but how can they be incorporated into real life? And what barriers are stopping them from becoming widely used? Here are some real-life experiences of Acadia Center staff “Living Green.”
Heat Pumps
Director of Policy Amy Boyd is on the record in The New York Times saying heat pumps are “probably the biggest thing that consumers can do to help fight the climate crisis.” So, when she recently moved to a new home, she electrified her 1880s, gas-boiler-heated house with heat pumps just in time for a summer heat wave. Amy’s big tips for Heat Pump success are to look for local incentives, such as the ones provided by Mass Saves, which can provide rebates to offset the significant installation costs. She also advises shopping around since bids can vary widely between companies. As she put it “For me, it was an investment in my home and my family’s quality of life.” Acadia Center will keep pushing for heat-pump incentives so more households can make that investment as well.
Electric Cars
Rhode Island State Lead Hank Webster has been on many crosscountry road trips, but this year he decided to take the leap and use his Electric Vehicle (EV). This summer, Hank traveled from Rhode Island to Key West, Florida and back for a total round trip of 3,636.5 miles. Hank enjoyed his trip, stating that his 30 minutes stops now and then to plug in his car were “quite refreshing”. However, we still have more progress to make for EV accessibility. As Hank put it “It will be critical to expand EV charging networks to fully unlock the transformative potential of electric vehicles.” Acadia Center will continue to fight for more incentives so more drivers can make the switch to zero-emissions vehicles and enjoy their own cross-country road trips.
Electric Bikes
When vacationing with family in Acadia National Park, Donor Engagement Program Manager Sam Buntich ran into an issue. She wanted to enjoy the beauty of the park, but her asthma and general lack of experience made her a bad candidate for hiking. She found the solution in an E-bike, a bicycle equipped with a battery, giving riders electric assistance as they pedal. Renting an E-Bike meant that Sam could explore the park without bringing her car, and without pulling out her inhaler. E-bikes are also a great solution for city-dwellers, and Acadia Center is fighting for improved bike infrastructure and rebates like those newly adopted in Connecticut to make e-biking more accessible to all.
Acadia Center in the News Acadia Center continues to be a go-to source for those reporting on the latest in clean energy.
“ ’This decision from the court does at least protect consumers from some wasted expenditures,’ (Melissa Birchard, director of clean energy and grid reform) said. But, Birchard said, what the grid needs is long-term solutions for reliability that move away from fossil fuels, which New England has to import from sometimes-volatile international markets.’” —Federal Court Rules Against Part of New England Grid Operator Reliability Plan NEW HAMPSHIRE PUBLIC RADIO
“ Because renewable energy, once built, runs on no cost fuels, we break out of the cycle and actually reduce electricity prices,” (Kyle Murray, Massachusetts senior policy advocate) said. “That’s the only way out of this situation.” —Inflation and Supply Chain Problems Blunt Efforts to Ramp Up Renewable Energy THE BOSTON GLOBE
“ ‘We had a very successful event at the State Capitol in April where there were bikes for legislators to try,’ said Amy McLean (Connecticut Director), an avid e-bike rider herself. ‘The idea was to dispel the idea that these things are just for fun. They are fun, but they are also transportation” —Connecticut Electric Vehicle Rebate Reforms Include Point-of-sale Vouchers ENERGY NEWS NETWORK
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acadiacenter.org • development@acadiacenter.org Acadia Center, PO Box 583, Rockport, ME 04856-0583 Boston, MA 617-742-0054 • Hartford, CT 860-246-7121 • New York, NY 212-256-1535 • Providence, RI 401-276-0600 • Rockport, ME 207-236-6470 Copyright © 2022 by Acadia Center All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.