AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage is urging residents not to sign a referendum petition aimed at requiring at least 20 percent of Maine’s electricity come from new renewable energy sources by 2020.
In his weekly radio address Saturday, LePage says the Maine Citizens for Clean Energy Coalition is collecting signatures for a November ballot initiative that would increase energy costs while “padding the pockets” of special interests.
The question ask voters if they want to require that at least 20 percent of Maine’s electricity come from new renewable energy sources by 2020. LePage says Mainers should have choices but shouldn’t be forced to buy certain types of alternative energy, especially if it’s more expensive.
LePage says Mainers currently pay 42 percent above the national average for electricity.
Oh the irony. Your special interest bad, my special interest good.
No, they all stink, including yours.
You’re right. Every one has a “special” interest.
But what if my special interest is the interest(s) of my class?
Ohhhh….the truth.
Yes, renewable energy threatens the special interests that pad the pockets of the GOP/Tea Party and the Maine Heritage Policy Center.
Kind of a dumb statement. Are you so naive as to believe your own words? Do you really believe only the conservatives would gain by another government demand on the economy? The dems are the ones pushing all this craziness, guess who would benefit?
Conservatives, LePage and the Tea Party/GOP want to send our jobs and money to Canada (or the Middle East) to import energy that we could produce here in Maine.
Now that is craziness.
yessah
Hello? Are you somehow trying to equate oil imports and electricity?
Maine produces a tiny amount of electricity with fossil fuels. Your entire argument about producing energy here in Maine vs. Canada or the Middle East is flawed.
The question is whether we mandate production of new, costly, subsidized energy facilities when we don’t need to, and whether we will force ratepayers to pay more because of it.
This has nothing to do with oil or the middle east, at least unless you think we can power automobiles and log trucks with windpower or think there is some untapped source of oil or natural gas here in Maine, in which case, you’d probably want to refuse to let it be extracted anyway.
Maine produces 45% of its electricity from natural gas – which is imported from “somewhere”.
http://www.eia.gov/cneaf/electricity/st_profiles/maine.html
Republicans want to import gas from other US states and Canada or LNG from the Middle East to run these plants.
Natural gas prices are correlated with the price of oil (which will never be “cheap” again) and subject to the whims of speculators (that republicans will defend to their last breath).
We can produce affordable electricity here in Maine from wind, biomass, tidal and solar.
and we will – cuz the the GOP fools no one…
yessah
Natural gas prices don’t always correlate with crude prices for a number of reasons including differing sources of supply. As I recall, the cost per BTU of gas is consistently less than that of gasoline, distillates, etc.
The cost of natural gas will vary with supply and demand. Speculators and pipeline problems could jack up prices with very short or no notice.
The cost of wind and sunlight, however, is fixed and highly predictable.
yessah
Actually, I don’t think the horrible folks you refer to care where it comes from as long as it is less expensive. What can you produce in Maine at a lower cost today? Already, nearly 50% of the energy produced is exported, why are we adding more windmills, etc.
I say, when the lights start going out in Portland and Boston, consider adding to the productive capacity here. If you want jobs, perhaps you ought to migrate somewhere and find one.
Yes – it is terrible that Maine is an energy exporting state – like Texas, LA and OK.
LePage – who hates wind power – wants to import wind generated electricity from HydroQuebec.
HydroQuebec is building, operating or planning 3142 MW of wind power capacity in Gaspe and elsewhere – for export to the US…
http://www.hydroquebec.com/distribution/en/marchequebecois/parc_eoliens.html
If wind power is sooooo expensive – why is HydroQuebec investing billions in it?
There is no guarantee that HydroQuebec will sell us “cheap” electricity – they will sell it at market price – and it will not be “cheap”.
Maine has on- and off-shore wind potential, tidal power potential, biomass, some limited hydro potential and PV works well everywhere in Maine.
Whilst LePage and conservatives want to import energy from Canada (a pig in a poke), liberals want to keep those jobs and money here in Maine.
