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News
06.24.2009
Heating Oil Price Averages Rising
Click here to view press release: http://www.efficiencymaine.com/releases/oilpressrelease06-22-09.pdf
06.11.2009
Berwick Academy Student Crowned Efficiency Maine\'s Rap Champion
Click here to view press release: http://www.efficiencymaine.com/releases/BerwickAcademyRapChamp6-10-09.pdf
06.11.2009
Results for 2009 Maine Junior Solar Sprint Finals
Click here to view press release: http://www.efficiencymaine.com/releases/Results2009JSS.pdf
06.10.2009
Results for 2009 Maine Junior Solar Spring Finals
Click here to view the press release: http://www.efficiencymaine.com/releases/Results2009JSS.pdf
05.29.2009
US EPA: Climate Showcase Communities Grant Program
Climate Showcase Communities Grant Program
US EPA will be issuing a solicitation for a $10 million nationwide grant program for communities this summer with grant selection this fall. The grant program will award 20-30 grants of $100,000.00 -$500,000.00, and will require a 50% match (that can be in-kind). Local governments, regional communities and tribes will be eligible to apply for funding for projects including mitigation, outreach and education, and implementation of energy efficient technology. More information will be distributed as the grant program is finalized. To receive the solicitation when it is issued, sign up for EPA’s Clean Energy Program State & Local Government Listserv at http://epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-programs/state-and-local/listserv.html
05.29.2009
Federal Stimulus
Click here for more information: http://www.maine.gov/mpuc/recovery/
05.29.2009
Efficiency Maine and Maine Air National Guard Team Up to Save Money and Electricity
Click here to view press release: http://www.efficiencymaine.com/releases/PRMEAirGuardEfficiencyMaineTeamup.pdf
01.08.2009
Efficiency Maine Campaign Will Solve the Whodunit Mystery - Helping Mainers Detect the "Energy Theives" in Their Homes
One of the most requested and popular whodunits at public libraries around Maine this winter is likely to be Kill A Watt®.
No, it\'s not the latest mystery novel on the best sellers list but rather an electricity usage monitor and educational tool kit available for free checkout from the library. The monitors will help Mainers detect the \"energy thieves\" in their homes, and the tool kit will help them put the lid on power consumption by appliances and electronics in their homes and businesses.
The Kill A Watt® and tool kit will be on loan in most Maine public libraries starting Monday January 12 as part of a state-wide community outreach campaign by Efficiency Maine, a program of the Maine Public Utilities Commission.
Mainers will be able to check out the Kill A Watt® monitors, just as they would check out a book, from their local library at no charge. These monitors simply plug into electrical outlets and then allow a consumer to plug in any appliance to get readout on how much electricity the appliance uses and then calculate how much money it\'s costing.
The educational tool kits will include a home energy savings tips brochure and energy tips bookmark which patrons will be able to keep.
\"The campaign aims to raise Mainers awareness about just how much electricity each of their home appliances uses, whether it’s as small as a cell phone charger or as big as a refrigerator,\" said Sharon M. Reishus, who chairs the Maine Public Utilities Commission. \"The results can be surprising, and we hope Mainers will make use of Efficiency Maine’s tips and other resources to help them save money on their electric bills.\"
The monitor is not only a very practical device to discover just how much energy appliances and electronics are using but it is also fun to use – and can make a good math and detective mystery for kids to solve. The average Maine residential customer consumes 6,817 kilowatt hours a year and the Kill A Watt® will certainly solve the mystery of which appliances and electrical devices use the most power or drive up electricity bills, and which ones contribute the most to pollution and climate change.
Chairman Reishus noted that in 2008, Efficiency Maine helped the State save 107,517 MWh of electricity, a 24% increase in savings from 2007, worth an estimated $122.5 million in lifetime economic benefits to the state. Cumulatively since 2004, Efficiency Maine has provided incentives, technical assistance, and other services that will avert the consumption of over three million megawatt hours of electricity—enough to power 46,371 Maine homes for a decade. This will save Maine business and residential consumers more than $310 million in energy costs.
Maine Library Association President Molly Larson said the Association was pleased and proud to participate in the Kill A Watt® campaign by \"acting as a conduit (pardon the pun) in getting this valuable information out to the public\".
\"Libraries have long been a place for lifelong learning and valuable resources for information. But more than that they have become centers in their communities. In these challenging times, people rely on their local libraries as a way to save money by having free access to programs and information. It makes sense that the Kill A Watt® monitors be made available at their local libraries for check out,\" she said.
11.13.2008
Governor to Help Install Keep ME Warm Kit
AUGUSTA – Governor John E. Baldacci will join volunteers who are installing Keep ME Warm weatherization materials at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7, in a Waterville home.
