Environment - Marblehead Current

17 Dec

A pole, a plan and a push for EV access in Marblehead

Leigh BlanderEnvironment, Local News, Municipal Matters, Top Stories

By Leigh Blander This utility pole on Franklin Street could be the site for one of Marblehead’s first on-street EV charging stations. Seen here, from left, Sue Pace with Leidos, Marblehead Sustainability Coordinator Logan Casey and Light Department Energy Project Manager Michael Hull. CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER On a blustery Friday morning, Marblehead Sustainability Coordinator Logan Casey stood bundled up near a utility pole outside 10 Franklin St. The pole is a possible location for one of the town’s first on-street electric vehicle charging…

03 Dec

GOING GREEN: Efficiency coaches help Headers save money — and the environment

Luca TedescoEnvironment, Local News

More homeowners are exploring sustainable heating and cooling systems and electric appliances — but figuring out where to begin can feel overwhelming. Efficiency coach Lisa Wolf (left) helped Amy Berenson discover new heating solutions for her Marblehead home this winter. CURRENT PHOTO / LUCA TEDESCO That’s where Sustainable Marblehead’s new energy-coaching program comes in. The nonprofit launched the initiative to help residents shrink their carbon footprints by offering in-home guidance on everything from solar panels and battery storage to heat pumps, weatherization, electric vehicles and…

25 Nov

Marblehead Light GM: Lithium-ion battery storage could save ratepayers $500K a year

Leigh BlanderEnvironment, Top Stories

The Marblehead Municipal Light Department is considering a project that could save ratepayers about $500,000 a year and provide “short-term resiliency for the community,” according to MMLD General Manager Jon Blair. At a Nov. 24 meeting, Blair said the department is negotiating with LightShift Energy to build a five-megawatt, lithium-ion battery storage system at the Village 13 substation along the Rail Trail. Addressing concerns that lithium-ion batteries can overheat and cause fires, Blair told the Current, “There is an inherent risk, but one we can…

24 Nov

News in brief: Nov. 24

Saoirse StallingsEnvironment, Local News, Politics, Public safety

The Current welcomes 150–200-word submissions to News in Brief. Send yours to info@marbleheadnews.org. Moulton unveils legislation to prevent war with Venezuela On Nov. 21, U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., joined by Reps. Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass.; Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa.; Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif.; and Eugene Vindman, D-Va., announced new legislation called the No Unauthorized Force in Venezuela Act during a press conference on the House steps in Washington, D.C. The bill prohibits the executive branch from spending federal funds on any military action inside Venezuela or against…

20 Nov

Town Planner resigns, Select Board considers plan to cut energy use

Leigh BlanderEnvironment, Local News, Municipal Matters, Top Stories

Town Planner Alex Eitler has resigned effective Dec. 12. Eitler has been on the job for a little more than a year. He plans to move to Australia, according to Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer. Marblehead Town Planner Alex Eitler is resigning effective Dec. 12. CURRENT PHOTO / GREY COLLINS At a Nov. 20 Select Board meeting, Kezer announced that the planner position would be posted soon. Member Jim Zisson asked whether the town might want to pause on new hires until more is known about…

13 Nov

Take a spin in e-mini bus at the COA

Leigh BlanderEnvironment, Local News

Join the Marblehead Council on Aging and the Community Development and Planning Department to take a ride in the Damara E-Jest Mini Bus. Climb aboard for a public test drive and get an up-close look at this all-electric mini bus. Meet in the parking lot Nov. 18, at noon, at the Judy and Gene Jacobi Community Center, 10 Humphrey St.

05 Nov

Light Department ahead of schedule for net-zero goal; weighing battery project

Saoirse StallingsEnvironment, Local News

The Marblehead Municipal Light Department reached an impressive milestone recently — 73% of its power now comes from carbon-free sources. MMLD hit that benchmark three years ahead of schedule. “We’ve progressively worked toward improving our carbon footprint as we aim for ambitious targets in Marblehead,” MMLD General Manager Jon Blair told the Current. “Our load continues to grow, and our power resources are continually dropping out of our portfolio as assets reach end of useful life or contracts expire. Therefore, it requires us to remain…

22 Oct

Recycle those junk drawer minerals

Chris RandallEnvironment, Opinion

In the battle to fight climate change, lithium batteries are an essential piece of the puzzle to reduce carbon emissions. People frequently point to the current methods of production of batteries as a reason to delay transitioning our transportation fleet away from fossil fuels. Often missing from the conversation is the widespread use of lithium batteries in the devices that power our lives and our responsibility to mitigate the impact of our consumer habits. There are legitimate worries that the use of lithium batteries to…

14 Oct

Mini green home tour showcases how one family powers its home on sunshine

Submitted ContentEnvironment, Nonprofit corner, Top Stories

What does it look like when a home truly runs on sunshine? Visitors can find out at the Mini Green Home Tour on Saturday, Nov. 1, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 34 Pinecliff Drive, where one Marblehead family has transformed their home into a fully electric, solar-powered system without a single visible panel or drop of fossil fuel. Installed in 2021, the home’s Tesla solar glass roof replaces traditional shingles with solar tiles that generate 12.6 kilowatts (kW) of clean electricity. The system…

22 Sep

Town awarded $80K climate resilience grant

Leigh BlanderEnvironment, Local News

The town, Marblehead Housing Authority and Sustainable Marblehead have been awarded from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council to advance “Resilient by Design: Cooling Marblehead’s Housing for the Future,” a climate resilience initiative aimed at improving community spaces within public housing sites and to reduce urban heat island effect while protecting vulnerable residents. The four public housing sites that will be involved with the project are New Farrell Court, Powderhouse Court, Green Street and Barnard Hawkes Court. This project will focus on safeguarding elderly, low-income and…