And thanks in part to the Mars Hill wind farm and wind farms in the southern part of the state, Maine’s electricity costs are going DOWN not up.
reality
yessah
“If wind is sooooo expensive – why is HydroQuebec investing billions in it?”
Don’t you mean why is the Provence of Quebec “investing billions in it?”
Hydro-Quebec is a government-owned public utility established in 1944 by the Government of Quebec and between 2006 and 2010, the company paid $10.7 billion Canadian in dividends to its shareholders.
So we will be buying wind generated electricity from the Quebec Socialists?
So HydroQuebec and pay big socialist dividends to its socialist Canadian shareholders?
C’est Dommage
We could force them to pay us to ship through powerlines located on our land. NH has been battling this lately. No power lines through NH unless every citizen benefits. Would either reduce the construction of powerlines or reduce our rates greatly.
How would we “force them” to do this – and get them to sell “cheap” electricity to us at the same time?
LOL
Mildred Thompson did not get nukes for his National Guard and Quebec would tell LePage to get lost in language he understands.
yessah
An underground HVDC conduit the size of a water main has been proposed through one of two routes….including an abandoned RR & the I95 ROW. It would be invisible and could serve as a source of power for commuter rail and electric vehicle fleets.
Everything depends on how the negotiations with N. New Hampshire go.
hahahahahahahahah….you lose when you as a socialist/lefty has to condemn socialist success……hahahahahah.
I get really weary of gross exaggerations by people pushing wind power. The Mars Hill Wind project has no impact whatsoever on electricity rates in Aroostook County. Here are the facts about the Maine Public Service standard offer for electricity as approved by Maine PUC. For other than the large non-residential class, the standard offer comes from New Brunswick Power Generation Corp. That is the entity to which the fickle trickle of wind power from the Mars Hill is sent. If one looks at the capacity factor output of the various generation sources of NB Power Generation, it breaks down this way as percentage of total MW output: Oil: 47%; Nuclear: 21%; Hydro: 18%; Coal: 14%; Wind: 3%. Including the 42 MW of Mars Hill Wind @30% capacity factor, the total contribution to the electricity output of NB Power Generation attributable to Mars Hill Wind is 4 tenths of a percent (.4%).
Hydro Quebec’s wind power won’t be exported and is generated via an obsolete Provincial policy of 1:100 of wind to hydropower. Wind was put in to serve isolated regions where transmission lines from their vast hydro projects have not been put in.
With sixty hydroelectric and one nuclear generating stations, Hydro-Québec is the largest electricity generator in Canada and the world’s largest hydroelectric producer.[4][5][6] The combined capacity of its power stations was 36,671 megawatt (MW) and its distribution network served over 4 million customers in 2010.[3] (WIKI)
WIND is only 0.32% of this total power generated and that’s a fact worth repeating in Augusta this session, over and over again.
Are you suggesting we drill for oil off the coast ? Not a bad idea , will you back it ?
No, I will not back oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Maine – our lobster fishery is far more lucrative – and supports more Maine jobs than offshore gas or oil exploration – and would be destroyed by a major oil spill.
I will back off-shore wind power that could heat our homes and run electric cars and buses.
yessah
Spin that one democrats!
This is an action by the Governor that should be supported by virtually all across the political spectrum, from Occupy to Tea Party. Enriching a handful of special interest groups and energy oligarchs vs. helping the average Maine person afford their electricity bill. Hmmmm?
Maine people can’t afford an additional $50 million per year on their electricity bills!
An additional $50 million in electricity costs – who made up that number?
Maine’s electricity costs are the lowest in New England because we already produce 49% of our electricity from renewable sources.
Electricity costs in the County are going down – in part due to power produced by the Mars Hill wind farm.
Electricity costs in the southern part of the state are going down – even as more wind farms go on-line.
Maine does not have govt. built, owned and operated TVA power plants (like they do down South) or large govt. built, owned and operated hydroelectric dams – like they do out West.
What we do have is on- and off-shore wind power potential, tidal power potential, geothermal potential, biogas and biomass potential and solar potential.