Kits were distributed late last month to teams of volunteers who are installing the various winterization materials in homes across the state. There will be 2,000 kits in total installed in Maine homes this season.
The 10-member team the Governor is joining is made up of members of the Natural Resources Council of Maine.
The weatherization will be at the residence of Jane Allen, 46 Drummond Avenue in Waterville.
Keep ME Warm is one of the many programs the Baldacci Administration has in place to help Mainers prepare for the upcoming winter season. It is part of this short-term energy plan. For more information on these efforts, please visit http://www.maine.gov/governor/baldacci/policy/energy.shtml
11.13.2008
MPUC APPOINTS NEW MEMBER TO ENERGY CONSERVATION BOARD
AUGUSTA, Maine – The Maine Public Utilities Commission announced today the appointment of Michelle Atherton to the Energy Conservation Board, which advises the Commission and the Energy and Carbon Savings Trust on strategies for reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
Four of the seven voting members of the board are citizens representing diverse interests. Ms. Atherton, who is co-owner of New Form Building Systems of Bucksport, replaces outgoing board member Julia Brady, who represented small businesses on the board.
“Ms. Atherton’s professional experience will ensure that the interests of Maine’s small businesses will be well represented on this important board,” said Sharon M. Reishus, Chairman of the MPUC. “The Board’s work has already proven vital to the state’s efforts to rein in energy use and associated pollution.”
Michelle Atherton holds a civil engineering degree from the University of Massachusetts and a Masters of Science in Technology Education from Central Connecticut State University. A resident of Orrington, she co-founded New Form Building Systems in 2004.
The Maine Energy Conservation Board was created to assist the MPUC and the Trustees of the Energy and Carbon Savings Trust in the development, coordination and integration of planning for the State’s energy conservation efforts and to provide advice and counsel to the Commission and the Trust on energy conservation and carbon dioxide reduction matters.
Under Maine’s Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, The Energy Conservation Board will review and provide advice on energy efficiency programs and an overarching Triennial Plan to prioritize programming between energy efficiency funds administered by the MPUC and by the Energy and Carbon Savings Trust. The Trust is charged with the deployment of funds created by the sale of carbon credits under RGGI – with the monies used to benefit Maine electricity consumers through efficiency programs or bill reductions.
The four citizen members of the Energy Conservation Board include representatives of industrial, commercial and residential customers, environmental interests, and small business interests. In sum, the voting members under the law are:
A. A member representing commercial electrical consumers, appointed by the Commission;
B. A member representing industrial electrical consumers, appointed by the Commission;
C. A representative of the Office of the Public Advocate who represents the interest of residential electrical consumers;
D. A member with significant knowledge of environmental issues and climate change policy appointed by the Commission;
E. A member representing small businesses in the State, appointed by the Commission;
F. The Commissioner of Environmental Protection or the commissioner\'s designee; and
G. The director of the Governor\'s Office of Energy Independence and Security within the Executive Department or the director\'s designee.
The Chair of the Commission and one Trustee of the Energy and Carbon Savings Trust, appointed by the Trustees, serve as nonvoting members.
For more information, call Fred Bever at 287-6141.
Maine Public Utilities Commission
242 State Street
Augusta, Maine 04333-0018
Website: http://www.maine.gov/mpuc/, Email: maine.puc@maine.gov
CONTACT: Fred Bever, 207-287-6141, Fred.Bever@maine.gov
10.21.2008
Governor Switches on New Era in LED Lights
Click here to view press release: http://www.efficiencymaine.com/releases/Pinelandrelease1.pdf
10.15.2008
What goes around: Celebration held for new municipal wind turbine in Kittery
By JOSH ROSENSON
jrosenson@fosters.com
Article Date: Wednesday, October 15, 2008
KITTERY, Maine — Maine Public Utilities Commissioner Vendean Vafiades, armed with giant scissors, performed the ceremonial snip of the ribbon Tuesday morning to celebrate the town\'s municipal wind turbine.
\"Energy, environment, education and example. That is what Kittery is doing here today,\" Vafiades said at the town\'s solid waste facility.
Vafiades said the 50,000-kilowatt wind turbine is projected to generate 90,000 kilowatts of energy per year, which she said translates into 15 percent of the energy used at the solid waste facility and nearby Shapleigh Middle School. The wind turbine is estimated to save the community $11,000 to $12,000 per year.
Studies show the most wind is in the winter, also the time when the most electricity is used, Vafiades said.
She said the turbine will also prevent the emission of about 51 tons of carbon dioxide each year.
The turbine will serve educational purposes as well, with science and math lessons planned for children. Vafiades called it an \"interesting project for kids.\"
Kittery, Vafiades said, is setting an example and showing other communities what can be done. She quoted Albert Einstein in saying, \"Example isn\'t another way to teach, it is the only way to teach.\"
Town Manager Jon Carter opened the celebration by commending the work of the town.
