Testimony in Support of LD 1895, An Act Regarding the Procurement of Energy from Offshore Wind Resources Senator Lawrence, Representative Zeigler, and members of the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, my name is Jack Shapiro, and I am the Climate and Clean Energy Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). Today, on behalf Read More
electric grid
May 1, 2023: NRCM Expert Panel—Shaping the Future of Maine’s Clean Energy Grid
NRCM hosted an online expert panel to debrief the Public Utilities Commission’s recent workshop on integrated grid planning. These workshops are part of an integrated planning process that gives us a chance to take a step back and reimagine how we build and operate the grid to achieve our climate and clean energy goals as Read More
LD 952, Resolve, to Create a 21st-Century Electric Grid
Testimony in Support of LD 952, Resolve, to Create a 21st-Century Electric Grid Senator Lawrence, Representative Zeigler, and members of the Joint Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology, my name is Rebecca Schultz. I am a Senior Advocate for Climate and Clean Energy at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). NRCM has been working Read More
LD 924, a Resolve to Provide Legislative Approval of Northern Maine Transmission Infrastructure
Testimony in Support of LD 924, a Resolve to Provide Legislative Approval of Northern Maine Transmission Infrastructure Senator Lawrence, Representative Zeigler, and members of the Joint Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology, my name is Jack Shapiro. I am the Climate and Clean Energy Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine. NRCM has been Read More
Support of LD 519, A Resolve, to Conduct a Vehicle-to-grid Pilot Project Using Electric School Buses
Senator Lawrence, Representative Zeigler, and members of the Joint Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology, my name is Rebecca Schultz. I am a Senior Advocate for Climate and Clean Energy at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). NRCM has been working for more than 60 years to protect, restore, and conserve Maine’s environment, on Read More
Integrated Grid Planning for Maine
In early February, Maine’s utility watchdog held the first in a series of public workshops, part of a new participatory approach to planning the future of Maine’s electric grid, called “integrated grid planning.” The stakes are high for Maine. If we do this poorly, utilities’ interests will continue to dominate, resulting in high costs to Read More
November 3, 2022: Zoom in with NRCM—The Future of Maine’s Electric Grid
Zoom in with NRCM: The future of Maine’s electric grid Thursday, November 3, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Maine is already building a clean energy future, with record amounts of heat pumps and solar energy being installed, and more electric vehicles than ever on our roads. Funding from the Inflation Reduction Act can help accelerate progress. In Read More
New Law Will Tie Electric Grid Planning to Maine’s Climate Goals
NRCM news release May 9, 2022 (Augusta, ME) – Electric utilities in Maine will for the first time be required to create a comprehensive plan for supporting the state’s ambitious climate and clean energy goals under a landmark bill signed into law earlier this month. Conservation groups that worked closely with lawmakers and the Mills Read More
Why Maine’s New Grid Planning Law is Good for Climate and Clean Energy
A new law passed in 2022, LD 1959, requires Maine’s utilities to undergo a transparent “integrated grid planning” process for developing a reliable electric grid that supports the transition to clean energy at the lowest possible cost. For the first time, these plans must be tied to Maine’s ambitious requirements to cut greenhouse gas emissions Read More