All or which can be used to produce affordable electricity here in Maine that cannot be meddled with by out-of-state special interests or world political events.
yessah
Your statements here show how little you understand how the grid operates. Electricity costs have dropped slightly due to the lower price of natural gas and has nothing to do with poorly producing industrial wind sites. Wind makes up less than 2% of the installed capacity of ISO NewEngland and is so negligible and so unpredictable and unreliable that it isn’t even considered by ISO NE in its securing the “day ahead” supply of our electricity. Our base load (what we require 24/7) and our base load following (the mostly predictable daily demands beyond base load) all come from energy dense sources. The fickle trickle of wind, should it occur, is relegated to the planned surplus need.
Since Maine already has the high amount of renewable electricity, as you point out, primarily from hydro and biomass, and we already produce more electricity than we will ever use in the plannable future, it makes no sense whatsoever to create any sort of mandate for the wind industry to further destroy Maine’s natural resources and quality of place.
ISO NE commissioned a study on wind power a few years back and concluded it will reduce electricity prices and displace power produced with natural gas.
Other studies have concluded that wind power does not increase the need for spinning reserve – something the anti-wind folks fail to tell you.
Recently, wind power was able to satisfy 56% of power demand in Colorado and wind power in Texas saved the state from a widespread blackouts during a peak demand period.
The sky did not fall in either places.
As wind capacity grows – we will see a drop in electricity costs.
Furthermore, cell towers have already destroyed Maine’s hill and mountain scenery – but we ignore that.
Could you please provide the link to this study? The last I knew, the windmills interfered with the 60hz frequency. Increasing wind power will only escalate the electricity rates and we cannot allow that to happen if we’re ever going to grow JOBS in Maine.
Why do I always have to do homework for the anti-renewable folks?
sheesh
here ya gothe link to the pdf is at the bottom of the article….
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/12/17/study_wind_could_be_fourth_of_new_englands_power/
with people like you talking the wind will continue to grow!!!
THIS is an intelligent response and thanks for taking time to spell it out for the “yessah” folks.
Clalmcove1 = yessah. Just depends on who your “yessah” replies.
So why would I want to vote for this stupid proposal. So that folks like Rep Hinck’s wife Juliet Browne who is a lobbyist for them, Kurt Adams and Former Governor King can all reap huge profits off of subsidies and other taxpayer handouts. I will be voting No on this proposal no more freebies for the Wind and Renewable Energy folks. Time for them to find other folks to mooch off of.
Because you want to export jobs and money from Maine – and put up with higher electric bills….
I guess
No I don’t want Liberal Politicians getting massive subsidies off of the backs of taxpayers. Wind Power has done none of the things that Liberals claim it would. All it has done is destroy beautiful Maine areas, lowered property values and enriched Liberal Politicians and their friends. Fmr Gov. Angus King, Kurt Adams and Rep Hinck’s wife Juliet Browne has reaped massive subsides from Wind Power. In fact King has reaped benefits all the way back to the 80’s before he ran for Governor by laws put in that ended jacking up consumer’s CMP and Bangor Hydro bills in the process. So I will vote No because we have done enough to give these folks all of these freebies. It’s time for them to take their scams elsewhere.
Oh yes you do – you wanted Cheney and Bush to cut back room deals with Big Fossil and Big Nuclear – and pay the GOP to write lucrative energy legislation for them.
Now I know that the GOP doesn’t like to talk about Bush and Cheney any more – their energy policies buttered their crony’s toast – at the expense of everyone else.
yessah
I got a feeling that if it was Exxon Mobil or some Republican pushing windpower, you’d be all for it.
No so people like Paul LePage won’t get his own way and get his friends at KVGAS make millions and get tax breaks and subsidy’s.
