Unlocking the full potential of Quebec hydropower to balance renewables through the Northeast will require major efforts to overcome barriers to transmission planning, according to speakers at a webinar led by the Acadia Center.

With data centers, electric vehicles and population growth, electricity demand in New Jersey could soar to 15,000 GWh in the coming years, state officials said at a public hearing on a new plan for connecting offshore wind projects to the grid.

Even as the offshore wind industry continues to struggle, stakeholders’ hopes have been buoyed by the recent multistate procurement in New England, they said during a webinar held by NECA.

The BPU approval gives offshore wind developer Invenergy time to find an economically viable turbine before committing more resources to the project.

Industry players, regulators, and elected officials generally were positive about the direction of New York’s energy future despite recent reporting the state would fall short of its 2030 climate goals.

Activists, ISO-NE officials, and state representatives from across New England convened in New London, Conn., to discuss the benefits of offshore wind to the region’s power system.