\"We are excited. Through the Kittery Energy Advisory Committee and leadership at the Town Council, this has become a reality for us,\" he said. The turbine became operational on Oct. 3.
Town Council Chairman Jeffrey Thomson talked about the process of obtaining the turbine before introducing Vafiades.
He said residents brought the interest of alternative energy usage to Carter, and the KEAC was developed, now with more than 30 people exploring alternative energy ideas.
Thomson said Kittery is moving toward a sustainable future despite the tough economy and tight budgets. He also said the wind turbine is not the first environmental move the town has pioneered.
In 1977, volunteers erected a building at the solid waste facility for recycling and to reduce the amount of waste.
\"It became really a prototype in the state of Maine in recycling,\" he said.
Kittery received a $50,000 grant for the wind turbine from the Maine Renewable Resources fund, which Carter said the PUC had approved for the project last fall, and the Town Council voted unanimously in January to fund the remainder — another $100,000.
Glenn Shwaery, a Town Council member and a member of the KEAC, was chair of the council when the project began getting serious consideration.
\"It has been in the works for at least a year,\" he said. \"I have been up here three times and it (the turbine) has been really roaring. It\'s great to see it generating free electricity.\"
Shwaery said the 90,000 kilowatts of energy the turbine is estimated to produce should be more than enough to cover the use of electricity at the solid waste facility, and the excess electricity it creates will go as a credit toward the middle school, located less than half a mile away.
The turbine is designed to work efficiently and safely, Shwaery said.
\"It moves with the wind direction. It constantly turns to catch the greatest wind velocities,\" he said. Shwaery explained that for efficiency purposes, the turbine will not operate if winds are below 8 miles per hour, and for safety purposes, the turbine disengages if winds reach 50 mph.
He also credited the \"group of energized citizens\" for researching the project, saving the town money and moving toward green technologies. The town will also be able to make money off the turbine, Carter said, as the town will sell its renewable energy credits through the Generation Information System national registry.
\"That will generate a couple thousand dollars,\" Shwaery said, adding sales should help reduce the payback period.
Entegrity Wind Systems Inc. is the company that manufactured and sold the turbine to the town, Carter said, and the company will maintain the turbine for the first five years.
Carter said the turbine is expected to last 30 years, with the payback period falling sometime between 10 and 15 years.
Also see: http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20081015-NEWS-810150354
10.09.2008
Governor Baldacci Presents Energy Leadership Award to Hancock Lumber
Click here to view the press release: http://www.efficiencymaine.com/releases/PhilHastingsAward10-8-08.pdf
10.08.2008
Phantom loads can add to electric bills
Click here to view article: http://www.efficiencymaine.com/Temp/Phantomload10-7-08.pdf
10.06.2008
Keep ME Warm Brochures Available to Connect Mainers to Energy Tips and Assistance
AUGUSTA - Governor John E. Baldacci announced the fifth year of Keep ME Warm, an outreach initiative to help Maine citizens prepare for the cold winter months. The Governor’s Office began distributing Keep ME Warm brochures to partner organizations this week.
“The State of Maine has been working for months to ensure that residents are able to stay safe in their homes this winter,” said Governor Baldacci. “This is another way to get information out to all Mainers about important steps they can take to conserve energy, to obtain energy assistance and to help each other in these difficult times.”
Last month, Governor Baldacci announced his short-term energy plan to help all Mainers meet the challenges of the upcoming winter. To aid in keeping people safe and secure in their homes, the Governor put forward a $12.585 million plan including new investments in weatherization, alternative modes of transportation, voluntary alternative work schedules for State employees, business development, training and education.
A compilation of resources and information on keeping warm this winter is on the State of Maine Web site. The Keep ME Warm brochures specifically point to energy saving tips, the expanded 2-1-1 system as a single point of contact for energy assistance calls, and ways Mainers can help each other, including donating to the Keep ME Warm Fund and volunteering with a local response team.
The Governor’s Office of Energy Independence and Security, in conjunction with the Maine Public Utilities Commission, MaineHousing, Maine Community Action Association, Maine State Planning Office, 2-1-1 Maine, United Ways of Maine and the Maine Commission for Community Service have joined in this effort to help Maine citizens. Brochures can be obtained at local Community Action agencies, town offices, certain charitable organizations, Maine CareerCenters and state general assistance offices. Brochures can also be downloaded from the Governor’s Web page or by calling the Governor’s Office at 287-3531.
The Governor said that as the season changes, all Mainers can explore ways they can address potentially high heating costs this year. The Governor is hosting a statewide energy savings tips seminar at 6:30 p.m. at each community college campus on Wednesday, Oct. 1. The program is free and open to the public, offering low-cost, do-it-yourself tips to weatherize buildings.