And because we all know there are no subsidies, tax breaks and kickbacks going to big oil and natural gas …. *sarcasm intended*
I get really weary of gross exaggerations by people pushing wind power. The Mars Hill Wind project has no impact whatsoever on electricity rates in Aroostook County. Here are the facts about the Maine Public Service standard offer for electricity as approved by Maine PUC. For other than the large non-residential class, the standard offer comes from New Brunswick Power Generation Corp. That is the entity to which the fickle trickle of wind power from the Mars Hill is sent. If one looks at the capacity factor output of the various generation sources of NB Power Generation, it breaks down this way as percentage of total MW output: Oil: 47%; Nuclear: 21%; Hydro: 18%; Coal: 14%; Wind: 3%. Including the 42 MW of Mars Hill Wind @30% capacity factor, the total contribution to the electricity output of NB Power Generation attributable to Mars Hill Wind is 4 tenths of a percent (.4%).
What planet are you living on ? My electric bill is always rising. courtesy of the fact, printed on the bill, that my electricity is produced in Canada. Add to that the fact that the transmission lines are Canadian and someone has the nerve to tell me that Mainer’s generate 42% of our electricity In-State ? Someone here is a perfect candidate for that drug test provision for benefits in Maine.
Maine should be generating a huge amount of our electric and gas from our own resources. Wind energy is a no-brainer given Mars Hill and Stetson Ridge. Electric from hydro is a similar no-brainer (providing for the fish and wildlife can be done) And gas, from both the bio-gas concept (Hey, how do you think UM in Bangor is heating their building’s ? ) and from the landfill sites (Does Juniper Ridge ring a bell ? ) are all just waiting there to be used. But instead LePage wants to keep us all dependent on those sources that contribute to keeping the rest of us broke from outrageous bills that are nothing more than subsidized political campaign contribution’s. The longer this nonsense goes on, the more the next election cycle is gonna be determined earlier.
And as far as affordable electricity goes, take a look at the website http://www.bloomenergy.com . Am I a ‘hack’ ? No but it does bear looking at, especially with the bio-gas issue being there.
Big oil, Nuclear and coal are not special interest groups, right?
And what is it that TIF’s provide for company’s such as KVGAS, which LePage strongly supports? It is padding their pockets and subsidizing their businesses as well.
He is absolutely right. We need to let the market determine the energy source. Otherwise we are back into a gasahol mess.
Leave pollution aside, if you want.
I’m old enough to remember when a group of Arab dictators didn’t like U.S. foreign policy toward Israel, so they tried to freeze my family out of our house and to prevent me from buying gas for my car with an oil embargo. Now those dictators, who have been persuaded to sell us oil again, are being thrown out and replaced with….who exactly? Our friends? Doesn’t look like it.
We pay for electricity by being taxed to field the largest military in the world, partly in order to keep oil flowing. Add that to the price of a gallon.
Even if all is friendly and peaceful in the oil markets, there’s a limit. Sometime it’s going to run out. I suppose we can rally the fleets to ensure that we get the last expensive drop. What then? But is that really the way this should all go?
Should congress handle this instead of states? Absolutely they should, right along with all of the other things they should be handling but aren’t and won’t.
I can’t afford any of it, I think I’m going to buy some guinea pigs make a treadmill and let them power me up.
Less than 20% of Maine’s electricity comes from oil. Rebuild the damns and it will be less than that.
you’re right, we should be building more hydro power stations and figuring out a cheaper way for the salmon to get up river.
The Salmon thing is like global warming. Way over rated.
By ‘special interest groups’ he must be referring to those of us who live on planet Earth.
Welcome to the planet. I take it you haven’t been here long . Just by your comments I knew you were from away.
He like the rest of the Libs are trying to ram their National Park that Roxanne Quimby wants down our throats as well. The Libs want an eco-friendly paradise it’s not going to happen because enough people at all levels are opposed to it.
what are you talking about! I haven’t made up my mind on the NP, because I don’t have enough INFORMATION! I will say that Plum Creek has been nothing but a great big swamp.
Enough people at all levels?, I think it’s more accurate to say that enough people won’t stoop to your’s and the Tea Party level.
His name pretty much indicates where he is from.
The Governor wishes to proceed on a natural gas line, specifically KVGAS. Now in order to do this, there are many towns that have to impliment a TIF (Tax Increment Financing) plan.
