In a speech to the Environmental and Energy Technology Council of Maine, Mills said she will introduce legislation to create a Maine Climate Council that will develop an action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help communities adapt to a changing climate. Mills has set an interim goal of 80 percent electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030 and a longer-term goal of 100 percent by 2050.

She also reiterated her pledges to promote…

Residents say they received no notice of the wind farm’s construction, and say there are health, noise and quality-of-life issues at stake. Verdecchia said the project followed the law, and that antiquated zoning laws were the issue.

“It appears the proper procedures were followed,” he said. “The zoning laws did not keep up with technology.”

State law requires only that property owners within 200 feet of such a project be notified, and Alpine Estates is 1.4 miles…

"Whenever we came up with this term clean energy, I think it screwed up people's minds"...................."What battery solution is going to sit there and provide that power?"............."It does not solve the reliability problem"......................"Do planes fly through the sky because of some number you put on a spreadsheet"?...................."There is no substitute for how the industrial economy runs today"...........................…

This version of the AWED Newsletter is dedicated to a single topic: the proposed US Green New Deal (GND).

Read the articles listed below at:

https://www.masterresource.org/alliance-for-wise-energy-decisions/energy-environmental-newsletter-2-24-2019/

Energy &…

Excerpted from the newspaper's "Climate is top concern in CMP powerline case":

Creating a pathway for Canadian hydropower into northern New England is not all Maine should be doing to reduce its carbon footprint. It will still be important to increase the use of electricity for space heating and transportation, while generating more power from renewable sources, like solar and wind, both onshore and offshore.…

All six New England utility companies made their top ten list.

In Massachusetts, the average cost for utilities every month is $469.13.

According to the New England Ratepayers Association, right now there's little consumers can do.

“As a consumer, the best thing to do is to use as little electricity as possible," said Marc Brown, president of the New England Ratepayers Association.

The problem he says is how electricity is produced here. Half is made using natural…

....................Mills’ order means that state agencies with the “legal authority to issue permits can once again do their work with Maine’s local communities and stakeholders to determine which projects should go forward,” according to a Friday prepared statement.

Groups with legal authority include the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, the state’s Land Use Planning Commission and the Public Utilities Commission.…

Crony capitalism hopes to get a boost here in Maine.

Perhaps someone needs to tell Jeremy Payne that on February 1, the U.S. Department of Energy issued a condemnation of the current approaches to floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) and a decision to proceed by researching radically different design concepts. The DOE advised that  "the current state of the art for FOWT is too massive and expensive for practical deployment", also saying "Floating Offshore Wind Turbines…

Gov. Janet Mills seems to be warming up to Central Maine Power’s plan to build a major new power line through western Maine’s forests, now that CMP and Hydro-Quebec are offering a new benefits package to the state............................Mills said she wants to see a finalized package before passing final judgment. The companies and other stakeholders are negotiating the terms of that agreement as CMP seeks permits from state utility and environmental regulators.

More…

Excerpts from the governor's 2/11/19 address to the legislature:

The world is changing. We need to define Maine’s place in the new world.

We will work with the private sector and with groups like the Maine Development Foundation to identify our state’s many assets and build upon them to foster and attract:

• Sustainable farming, diversified fisheries and innovative forest products businesses
• Clean energy producers
• High tech…

Some of the more important articles in this issue are:

Bill Gates about the foolishness of renewables

New Huge Study: Wind Turbines Devalue nearby Homes

Short Anti-wind video by Ohio citizens

Study: The $2.5 trillion reason we can’t rely on batteries to clean up the grid

Evolution of Electricity Rates

Abstracts for upcoming 8th International Meeting on Wind Turbine Noise

PhD Letter re Turbine Health Impacts

German citizen anti-wind…

‘Bird nerd’ Judy Camuso achieves goal of leading Maine’s DIF&W

..................Then Maine Audubon called her with a job offer.

To say that Camuso was eager may be an understatement.

“When they called me to offer me the job they said, ‘When can you start?’ And I said, ‘Tomorrow,’” Camuso said. “They were like, ‘We’ve got to clean out your office. Can you give us…

This is a short video where a representative from EDPR (Energias de Portugal Renovaveis), Kellen Ingalls, is speaking to a softball pitching local Rhode Island reporter. This is likely part of an effort to convince the state of Rhode Island to select their project, Number Nine Wind "Farm" for Rhode Island's clean energy RFP.

Info on the RFP is here:

https://ricleanenergyrfp.com/

and…

Baker talks about "one failed experience" with onshore wind, conveniently ignoring all the harm that Maine and Mainers have experienced from numerous wind projects.

Charlie Baker defended wind power after a Republican congressman questioned him on Capitol Hill

Rep. Tom McClintock, a California Republican, said Baker had “waxed eloquently” about the Bay State’s offshore wind projects, but raised questions…

Cross Building, Room 211

A quick read of this announcement from the U.S. Department of Energy's ARPA-E agency may indicate a condemnation of current approaches to floating wind turbines and a decision to proceed by researching radically different design concepts.

Friday, February 1, 2019

Department of Energy Announces up to $28 Million for Offshore Wind Energy…