Book Review: Here Comes the Sun by Bill McKibben

 Climate Change, November/December 2025, Solar Power  Comments Off on Book Review: Here Comes the Sun by Bill McKibben
Oct 312025
 
Book Review: Here Comes the Sun by Bill McKibben

By Jeffrey North with assistance from Roger Wrubel In his latest book, Here Comes the Sun, environmental writer and activist Bill McKibben offers a compelling case for why solar energy may be the most hopeful—and practical—path forward in the fight against climate change. McKibben, who has long been a voice for climate action and grassroots mobilization, weaves together history, science, and policy to argue that solar power is not only technologically viable but also socially transformative. McKibben begins by tracing the origins of the modern solar movement, reminding readers that the technology is hardly new. What has changed, he notes, [READ MORE]

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Belmont’s Electricity Comes from NE Power Pool

 Climate Change, Newsletter, September/October 2025  Comments Off on Belmont’s Electricity Comes from NE Power Pool
Aug 262025
 
Belmont’s Electricity Comes from NE Power Pool

By Dave Beavers To further explore the question, “Where does my electricity come from?” (See “Follow Belmont Electricity From Source to Socket“, BCF Newsletter, July/August 2025), this article considers what happens upstream of the Belmont Light substation at Blair Pond. Beyond Blair Pond Our Blair Pond substation is supplied by a transmission line from Alewife which connects Belmont to the New England grid. The Independent System Operator of New England (ISO-NE) operates the grid and administers the wholesale electricity market in New England. It is one of seven regional grid operators in the United States. Belmont Light is a stakeholder [READ MORE]

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Follow Belmont Electricity From Source to Socket

 Environment, July/August 2025  Comments Off on Follow Belmont Electricity From Source to Socket
Jun 302025
 
Follow Belmont Electricity From Source to Socket

By Dave Beavers The answer to the question “Where does my electricity come from?” can be elusive. There can be many answers to what appears to be a straightforward question. These answers can be abstract by necessity, requiring physics concepts and a plethora of obscure acronyms for precision. Instead of a textbook approach, the goal of this article is to offer an intuitive understanding of Belmont’s electricity. I will eschew dry facts, physics, and acronyms in favor of less abstract explanations and analogies. Along the way, I will explore key issues such as utility costs, rates, reliability, governance, and climate [READ MORE]

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Belmont Moves on Decarbonization Roadmap

 Climate Change, May/June 2022, Newsletter, Solar Power, Transit  Comments Off on Belmont Moves on Decarbonization Roadmap
May 052022
 
Belmont Moves on Decarbonization Roadmap

By Marty Bitner and James Booth In 2009, Belmont’s Town Meeting committed to reducing Belmont’s emissions of the greenhouse gasses that drive dangerous climate change. In 2019, the Belmont Energy Committee put forward the Belmont Climate Action Roadmap for achieving our town’s greenhouse gas reduction goal. The general framework laid out a two-part strategy that was strongly endorsed by a vote of Town Meeting in May 2019: Electrify everything! (adopt electric vehicles and transition to heating with electric heat pumps) Move Belmont’s electricity supply to renewable sources How are we doing with moving forward on this strategy? Vehicles We analyzed [READ MORE]

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