September 10, 2024
Augusta, MAINE – The Maine Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) released the following statement today on the Maine Public Utilities Commission’s issuance of a Request for Proposals for new renewable energy projects:
“This Request for Proposals ensures that new renewable energy projects developed in Maine under this competitive solicitation will reduce electricity costs for ratepayers, grow Maine’s clean energy economy, while reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and helping us meet our clean energy goals,” said GEO Director Dan Burgess. “In addition, this RFP will generate opportunities for some farms impacted by PFAS contamination to maintain their properties with the help of supplemental income from new renewable energy projects."
The RFP calls for new renewable energy projects that would produce approximately 13 percent of the state’s annual electricity usage. It is the result of bipartisan legislation proposed by Senator Stacy Brenner and signed into law by Governor Mills in 2023. The legislation requires that projects procured through this RFP result in reduced electricity costs for Maine customers, with a preference for projects located on farmland contaminated with PFAS as well as for projects that avoid locating on active farmland or forested land.
“I am grateful for the unanimous support this legislation received, which will provide another option for Maine farmers impacted by PFAS contamination to preserve their land and their livelihoods in addition to other programs offered by the state,” said Senator Stacy Brenner.
In 2019, Governor Mills signed legislation that increased Maine’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), or the portion of electricity sold in Maine supplied by renewable sources, to 80 percent by 2030. A recent report on Maine’s RPS finds that in order to meet that requirement, Maine will need to bring significantly more renewable energy projects online in the coming years.
The report also noted that Maine’s RPS has saved ratepayers more than $21 million annually in electricity costs since 2011; driven more than $100 million in direct investment and approximately $900 million in operations and maintenance spending; and supported over 1,000 jobs in Maine’s clean energy industry.
In 2023, Governor Mills announced a new goal to reach 100 percent clean electricity by 2040. The new RFP comes as the Governor’s Energy Office works to develop a comprehensive energy plan that will outline a pathway to achieving that goal. Visit the GEO website for more on the 2040 planning process.
# # #