Rep Sara Gideon's bill would require state utilities to contract for a certain amount of power supply from solar energy projects....To ensure their economic viability, long-term contracts are almost required for developers to pursue grid-scale solar projects....“We need to get this bill enacted,” Kenway said.…

On Wednesday, April 8th at 2:10pm the Maine Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Champlain Wind LLC's appeal of the DEP/BEP denial of a permit for the Bowers Mountain Wind project. This will be the end of the line for this Bowers application. Champlain will not be able to appeal this any further. Here's how the Court has characterized the case:

2:10 p.m.     BEP-14-291    

Champlain Wind LLC v. Board of Environmental Protection  

Attorneys:…

While many of LePage's past energy efforts have fallen flat, he will have an opportunity to strengthen his influence this spring when he replaces the last remaining Democratic appointee to the agency that regulates the state's utilities......

"His energy policy in no way reflects the truth that we have to make a clear transition away from fossil fuels — including natural gas — toward a 100 percent clean energy economy," said Glen Brand, director of the Sierra Club…

The Department of Energy, has once again buddied up with its friends in the wind industry to release an updated vision of how the United wind energy can achieve a 20% market share of the electricity (not total energy) market by 2030. This time, DOE went a step further to claim we could get to 10% wind by 2020 and a whopping 35% wind by 2050 (wind’s current electric-market share is 4.5%).…

4/15/2015 @ 11:28AM 1,075 views

"Winter Is Coming" -- Preparing For A Possible Reduction Of The Solar Investment Tax Credit

Those just adding headcount will face the daunting task of getting resources lined up and will then be faced with high cost structures in 2017. …

The recent decision of the Maine PUC to re-examine two long term offers from proposed wind plants was vehemently opposed by Commissioner Littell.

Photo courtesy of Paul Trommer

So, this photoshopped depiction of wind turbines on Mt. Katahdin might be a bit extreme, but it makes a strong warning to Katahdin Region people and everyone who loves the unique natural and scenic resources of our beautiful state! The Molunkus project proposed by First Wind (now SunEdison) will be 500+ ft tall turbines just 15 air miles…

The testimony of a number of Washington County residents and organizational leaders in Augusta on March 19 resulted in LD 295, An Act to Promote Tidal Energy Projects, to be killed by the legislature's Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. At a workshop held on March 25, the committee voted unanimously to give the bill an ought not to pass recommendation.…

This latest update from Friends of Maine's Mountains (FMM) covers bills related to various topics - Citizens Rights, 100 MW Hydro, Scenic Impact and the Cost of Electricity. It can also be accessed at the following link:

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Legislative-Update.html?soid=1103684772079&aid=8t7IRSQ5ZFM…

Listing a species as threatened means that any trafficking, injuring or killing of that animal becomes prohibited, but unlike endangered species, some exemptions can be carved out.

In the case of the Northern Long-Eared Bat, logging and expansion of rights of way for transportation or utility construction got an exemption, as long as the activities avoided any known caves or trees occupied by the bats. Wind farms did not receive an exemption.…

If you are interested in the Katahdin Woods National Park concept that is brewing, there is a teleconference at 7PM tonight (4/1/15). There is a possibility that industrial wind power could come up as a topic as First Wind's plans are getting closer and closer to Katahdin, e.g., Molunkus.

You may be able to ask questions if you call in. Or you might at least be able to raise the issue of 600' tall flashing and thrashing industrial wind turbines potentially despoiling the…

Hearing begins today (Wednesday, Apr 1, 2015) at 1:00PM. The exact time for this particular bill is TBD.

SP0090, LD 252 An Act To Increase Transparency of Entities Receiving Substantial Amounts of Public Funding -- Room 438 State House

Listen live on the Web at: http://legislature.maine.gov/committee/#Committees/JUD

After…