Energy

Around 50 schoolkids descended on the State House Tuesday to lobby for their climate agenda, but before they started knocking on lawmakers' doors, one 16-year-old student told the crowd that their activism was hampered by the secret nature of the Legislature's committee votes.

Marlborough energy and retail company Yatco Energy has purchased a permitted site in Worcester formerly owned by a co-owner of the Worcester Red Sox, in order to build a gas station and convenience store.

Matthew Nelson responded to nearly 100 state lawmakers who had written him with concerns about winter energy bill increases to tell them that the gas bill reductions publicized by the Healey administration Thursday were coming -- and to explain that the same can't be done for electricity bills.

When they get their bills in March, most gas customers in Massachusetts are going see a decrease of 4 or 5 percent after the Department of Public Utilities this week approved a mid-season reduction in gas supply charges as natural gas prices drop.

The recognizable and highly visible 111 Speen St. in Framingham is gaining two new tenants: a co-working space and an architectural firm, long with a new look.

Gasoline prices in the Worcester metro area, as well as statewide, climbed another 6.5 cents in the past week.

Electric utility National Grid is handing out 1,000 grants of $1,000 each to small businesses in Central Massachusetts as part of its statewide attempt to help soften the blow of the energy cost increases.

The Massachusetts Attorney General earlier in January reopened the case where Peterson Oil delivered heating fuel to the state allegedly containing too much biodiesel.

The average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline jumped nationwide over the past week, although prices in the Greater Worcester metro area and across Massachusetts remain below the national average.

With new building codes on the horizon, battles will be fought in the name of progress, as developers and various interest groups are hesitant to make sweeping changes.