Investors in clean energy are looking to Maine's gubernatorial election to see if the political opposition to wind power will shift in the state, which is currently leading in Northeast wind generation.

General Maine

Major players in the industry are holding off on $3 billion to $5 billion in spending on land-based projects, waiting to see if Mainers elect a candidate who will be more open to wind power than Gov. Paul LePage.

Energy Policy Maine

Industry leaders and others gather in South Portland for a 2-day conference to explore the future of the power sector in the Northeast.

General Maine

The governor will release the names of the members of the wind commission when their first meeting is scheduled, which will likely be later summer or early September, after the public comments have been received,” McGrath replied via email.

General Maine

Maine Aqua Ventus vows to work with the Public Utilities Commission to get its pilot wind farm moving forward.

Offshore Wind Maine

General Maine

In other instances, the region’s growing fleet of wind and solar energy generators might have been able to help. But data gathered by ISO-NE found that snow and clouds during the period limited solar output to a small fraction of its potential. Generation from wind farms, too, was variable in the fast-changing weather conditions. At times, wind farms also were unable to feed power to the grid because of transmission-line congestion.

Energy Policy Maine

In mid-May, crews will be removing the nacelle of the turbine, which was heavily damaged in an April 1 fire. ...A Vestas engineer concluded that the turbine experienced “an arc flash,” a type of electrical explosion, that led to the electrical fire.

Safety Structural Failure Maine

According to the engineer’s findings, the turbine experienced an arc flash that caused an electrical fire. Officials with Vestas have declared the nacelle a total loss, though the tower and foundation are reusable, and will be providing the University with the costs for options ranging from decommissioning of the turbine to replacement of the unit. 

Structural Failure Maine

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) - The site is secure around the wind turbine that caught fire last Sunday night on the University of Maine Presque Isle campus.

Safety Structural Failure Maine

The turbine was located less than 300 feet from the school's soccer fields.

Safety Structural Failure Maine

According to UMPI President Ray Rice, the generator of the wind turbine caught fire around 10:45 last night. Rice said that produced an electrical surge which caused a good portion of the University to lose power.

Safety Structural Failure Maine

“It appears that the turbine generator caught on fire and the overload from it subsequently tripped the campus breakers,” Rice said in a statement. “This caused most of campus to lose power."

Safety Structural Failure Maine

A decadelong effort to establish an offshore wind energy industry in Maine is at a turning point, its future hinging on whether state utility regulators vote to reopen a power contract to test a patented technology for deep-water floating wind farms.

Offshore Wind Maine

FERC approved ISO-NE’s two-stage capacity auction to accommodate state renewable energy procurements, with Commissioner Robert Powelson dissenting and Commissioners Cheryl LaFleur and Richard Glick leveling new criticism on the minimum offer price rule (MOPR) (ER18-619).

Energy Policy Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire Rhode Island Vermont

LD 1810 would shrink the area where wind developments are eligible for Maine’s abbreviated permitting process and ramp up requirements for projects that would still qualify. Following a series of procedural motions and votes Thursday in the House of Representatives, the bill is in danger of dying because of a disagreement with the Senate over which legislative committee should handle the bill.

Energy Policy Maine

New England’s power grid is in good shape now and home solar and energy efficiency efforts mean the region’s annual demand for electricity is projected to decline, according to the grid’s operators. But there are also problems ahead.

Energy Policy Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire Rhode Island Vermont

LePage’s spokeswoman said her office cannot comment on pending litigation. But in announcing the executive order last month, the governor said steps were necessary to protect Maine’s scenic beauty from “out-of-state interests … eager to exploit our western mountains in order to serve their political agendas.”

Tourism Legal Maine

The lawsuit from the Conservation Law Foundation, which was filed in Cumberland County Superior Court in Portland, asks the court to strike down the order as unconstitutional, saying it violated provisions granting separate powers to Maine’s executive and legislative branches.

General Maine

Gov. Paul LePage wants to eliminate Maine’s fast-tracked permitting process for commercial wind power projects throughout the state except specific locations within Aroostook County.

Energy Policy Zoning/Planning Maine