Long Islander's Blog – March 2025 Archive (19)

Can Nuclear Energy Help Big Tech Meet Data Center Needs?

Carbon-free nuclear is “the only thing left in the toolbox for utilities,” Morningstar analyst says.

Ivanna Hampton

Mar 25, 2025

EXCERPTS

The surging need to feed power-hungry data centers is reviving interest in nuclear energy. As the momentum for artificial intelligence…

Why use this ridiculously expensive energy scheme in the first place?

March 25, 2025

Diana DiGangi

EXCERPTS

If sited in the correct locations, around eight 1,200 MW offshore wind farms could be connected to the New England grid and operate simultaneously at full power without first constructing new transmission infrastructure and without significant curtailment, said a…

By

Kate Cough

March 21, 2025

Much of a legislative conversation centered around to what extent the state should be investing in emerging technologies.

A few months ago, I was walking my dogs and listening to an episode of Volts, a podcast and newsletter about clean energy and politics from former Grist and Vox writer David Roberts. The episode was an…

Maine lawmakers advance effort to seek money for more EV subsidies

Republicans, who have criticized state efforts to promote electric vehicle sales, opposed tapping a regional source of funding. Maine exhausted its money for EV rebates in November.

March 20, 2025

Stephen Singer

Portland Press Herald

EXCERPTS

With its money for electric vehicle rebates depleted, Maine’s…

Published Thu, Mar 20 2025

Sam Meredith

Maine Public | By Peter McGuire

Published March 19, 2025 at 4:08 PM EDT

Lawmakers on the Environment and Natural Resources Committee have voted 10-2 against supporting a measure to conserve Sears Island entirely.

The bill, from Rep. Reagan Paul, R-Winterport, would extend a conservation easement that covers three quarters of the state-owned island onto the remaining parcel, set aside for commercial development under a 2009 agreement.

But a majority of lawmakers said…

How the local debate over solar has grown more heated in Maine

by Elizabeth Walztoni

March 18, 2025

EXCERPTS

If someone told Christina Heiniger several years ago that a solar farm was coming to her hometown of Trenton, she would have thought it was great news.

But after three solar farms were proposed in the roughly 28-square-mile town — including one project that looked to span 300 acres — she…

And how about visual and sound protection from giant onshore wind turbines? Hopefully all federal freebies presently handed over to the constellation of criminals will stop wind projects once and for all. Has not the "temporary" wind Production Tax Credit introduced in the early 90's exceeded all possible definitions of "temporary", or are decision makers simply way too buyable? DOGE it.

Bill…

Time now to put and end to onshore wind by terminating all federal freebies for this coterie of criminals.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is canceling $20 billion nationwide in grants and other sources of funding authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act.

March 13, 2025

Stephen Singer

Portland Press Herald

EXCERPTS

Efficiency Maine Trust, the quasi-state agency that administers energy efficiency programs and disburses heat pump incentives, has lost access to about $15 million in federal…

"The Maine Public Utilities Commission and state Department of Environmental Protection must “conduct robust public engagement, hold public hearings and rigorously evaluate the merits of any proposed transmission line issuing approvals,” Rep. Christopher Kessler, D-South Portland, said in prepared testimony."

TRANSLATION:

We say things like that to go through the…

Maine Public | By Peter McGuire

Published March 12, 2025 at 4:09 PM EDT

Lawmakers heard more than five hours of testimony Wednesday from both sides of a debate over preserving Sears Island in the Town of Searsport.

A pair of bills from state representative Reagan Paul would extend a conservation easement across the island and restore sand dune protections in a 330-acre parcel set aside for development.

The Winterport Republican said…

Note that Phil Bartlett, the Maine PUC chair quoted below, was a member of the original commission that paved the way for the free ride given to wind developers' recklessly savaging Maine's ridgelines and Mainers' bank accounts:

https://www.windtaskforce.org/page/the-expedited-wind-law

Maine Public | By Peter McGuire

Published March 11, 2025 at 3:37 PM EDT

Versant Power customers…

The article came across to me as largely pro-renewables propaganda.

Congressional Republicans have backed Trump's pro-fossil fuel agenda. But a group of 21 GOP lawmakers recently called for Congress to preserve tax credits that support the renewable energy industry. "As energy demand continues to skyrocket, any modifications that inhibit our ability to deploy new energy production risk sparking an energy crisis in our country, resulting in drastically higher power bills for…

So Governor, now that it is clear your efforts as an EV Pusher have failed and now that federal funds for most things "green" are hopefully being taken away, how do you plan to pay for all this debilitating and economy crushing nonsense?

Trump cuts loom over Maine's zero-carbon power

March 7, 2025

Stephen Singer

Portland Press…

Transportation accounts for nearly half of the carbon emissions in Maine and expanding electric vehicle use would help the state achieve its target of reducing greenhouse gases by 45% in 5 years.

March 6, 2025

Stephen Singer Portland Press Herald

Maine could gain more than $2 million from New England’s electricity grid operator to help pay for electric vehicle subsidies through a proposal in the…

Follow the money and stop the corruption, and this goes away. Stop the incessant propaganda and some of the people will awaken to the fraud. Where is the push for new natural gas pipelines given that natural gas is the number one reason they have seen reductions in their…

GOP push to end Maine solar subsidies, but lawmaker says it’s unlikely

How much to pay solar power developers has been an issue in Augusta for years and has emerged again as costs soar for some businesses.

February 28, 2025

Stephen Singer

Portland Press Herald

EXCERPTS

Republicans in the Maine Legislature on Thursday urged the repeal of solar…