maine

The report states that Maine met the goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 1990 levels by 2010. Maine’s gross state product continued to increase while energy consumption and emissions declined.

The Roadmap serves as an instructional outline for permitting and licensing in the Gulf of Maine for developers. It is intended to help guide potential wind and ocean energy developers to the Gulf of Maine.

Maine’s policy recommendations include modifying the wind energy goals, improving the wind siting policy for the unorganized territories, clarifying long-term contracting authority, and ensuring that these projects benefit the residents of Maine in addressing their energy challenges.

This resolve extends the authority to issue bonds for the University of Maine's  offshore wind energy demonstration site previously authorized in June 2010. These funds are required to complete construction of the offshore wind energy demonstration site already under construction at the university.

http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0546&item=1&snum=127

Renewable Energy credits for offshore wind projects. This bill expands the definition of "tidal energy demonstration project" under the  aws governing general permits for tidal energy demonstration projects to cover so-called tidal range projects, which extract energy from the differential head across a marine  enclosure. The bill further directs the Public Utilities Commission to conduct an additional competitive solicitation of proposals for tidal energy demonstration projects  and increases the allowed capacity derived from tidal energy demonstration projects to 30  megawatts and total allowed capacity contracted for by the commission to 45 megawatts. The bill also allows utilities to enter into long term contracts for deepwater offshore wind.

http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0110&item=1&snum=127

Encourages energy development with the inclusion of offshore wind. The Legislature finds that it is in the public interest to improve the process for the siting and permitting of grid-scale wind energy development by ensuring against undue environmental economic impacts from wind energy developments both individually and cumulatively.

http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0904&item=1&snum=127