Maine PUC announces new voluntary green power program
On April 23, 2012, the Maine Public Utilities Commission and 3Degrees, a leading renewable energy provider, announce Maine Green Power, a new, statewide green power program. This voluntary program gives Mainers the opportunity to purchase locally produced renewable energy. Residents and businesses that participate in Maine Green Power will be able to ensure that the…
On April 23, 2012, the Maine Public Utilities Commission and 3Degrees, a leading renewable energy provider, announce Maine Green Power, a new, statewide green power program. This voluntary program gives Mainers the opportunity to purchase locally produced renewable energy.
Residents and businesses that participate in Maine Green Power will be able to ensure that the electricity they use at their home or business is matched by electricity generated by solar, hydro, wind, biomass or other renewable energy projects located in Maine. The Maine Green Power program will be available to customers of Central Maine Power (CMP), Bangor Hydro Electric Company (BHE) and Maine Public Service Company (MPS).
“Maine has abundant hydro, wind, biomass and other renewable energy resources,” said Commission Chairman Thomas Welch. “Maine Green Power will enable our state’s residents and businesses to encourage further local development of these resources by choosing to power their homes and businesses with renewable energy generated in Maine.”
Maine Green Power participants can choose the amount of renewable energy they want to purchase in the form of 500 kilowatt hour “blocks” – 500 kilowatt hours represents approximately the average amount of electricity used by a Maine household in a month.
The cost for each block will be $7.50 per month in addition to the cost of electricity supply, and residential customers will be able to purchase either 0.5, 1, 2, 3 or 4 blocks of renewable energy per month.
Commercial customers will be able to participate in Maine Green Power starting at the $7.50 per 500 kilowatt-hour block. Customers signing up for Maine Green Power will continue to receive their electricity as they have in the past, with no interruption in their service.
Customers interested in participating in Maine Green Power can currently learn more about the program and pre-enroll by visiting the Maine Public Utility Commission’s website at http://www.maine.gov/mpuc/greenpower/.
Only renewable energy generated in Maine will be used to supply Maine Green Power. Moreover, the program will seek to secure approximately 25 percent of its green power from new renewable energy projects that have been placed into service or refurbished on or after January 1, 2005.
The types of green power projects that are eligible to generate and supply renewable energy to the Maine Green Power program include:
• Solar photovoltaic systems
• Hydroelectric projects that meet state and local fish passage requirements
• Wind turbines
• Biomass facilities that use wood, wood waste, landfill gas or agricultural biogas
• Tidal power projects
• Geothermal projects
• Fuels cells that utilize landfill gas or agricultural biogas
All purchases through Maine Green Power are voluntary and represent the generation of green power above and beyond the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). As such, none of the renewable energy purchased by Maine Green Power program participants can be utilized by Maine’s electricity suppliers to fulfill their RPS requirements.
Source: Maine PUC press release
