By the Year 2040 Maine Wants to Be Fossil Fuel Free
AUGUSTA, Maine — The year 2040 is the target date for 100% clean energy in Maine.
A bill being considered by the Maine Legislature aims to reduce the state’s reliance on oil and gas by ensuring homes, businesses and vehicles are powered with renewable energy within 15 years.
The bill, sponsored by Democratic state Sen. Mark Lawrence, would expand Maine’s existing Renewable Portfolio Standard to 90% by 2040 and add a new category of clean resources that can compete for the remaining 10% of Maine’s energy supply.
According to a press release from Natural Resources Council of Maine, “A study conducted by the state’s energy office last year — Pathways to 2040 — shows that achieving 100% clean electricity by 2040 could lower average household energy costs by about $1,300 per year by replacing expensive fuels with more efficient clean energy technologies.”
“Reaching 100% clean energy by 2040 will power Maine forward, stabilizing energy costs, creating new jobs and reducing fossil fuel dependence by investing in homegrown clean energy,” said Jack Shapiro, Climate & Clean Energy director at the NRCM.
Investing in clean energy has already delivered clear benefits to Maine residents and businesses. Maine’s Renewable Portfolio Standard has already resulted in a billion dollars in investment, $21.5 million annually in ratepayer benefits, and more than 1,000 new clean energy jobs. More than 15,000 Maine residents already work in the clean energy industry, according to the NRCM.
“Responsible development of clean energy can protect Maine’s heritage fishing and farming industries while conserving natural resources and strengthening our economy,” said Shapiro. “100% clean electricity by 2040 is a practical pathway toward more jobs, more reliable energy and a safer future.”
According to the NRCM, the aim is for rooftop solar, wind and battery storage built by people from Maine to make up the majority of the state’s energy supply.
“The current administration’s hostility to American-made clean energy resources will likely slow progress in the short term, but the rapidly falling costs of clean energy are a global phenomenon, as more and more countries around the world pursue a cleaner, healthier, more efficient economy,” NRCM said.
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