For more information on the Oct. 1 event, please call 629-4000 or visit http://winter.mccs.me.edu
Mainers can also obtain information from the Governor’s Web site at http://www.maine.gov/governor/baldacci/policy/energy.shtml
The Governor also welcomed news that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR campaign is expanding its efforts to inform Americans about steps they can take to save energy and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions. More information on the federal initiative can be found at
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=globalwarming.showPledgeHome
10.06.2008
Grant grows a green grocery
By Abigail Curtis of the News staff
HERMON, Maine — Maine’s governor, whose family runs the Italian restaurant formerly known as Momma Baldacci’s, posed at a press conference Tuesday in front of a freezer stacked with boxes of Tony’s frozen pizza.
Momma might not have vouched for the Italian authenticity, but in this case the Danforth Down Home Supermarket freezer — high-efficiency and partially funded by the Maine Public Utilities Commission program Efficiency Maine — was more important than what was inside it.
“As a state, we spend more than $5 billion on energy annually, and most of these dollars fly straight out of Maine to pay for imported fuels and power,” Gov. John Baldacci said. “I want us to do everything that we possibly can to keep energy dollars in our own pockets.”
The freezer is part of that strategy. It’s one element of the new, high-efficiency equipment at the supermarket that will cut the store’s energy bills by an expected $42,000 a year.
That’s cause for celebration for the governor, storeowners Dick and Marley Danforth and other officials who took a tour of the inner workings of the market.
“It’s easy to get frustrated with high energy prices,” Dick Danforth said. “I just think it made sense long term to try and reduce our costs.”
The Danforths built their clean, brightly lit store — which opened for business last December — with power conservation in mind. They invested about $800,000 in top-of-the-line equipment, funds they hope to recoup in seven or eight years.
“Doing an energy-efficient project isn’t like flipping a switch,” Danforth said. “But at the end of the day, it was certainly worth it.”
Efficiency Maine gave the couple a $38,000 grant to invest in the new equipment.
Efficiency Maine is a state-wide effort that attempts to promote prudent use of electricity, help Maine residents and businesses reduce energy costs, and improve Maine\'s environment.
It is funded by electricity consumers and managed by the PUC.
Officials want to get the word out about what a difference this kind of product can make to small businesses.
To that end, Efficiency Maine and other groups are holding workshops this month to help businesses reduce energy costs.
“Energy efficiency isn’t as visible as a towering wind turbine or as jazzy as solar panels, but it’s of tremendous importance,” said Brownie Carson, director of the Natural Resources Council of Maine, one of the sponsoring groups.
A workshop called “Surviving the Energy Crisis: How to Save Money” will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28, in Bangor. For more information, see the Web site www.nrcm.org/energy_workshops.asp.
09.25.2008
Governor Calls on State\'s School Children for Energy Tips
Click here to view press release: http://www.efficiencymaine.com/releases/PREnergyTipsContest08.pdf
09.08.2008
VRRF: Request for Grant Proposal
REQUEST FOR GRANT PROPOSALS FOR DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS UNDER THE VOLUNTARY RENEWABLE RESOURCES FUND
RFP Issued by:
Maine Public Utilities Commission
Energy Programs Division
Maine-based nonprofit organizations that qualify under the federal Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (c)(3), consumer-owned electric cooperatives, quasi-municipal corporations and districts, community based nonprofit organizations and community action programs may apply for grants for demonstration community projects of up to $50,000 each and using renewable energy technologies meeting the definition of “Renewable Resource” as provided by Title 35-A §3210.2.C (1) and (2).
For a copy of the detailed RFP, contact: Jennifer Paul, Administrative Assistant, Maine Public Utilities Commission, 18 State House Station, 242 State Street, Augusta, ME 04333-0018, or by email at: Jennifer.Paul@maine.gov.
Six (6) sealed copies of the proposal, along with one electronic copy, must be clearly marked “PUC RFP RFP200808288 Voluntary Renewable Resources Fund Grant” and delivered to: Division of Purchases, Burton M. Cross State Office Building, 111 Sewall St., 4th Floor, 9 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0009 no later than 2:00 p.m. local time on November 10, 2008. Please note that only proposals actually at the 4th Floor of the Burton M. Cross State Office Building prior to the stated time will be considered. Applicants submitting proposals by mail are responsible for allowing adequate time for delivery. Proposals received after the 2:00 p.m. deadline, or sent to an address other than that stipulated, will be rejected, without exception.
01.31.2008
Energy Related Legislation
Click here to view the Legislative Documents (LDs) concerning energy: http://www.efficiencymaine.com/energy_related_legislation.htm
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