Bill seeks to boost solar energy in Maine
A bill sponsored by state Sen. Eloise Vitelli, D-Arrowsic, would establish specific goals for installing solar energy in Maine and encourages the state to use existing programs and resources to promote investment in solar energy development, generation and manufacturing.
LD 1652, An Act to Support Solar Energy Development in Maine, seeks a 13-fold increase in the state’s solar power capacity in two years, from the 3 megawatts of solar power generated in 2012 to 40 megawatts by 2016. It calls for at least 200 megawatts of installed solar generation capacity by 2020 and at least 500 megawatts by 2030. By comparison, in 2012, New Hampshire had 6 megawatts, Vermont had 28 megawatts and Massachusetts had more than 200 megawatts of installed solar capacity.
The bill would direct several state agencies to do more within existing economic development programs — including the Small Enterprise Growth Program, Maine Technology Institute, Maine Rural Development Authority, Finance Authority of Maine and the Department of Economic and Community Development — to promote investment in solar energy development, generation and manufacturing. It also would direct the Public Utilities Commission to undertake a detailed analysis of the full value of rooftop solar generation to Maine ratepayers and homeowners.
Environmental advocates, energy experts and business owners testified before the Legislature’s Energy and Utilities Committee Tuesday in favor of the bill, which has been chosen as a priority bill by Maine’s Environmental Priorities Coalition, a partnership of 28 environmental, conservation and public health organizations, representing over 100,000 members
Maine Public Broadcasting Network reported that both Patrick Woodcock, director of the Governor's Energy Office, and Maine Public Advocate Tim Schneider, voiced opposition to the bill, with Woodcock expressing skepticism about the state setting goals specifically for solar power capacity. Woodcock said greater solar capacity is not the goal, but rather one strategy for meeting broader environmental and energy goals.
“We should let the market determine what is the best way to meet our climate, environmental and energy objectives," Woodcock told MPBN.
Dylan Voorhees, clean energy director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, disagreed.
“Solar has arrived,” he said in a written statement sent by email to Mainebiz. “Prices have fallen rapidly and homeowners, businesses and utilities are investing in solar at a rapid rate across the country. In the third quarter of 2013, 930 megawatts of solar power were installed in the United States, with an estimated total for 2013 of 5,000 megawatts of new solar power. That’s the equivalent of five nuclear power plants of new solar added last year. In May of last year, solar panels in Germany (mostly on rooftops) were generating as much power during warm daytime hours as 20 nuclear power plants operating at full capacity.”
The Energy Committee will hold a work session on the bill today.
Correction: A previous version of this story mischaracterized Patrick Woodcock's testimony.
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