In a recent letter to the editor (April 1), its writer refers to a Berkshire Gas advertisement stating “No new customers are allowed on natural gas until 2018.” Meanwhile, others contradict the ads, saying the need for natural gas to generate electricity has been deceptively overstated.
“Where can we find truthful facts,” the letter asks.
Could it be that by persuading us (and the regulator, the Department of Public Utilities) that more “natural” gas is needed to generate our electricity, the utilities hope to get electric ratepayers to foot the bill for the massive pipelines they want to build from Pennsylvania to Dracut? However, gas companies evidently seek to build pipelines to Dracut, then route it to Canada, covert it to Liquid Natural Gas, (LNG) and ship it to Europe. Why Europe? They can double what we pay for gas by selling it at European rates.
Evidence of a plot? Both the Kinder Morgan, and Spectre pipelines converge in Dracut, where permission to REVERSE the FLOW of gas via pipeline (that has been flowing south to Dracut) has been granted. Now it will flow from Dracut to Liquid Natural Gas port cities in Canada. We could be in for a DOUBLING of the cost of our natural gas.
I suggest people seeking truthful info on supply and demand, take a good look at Attorney General Maura Healey’s, independently contracted study of the need for pipelines, asking whether electric ratepayers (us!) should foot the bill for well over $5 billion for the Kinder Morgan Pipeline, (and also $3 billion for Spectre, Pipeline) in order to meet an assumed shortfall as dirty coal and dangerous old nuclear generating plants go off line.
Read the Attorney General’s “Power System Reliability in New England: Meeting Electric Resource Needs in an Era of Growing Dependence on Natural Gas.” The first 13 pages provide a comprehensive look at the parameters of the study and the researchers’ assumptions. Conclusions are clearly stated on page 14: “We find under existing market conditions, there is no electric sector reliability deficiency through 2030, and therefore no additional pipeline capacity is needed to meet electric reliability needs …”
The study examines scenarios on how to address a relatively small (2,400MW) shortfall, occurring for less than 26 hours (over nine days) ONLY in a very coldest winters (winters comparable to 2004 and 2015). The least expensive way to address this modest possible shortfall is through “Energy Efficiency (EE)” and “Demand Response (DR)” which, the study contends, can be easily reached by 2020!
And, unlike pipelines and transmission lines, once EE and DR upgrades are in place, there is, essentially, no maintenance costs, no daily carrying charges. In other words, no ongoing profit! EE and DR will be a one-time overall cost at $0.067/kilowatt/hour (or $0.0176 Bcf/hr.). That is a gift compared to the Gov. Charlie Baker’s proposal to run giant hydroelectric lines down from Canada, at an estimated cost of $4.3 billion, (plus ongoing maintenance) or the Kinder Morgan pipeline at $5 billion-plus, all charged to ratepayers!
So what can we all do about it?
Contact your state legislators, the governor and thank the attorney general;
get a FREE Energy Assessment, thanks to the state. And call “Co-op Power” for your energy assessment which will give you a long-term plan for EE and DR.
Then, ask Co-op Power how to take advantage of Mass Save (www.masssave.com ) loans and rebates — available if you have a sunny site.
Meanwhile, burning that gas — here or in Europe — also means MORE greenhouse gas, as the attorney general’s study also shows.
So when you get the chance, switch to solar collector! Generate enough electricity to end your electric bills, except for the cost of transmission, also install a mini-split, cold-climate heat pump! (I can attest to the fact that they work!)
And the time for that is right now, while the state is offering $30 million in income supports for Massachusetts homeowners to buy solar collectors. That’s great for your pocket in the short AND long run. Then, the feds offer 30 percent off the rest of the bill to get solar on you’re your site.
Once solar and heat pumps are in place, the energy to generate electricity, heat, and air conditioning comes from a real renewable energy source: Sunshine!
Pam Kelly is a Greenfield resident.