There are two types, one benefits the town, the other benefits a specific company. Guess which one KVGAS seeks and has proposed? If a town doesn’t want to enter into a TIF program, the will go right around them, OR, according to some of the Governor’s tweeter friends, the state can exercise eminent domain.
Their intentions are simple: we will derail any other plans, other than our own. Why do you think the Governor is upset at the Utilities and Tech. Committee?, Why do you think he wants the office of Energy Security under his wing?
I’m not in favor of subsidizing one, or maybe two company’s who stand to make hundreds of millions. I have even seen a tweet from Dan McDermott indicating that any fluctuation with prices can be repaired by rate ratios….(meaning, rate increase)
I’m sick of giving tax breaks and tax dollars to specific, individual businesses. When places like Dexter Shoe, Hathaway’s Shirt, and Moosehead Mfg, are just sitting there rotting.
TIF’s are not a bad thing, but I can see what is going to happen, nearly every town will have to grant or ask for one in order to get the construction done as it regards gas. You don’t think that these tax breaks and subsidy’s don’t affect the towns: property valuations increase, rates are not competitive, property taxes are lost, (hence, the school funding, the mill in Millinocket doesn’t pay property taxes,) If this Governor is going to cut Education money, which is what he has indicated, or threatened, guess what happens to a mil rate? Even a simple thing like, extending a sewer line, or replacing water lines (general construction and upkeep) will cost more, because they will have to dance around the gas lines. I won’t even mention leaks and accidents.
It’s not as simple as he makes it to be, he fights with his own party’s placing specific legislators on certain committees……he’s bullying
For once I agree, no more tax breaks . Tax breaks are filling someones pockets and their not yours or mine.
Granting a TIF will not increase your town value, affect school funding ,etc.In order to give a TIF, there must be more than 10 million of value.This increase will NOT be reflected in the town’s valuation until the TIF runs out,TIF’s are not necessarliy a bad thing. But he’s worried about special interests? Ha, they aren’t his own special interests is the reason.
I have never heard of the TIF development process being used to subsidizie one industry with one (maybe two) corporations reeking the benefits with multiple towns (and when I say multiple, I mean multiple) having requesting TIF’s . Just think of how many gas lines are going to be needed to get to Millinocket, and how many towns they would go through.
If the tax increment money is used to pay the development bond, (the developers). and it’s almost automatic that property taxes rise after the TIFF runs out, but yet municipal costs rise due to inflation and economic atmosphere, who pays the difference? You can have a TIFF that does not pay these corporations, but puts the money in a separate account, but there’s no way that’s going to happen.
There’ no way a for profit utility company should be benefiting, that much, from a property tax rebate, which is a TIF. Whether or not the Governor knows it, wind mill company’s are a utility provider, hydro is a utility provider; what pray tell is a natural gas provider?
LePage’s own City of Waterville tabled it’s TIFF issue for this very reason.
Again, to meet
the qualifications of a TIF, it must be a minimal of 10 million. Only then will
a TIF apply. Each town would have to vote to allow TIF on the equipment that
goes through their town. The TIF doesn’t have to be 100% each town will
determine the amount to allow. The valuation won’t be counted until the TIF is over.
Then it’s value will be added and taxed. That may or may not offset the value
increase.
I’m not an
expert on TIF”s and towns need to look at them individually. Few towns
would turn don’t 10 million of taxation, but , of course , the town fathers
need to do their homeopwrk and understand all the facts. Pipelines may be a
very different thing than building /adding buildings and equipment to new or
existing industry.
Again, to meet
the qualifications of a TIF, it must be a minimal of 10 million. Only then will
a TIF apply. Each town would have to vote to allow TIF on the equipment that
goes through their town. The TIF doesn’t have to be 100% each town will
determine the amount to allow. The valuation won’t be counted until the TIF is over.
Then it’s value will be added and taxed. That may or may not offset the value
increase.
