I’m a Maine photo voltaic developer and I’m voting ‘No’ on Pine Tree Energy
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Chris Byers is the proprietor of Department Renewable Power in North Yarmouth.
I consider Query 3, which might try to forcibly takeover Maine’s two largest utility corporations, is a dangerous thought that would restrict our state’s skill to deploy renewable power tasks, create new clear power jobs, and cut back prices and greenhouse gasoline emissions.
I battle with such an aggressive proposal that has no step-by-step plan on how Pine Tree Energy will do a greater job interconnecting renewable power tasks. This uncertainty will disrupt funding in new clear power in Maine, forcing this mandatory and rising trade to hit the pause button whereas politicians and legal professionals battle for years about Maine’s power future.
I’ve labored at each stage of photo voltaic growth — as a area installer, advertising supervisor, venture supervisor and now because the proprietor of Department Renewable Power in North Yarmouth.
Working collaboratively with others, I’ve helped to develop greater than 500 megawatts of photo voltaic tasks within the Northeast, and led tasks across the nation and in Kenya and Haiti.
I perceive that some Mainers are indignant and annoyed with CMP and Versant, and as a photo voltaic developer I perceive higher than most that at occasions the businesses may be tough to work with. On the identical time, there was plenty of enchancment of their capabilities not solely from a staffing perspective, but in addition a course of one, the place they’re able to acquire expertise similar to the remainder of us in our personal daily jobs.
Simplistic speaking and guarantees of a greater system received’t make our electrical grid any higher. In truth, there’s a really actual threat that issues will worsen, with greater electrical energy charges, billions of {dollars} of debt and politicians in charge of the very important infrastructure that’s essential to maintain the lights on and our economic system operating.
I’ve learn the laws behind Query 3 and Pine Tree Energy, and I agree with Gov. Janet Mills that it’s the unsuitable answer to a collection of complicated challenges.
Maine has set an aggressive and admirable purpose of being carbon impartial by 2045.
We’re making progress. Already, our state produces 72 % of its complete electrical energy from renewable sources.
Since 2019, Mainers have put in greater than 82,000 new warmth pumps and practically 10,000 houses have been weatherized. It’s progress that ought to make different states envious.
With Query 3, nonetheless, we’re placing this progress in danger.
I stay in Maine and my firm is predicated right here. My status is constructed on working with Maine communities to design and construct photo voltaic tasks that create jobs, defend our surroundings and profit Maine folks. It’s my ardour, however after I look forward to the chaos and confusion that Query 3 would create, I see that my dwelling state is contemplating making it not possible for me to do enterprise right here.
We don’t must guess about what might occur right here.
Nebraska is the one state within the U.S. that has a grid construction just like the one Pine Tree Energy would create. Managed by politicians, Nebraska ranks thirty fifth general all for power effectivity, and forty ninth for grid modernization. Maine is fifth and twenty sixth respectively. Sure. Charges are decrease in Nebraska. Why? As a result of they burn plenty of coal, which is comparatively low cost. And soiled.
There’s a higher answer to assembly our local weather targets and bettering Maine’s electrical energy grid than burning your entire system to the bottom and hoping that no matter comes subsequent is healthier.
Seizing non-public property, racking up huge quantities of debt, years of pricey lawsuits are a recipe for uncertainty and can drive very important clear power funding away from out state, making our local weather targets much less attainable and undermining our economic system.
That’s why I’m voting No on Query 3. It’s too dangerous, too pricey and doesn’t have a plan to ship on the guarantees made by its supporters.
