ISO-NE has a blueprint based on appeasing the climate alarmists making state policies. Their duties have been hijacked and soon, everyone in New England might have to prepare to go on their own, because running a 24/7 propane or diesel residential generator will be cheaper than buying power from utilities.   

New England’s electric power grid is undergoing a tremendous transformation. Public policy aimed at fighting climate change by decarbonizing all sectors of the economy is ushering in a new era in our energy history. This era will be marked by rapid and significant change. Over the next 20 years, we expect that renewable resources will displace natural gas as the main source of electricity generation in the region—just as natural gas displaced coal and oil generation beginning 20 years ago.

Just seven years ago, power plants fueled by natural gas represented nearly half the capacity of proposals in the ISO Interconnection Request Queue. Today, wind and solar generation and storage (primarily short-duration batteries) account for more than 99%.

Public policy drives decarbonization

State goals and requirements are targeting deep reductions in carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, as well as increases in renewable energy. These public policies represent the power system’s largest catalyst for change.

Electrifying the heating and transportation sectors, to reduce emissions from buildings and vehicles that have historically burned fossil fuels, will result in a significant increase in electricity demand. Massive amounts of clean, reliable power must be available to meet it.

Over the next 15 years, the region needs to add almost twice as much new generation as it added in the last 25 years. By the early 2030s, the annual energy needed to heat buildings and charge electric vehicles is expected to grow to more than 20 times the forecast for 2024. The growth over the next decade is just the beginning.