I’m not an
expert on TIF”s and towns need to look at them individually. Few towns
would turn don’t 10 million of taxation, but , of course , the town fathers
need to do their homeopwrk and understand all the facts. Pipelines may be a
very different thing than building /adding buildings and equipment to new or
existing industry.
Everyone assumed he was referring to Maine’s former governors.
No Bangorian, I think he means people in the wind industry, like Angus King. I find it hard to believe you are that unplugged from reality.
And who knows more about special interest groups than Lepage himself?
We need to remember that government has often played a role helping industries grow. A good example (although with some bad consequences) is railroads. The markets did not create the railroads all by itself.
The government and that means taxpayers helped railroads, so why not help create the renewable energy industry? If we don’t someone else will and will be selling it to us – and we’ll be happy to buy it. Let’s look beyond today and be the leader.
exactly. not to mention the tax breaks big oil receive, makes the notion of ‘free markets’ moot.
Yes remember Tammany Hall!
market determination, what a joke! are you considering the tax breaks that big oil receive? are you including the cost of clean up?
there is no such thing as free markets anymore. not when Exxon et al receive more tax breaks than the average citizen.
ExxonMobil paid ZERO Federal Taxes last year while their CEO made HUNDREDS of MILLIONS in pay and benefits and the Corporation received additional tax breaks both on the State and Federal level amounting to a subsidy guaranteeing future profits. Oh yeah, let the ‘Free Market’ decide!
exxon makes 97 mill. profit every 24 hours yet pays no taxes not much special interest there is there ? yet normal folks struggle to heat their homes. where is the balance .Big gov. is controlled by such . Gov. people worrying about their own pockets and their own re-election so the $$ can keep on coming
Making ignorant posts doesn’t help your credibility one bit!
“Exxon paid the most taxes last year of any U.S. company, by far — but not a cent went to the IRS for income taxes. That’s because the oil giant does business in some of the mostly highly taxed countries in the world. Want to extract petroleum in Nigeria? Be prepared to fork over up to 85% of your profit in tax payments.
U.S. federal: -$156 million
U.S. state and local: $110 million
International: $15.2 billion
Exxon doled out more than $15 billion in income tax payments to foreign countries last year. U.S. tax codes allow companies to take massive deductions in light of those international charges, which knocked Exxon’s federal income-tax bill down into negative territory.
That said, Uncle Sam gets his money in other ways. Including sales taxes and duties, Exxon recorded $7.7 billion in U.S. tax costs last year, and paid even more overseas.
Its grand total in global taxes for the year? A whopping $78.6 billion. The company’s effective income tax rate was a hefty 47%, its highest in three years. NEXT: Chevron: $8 billion” http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2010/news/1004/gallery.top_5_tax_bills/2.html
WIKI has a nice recap of the result of 73 gas/oil crisis. One result was the widespread introduction of the 4 cylinder hatchback largely made in Asia. Another result was the rejection of the government mandat to drive 55 MPH as a way to conserve gas. Yet another was a renewed search for alternative fuels that seems be adopted in Brazil with ethanol and other places with CNG.
Mostly a market reaction; now we have more government imposition of ‘what’s good for us’.
btw. the world’s biggest user of oil is the U.S. Military….not to carp too much; but those sep. plane trips for Michelle and the girls and their adoring media hanger’s on used how much jet fuel and spewed how much CO2 and water vapour into the greenhouse layer?
I guess we have to sacrifice and watch the 1% in the White House at play.
Yeah, I agree but are his special interest backers any better than the others?
In his weekly address today, Gov. Paul LePage said:
Mainers currently pay 42 percent above the national average for electricity. High energy costs are putting job killing demands on Maine’s private sector job creators.
The Governor’s office did not provide a link to support his claim, but here is some data that paints a broader picture.
What LePage failed to do is tell listeners that Maine has the cheapest electricity rates in all of New England, and cheaper than New York and New Jersey” – Dirigo Blue
( where, by the way, there is plenty of industry).
That’s not what he wants, because if that were true it would have been done years ago.
