Could Maine Ratepayers end up paying wind plants in Maine the REC value obtained from contracts  involving other State RPS programs ? That would be quite perverse, but strange things happen when lawmakers screw around in the private sector.

    The State wants to make over the electric generating industry just 10 years from the last make-over and their reasoning is so the state will  be in a jobs available market.

http://www.maine.gov/dacf/lupc/reports/docs/rptReceivedAccepted.html

The six state Governors committee on energy has been given notice that 2500 megawatts of wind plant electricity is ready to take over the Maine landscape by 2016.

The three states of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island ( not a place for wind plants ) have issued a Request for Proposals for at least 1000 megawatts…

Check out photo and see where power and RECs are being sold for all these wind plants in Maine. Read this decision about Vermont wind plants from the FTC.

"The FTC ( Federal Trade Commission ) has instructed GMP ( Green Mountain Power ) officials to—“Carefully review (your) current and future communications to ensure that Vermont customers, and other market…

Part of the testimony from the Maine PUC on LD 646, An Act To Remove the 100-megawatt Limit on Renewable Sources of Energy : LD 646 testimony [PDF]

A interesting read about the proposed Dickey-Lincoln dam project as it was debated in the U.S. Congress. I just can't see Mr. Muskie having much use for wind.

http://abacus.bates.edu/muskie-archives/ajcr/1967/Dickey.shtml

  The top chart is net generation from Maine independent gas-fired power producers, such as the Westbrook ( Calpine ), Rumford (  Emera ) and Veazie ( Casco Bay Energy,…

 Although we often hear how natural gas makes up 50% of electrical generation in Maine, EIA data reveals Maine's natural gas plants do not run anywhere near 100% of the time and, in fact, in-state hydro out-produced natural gas generation for 2013 and trends would indicate the same for…

Since 2008, the Maine PUC has approved 4 wind projects, 1 biomass project and 0 hydro projects for long term renewable energy contracts. This is getting old and is starting to smell akin to Alfond's abuse of power to aid wind during  the last legislative session.…

Above is the ISO-NE interconnection requests for proposed generation. Number 470/471 is a First Wind project under the name of King Pine Wind, Phase 1 & 2. 

Calendar/Real Audio/ Maine PUC

January 20, 2015

Deliberations

10:00 AM

Proposed MassDEP Clean Energy Standard (CES)

" Regulatory Arrogance "  Is there a chance of that in the halls of Augusta ?

Thank you, Lisa Linowes ....................https://www.masterresource.org/cape-wind-project-windpower/cape-wind-dead-forever/

     Would anyone from the legislature be willing to offer a bill to direct the PUC to determine if there is presently enough qualified Maine Class 1 Renewable Energy Credits ( REC )  accumulated to satisfy the 2017 goal of 10% new renewable in the State's electric portfolio, assuming a 2% growth in electricity consumption from 2015 to 2017 ?  If such a scenario is presently available, then the Maine Renewable Portfolio Standard should be retired two years early and the Maine Class 1 REC…

   This graphic depicts the several wind projects in place or looking for approval to build in Maine. Power Purchase Agreements with out of state utilities have provided collateral for financing.

    DEP/BEP approval is essentially a given for these projects.

    The Maine PUC is aware of the transmission constraints  these projects will encounter in trying to…

 Wind projects in New England receive such enormous payments for their generation, they will offer their output to the grid even when prices go negative. Clearly, when low or negative pricing occurs, the best course for the electric power providers is to reduce the production of energy. That's common sense, unless the power producer can be paid handsomely for products attached to their output, " the enhancers ."

Date: 11/11/2013

During 2013, ISO New England (ISO-NE), the region's independent system operator, continued to address a range of issues that impact wind power's access to and participation in the regional power market. These issues cover the integration of variable resources; the forward capacity market; bidding rules in ISO's energy market; and transmission congestion, planning, and cost allocation. Many of the topics are under active consideration, and depending on the outcome,…

 It won't be long before wind is setting some of the clearinghouse prices for electric supply in New England.

http://isonewswire.com/updates/2014/4/1/new-wind-power-forecast-integrated-into-iso-ne-processes-and.html