The natural gas industry is rapidly losing ground in the U.S. Northeast, beaten back by renewable energy, environmentalists, and stricter climate policy. Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, a Republican, signed an executive order at the start of 2020 that aimed for net zero emissions by 2050. The net zero by 2050 goal, although often non-binding, has quickly become a baseline platform for climate-inclined politicians. But Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey (D) recently called on the state’s Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to begin an investigation into a phase out of natural gas. In order to achieve net zero emissions, natural gas demand will likely need to be zeroed out by mid-century. In order to do that, not only will electric power generation need to switchover to renewable energy, but gas-based residential and commercial cooking and heating will need to switch to electric. This leads to huge questions about the business […]