He wants the natural gas to be the principle solution, and favors padding KVGAS’s pockets with property tax rebates.
http://www.electricchoice.com/electricity-prices-by-state.php
2010 comparison of prices by state
As if letting the market decide has no cost? If we don’t find, develop, and yes pay for, alternative energies, lets just toss our sovereignty and become another Arab emirate. We need to keep the focus on education as it is apparent the science deniers are still with us.
Markets will decide at a cost…..yes indeed….guess what it wont be at tax payers cost. People act like nothings being done to solve are energy problems……There are all kinds of projects going on in this country to come up with alternative energies. There are off the grid power systems now for your home…the problem is cost and reliable of these system. Ever heard of T. Boone Pickens…. read up on this fella might suprise you what a rich oil man does with HIS money. Goverment money at work just check out the chevy volt if you can find one that hasnt burned up.
The oil/gas lobby isn’t a special interest? That’s a strange dichotomy, Mr. LePage.
The governor doesn’t claim to represent the oil/gas lobby. He believes – and I think rightly so – he is representing the will of the people of Maine. Maine Citizens for Clean Energy Coalition is a lobbying group or special interest group that wants to require all Maine energy users to pay for more expensive electricity. We’ll see just how successful its proposed referendum will turn out. I predict Mainers will turn it down overwhelmingly.
The only people representing the citizens of Maine are the citizens of Maine, and the odd honest policymaker. The governor and most in Augusta represent themselves.
Obviously when you say the governor and presumably his staff represent themselves, you are ignoring the fact Mainers want cheaper energy. By trying to give Mainers what they are looking for in this instance, isn’t LePage representing their interest as well?
Paul is undoubtedly against this because not putting money in the pockets of people who hate us means less money going into his own pockets. Conservatorship of the people and the planet clearly isn’t one of his “Special Interests.”
If you want to pay more for electricity by using “clean energy”, find yourself a windmill and produce it yourself. LePage is only doing what most Mainers want him to do, cut down their energy bills. The economy is bad enough right now without wasting money promoting nearly useless and unpromising energy sources.
It will be a lot easier to simply vote for FORWARD thinking leaders next November. Democrats in, Republicans/Tea Party out with Mr. LePage becoming nothing more than an embarrassing lame duck (Or some other farm critter) until 2014. Cleaner energy, cleaner planet, and cleaner politics all begin then. I’m feeling warmer already.
You mean something similar to the eight years we enjoyed with Baldy. Won’t that be peachy! Further in debt, can’t wait.
Oh great, “The John Baldacci Deflection.” Gee I wonder how most all states did during the economic downfall years between 2000-2008…hmmm…I think most of them suffered greatly just like us. Sooooo…should we ignore that fact or like you simply blame it on anyone our political party tells us to? You’ve answered that question already and I’ve got to tell you the repetitiveness and senselessness of it gives me a chuckle every time I read it. Thanks.
When it comes to repetitiveness you certainly are #1. Think of all the chuckles you’ll have in the next three years. I’m concerned about your mentality should he be reelected. Just keep your previous posts and paste them, they’re all the same anyway.
I actually enjoy Still Relaxin’s Posts…you got schooled and are a cry baby. Keep up the good work Relaxin!
Dumbb ALL Over says it all. You think I’m a cry baby well “do ya punk”.
Yeah let’s go back to the last 36 years so the moochers , special interest , ex liberal politicians, and unions can go live the good life while the rest of us struggle. No thanks they did everything to drive our economy into the ground. They destroyed our infrastructure, our schools are all failing and crumbling. Our taxes are unaffordable even if you wanted to sell your house noone would buy it because of the high taxes. The libs are anti-business, anti-worker and anti-citizen that is why folks are leaving in droves. You must be one of the folks collecting handouts that is why you want them back in power.
…about you delusional thoughts….ever thought about a job re writing history books? You can do what you usually do …just make it up as you go along. I think Penguin’s administration has a place for you.
Huh?
I take the last comment back , the crack pipe must be getting hot !
