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Janet Mills on Energy & Oil |
To bring down the cost of electricity for Maine people we have to loosen the stranglehold fossil fuel has on our state. In 2019, I signed into law a bipartisan bill requiring our state to achieve 80% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2030. Today, 48% of our electricity comes from renewable sources. The time has come to be bolder: I am announcing tonight that I am directing my Energy Office to draft legislation requiring that 100% of our electricity come from clean energy by 2040.
I have set a goal of doubling Maine's clean energy jobs in the next ten years, and in the coming weeks my Administration will stand up a key recommendation of the State's 10 year economic plan: the Maine Career Exploration Program. Backed by funding secured through the New England Clean Energy Connect project, we are launching a program in Franklin and Somerset Counties to provide scholarships and paid internships for local students with local employers.
Summary by XX in support, 20XXLD 1494 increases Maine's RPS to achieve 80% renewable energy by 2030, up from 40% today and a goal of 100% by 2050. In addition, the bill requires the Public Utilities Commission to procure long-term contracts for new clean energy generation, which may be paired with advanced energy storage. LD 1494 also requires the creation of a new thermal portfolio standard to incentivize efficient heating and cooling installations, contains several cost containment mechanisms including a $50 cap on alternative compliance payments, and requires renewable energy policy studies to be conducted in conjunction with other planning efforts. This bill gives Maine one of most ambitious RPS programs in the country.
Legislative Outcome:Passed Senate 34-0-1 on Jun/18/19; passed House 93-48-10 on Jun/18/19; signed by Governor Janet Mills on Jun/26/19.