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Clean Electricity Options for MainersBy Jennifer McLean Until recently I didn't give much thought to where my household electricity came from. According to Competitive Energy Services (CES), one of several companies that brokers electric power in Maine, about 68% of your CMP or Bangor Hydro electricity comes from non-renewable sources outside Maine, and nuclear is the largest of these, followed by natural gas, oil, and coal. The renewable sources (the remaining 32% of your bill) include hydro, biomass, municipal trash, and fossil fuel co-generation. Wind and solar are not used. I assumed that if you wanted to have clean electricity in your house you needed to install costly solar panels or do other "off the grid" things. There is another option for customers concerned about energy sources. CES has a program called Maine Renewable Energy. The way the electricity is transmitted to your house is exactly the same but CES buys the electricity you use from a small hydroelectric plant on the Androscoggin River. The Lisbon Falls plant is certified as "Low Impact Hydro" so, not only is the electricity 100% clean, it has a minimal impact on the natural environment. The Maine Renewable Energy program began buying electricity from the plant in 2003 and selling it to the public as Maine Clean Power. Customers can opt for Maine Clean Power Plus, which is 80% local hydro and 20% wind power (currently from out of state). The Maine Renewable Energy program has some downsides: you will pay more each month than you do on your current bill. The current rate with Maine Renewable Energy is 12 cents per KiloWatt hour (KWhr). Second, you will have to sign a three-year agreement, which can only be broken if you move. On the plus side: you don't need to make any changes to your system, it's a much more affordable option for clean electricity than installing solar, and you can count on saving 700-800 lbs of carbon for every MegaWatthour (MWhr) your household uses. That makes a dent in air pollution and greenhouse gases. According to Richard Silkman, managing partner at CES, they have plenty of clean electricity supply but hoped to have more demand by this year. If conventional electricity costs continue to rise the program may be more attractive to homeowners. About 2,000 households in Maine have switched to Maine Renewable Energy. That's about 14 million kWhr/yr of clean electricity. To find out more about Maine Renewable Energy visit the Maine Renewable Energy website or call CES at Home-generated solar is another option currently available to Mainers. It's been a little over a year since Governor Baldacci's Solar Initiative was signed into law. Maine's Solar Energy Rebate Program gives partial rebates to homeowners who install solar systems that provide electricity or heat water. How has the Solar Initiative done so far? I spoke with Richard Fortier, the Program Manager for the Maine State Energy Program. He explained that more than one-third of the funds for the 3-year program have been spoken for. All of the money set aside for rebates on solar photovoltaic systems has been spent. This means that rebates are only available for solar-thermal water and solar-thermal air systems. Unlike the photovoltaic or "pv" systems these devices do not generate electricity. Instead, the sun heats water or air directly. The solar-heated water can be used to partially heat a house or to provide hot water. About $300,000 remains to provide rebates for solar-thermal installation. These types of systems qualify for a rebate of 25% of the cost or $1,250, whichever is less. The system must be installed by a plumber who is certified by the program. Even though Maine's rebate program funds have been all spent for the photovoltaic systems, those homeowners who can afford it may want to look into the long-term cost savings. A small solar photovoltaic, providing 5 kW for 6 hrs/day gives 30 kWhr/day. Homeowners interested in installing photovoltaic or any other solar device may be eligible for federal tax incentives. It's important to do your homework before investing in these systems. Mr. Fortier recommends assessing your whole house for energy efficiency and making the simple changes first (like better insulation) before investing in solar. The Maine State Energy Program can help. Call Jennifer McLean works for the Kennebec County Soil & Water Conservation District in Augusta. She can be reached at | ||