Dear Poormaniac you seem to be another conservative with nothing to say about the subject of this story. Your commenting twice on the possibility that I’m “Smoking crack” or “Burning my fingers on a roach” really show how much intelligence and class you have. I hope you have a better tomorrow because today you’re making your party and self look kinda sad. Good luck!
typical Republican cheerleader. They are on the wrong side of almost every discussion so have to call dems lazy, all on welfare, drug users. This is the type of thinking that got us 8 years of the worst President ever, George W. Bush, and now in Maine,Lepage. They are beyond help because they are required to get a daily dose of brainwashing from FOX and Limbaugh as part of their Party indoctrination.
Now get this straight for the last time. I am not a republican, I am not a democrat. Unlike you I’m only concerned with the best interests for the folks of the state of Maine. Believe it or not, I and most people, don’t live, eat and sleep politics like you do. Most normal, sane, working folks have more to do than complain and twist facts about Le Pages daily comments. If you like the economic, do nothing polices of the last years great for you, most that’s still working don’t. Just sit back, draw your check and don’t judge me, you are not qualified!
So you’re not a Republican. You do know that I can now look (Via disqus and you can do likewise for me) at every single posting and “Like” you’ve ever written or given? What I see is someone who supports conservative comments, makes conservative commentary, and attacks liberal commentary. Deny that if you like but if you support Republicans, talk like a Republican, and attack like a Republican, guess what? Your probably a Republican. Although to your credit I don’t blame you for wanting to deny it.
I’ll choose to take your “Assumptions” of my political knowledge as a compliment. Thanks. No one likes our current economy but you can’t expect everyone to simply accept the silly things posters say here or nutty contentions that politicians attempt to dull our minds with.
You ask me not to make assumptions about you but you’re just fine with judging me as “Interested only in myself (???), unemployed (???), and…wait for it… on welfare (???)! Oh how rich that is! Chuckles all around. No you’re not a Republican…you just play one on the BDN.
Guess what, wrong again! Political knowledge, you’re too biased, you only see one side. Between me and you, I voted for LePage in hope of a change, I also voted for Obama for the same reason. Call me what you wish. You see , I’d like to see us prosper again and the roads we were on it wasn’t happening. Can you see my point? I never implied you were on welfare or unemployed, I know you’re retired and good for you. I’m only 63 maybe someday I can too, hopefully something changes so I can. Have a good night.
You KNOW I’m retired. How did you come by that assumption? No I didn’t read everyone of your 187 comments so far (Via Disqus) nor all the likes you’ve given, but of the 50 or so I skimmed through I gotta tell ya you’re looking a might bit biased yourself. I don’t view folks who have a political bias as being bad (Just folks who have different views shaped by life experiences/work/service/education/upbringing, etc.). Now if they try to hide their bias that’s a different story because that simply doesn’t make sense and “May” of course be correctly or incorrectly interpreted as dishonesty.
Again no one likes our current economic condition. Sure I’d like to see change but it seems irrational and even immoral to do as Mr. LePage has suggested via lies about the poor or energy cost in Maine. Nearly every State has suffered similar economic woes since 2000. Not every state has sought to blame their previous leader, the poor or ill among them, or those who have lost their jobs due to the economy that grew worse and worse over that time. People like Mr. LePage would have you believe that a strong society is best built when the rich grow richer (Trickle Down has never worked on a National or even State level), the poor and ill are ignored, and the entire system is run on the backs of the middle class. I reject that. If you like it, keep supporting it. I’ll be here to provide a counterpoint.
Without trickle down economics, Maine would be a major land fill for the N.E.
TRICKLE DOWN economics is most obvious in Maine’s boat and yacht building industry..uh, who buys those Hinckley, Sabre, and Lyman-Morse boats?; our fine crafts industries–you sitting on a Moser Chair?; or murals from painters who charge $35/sq. inch for portraits.
I think you better GOOGLE Maine crafts and find out who buys all that art & crafts before you shoot your self in the foot again.
what a fool, still believes in the trickle down theory, probably believes in santa claus, the easter bunny and the tooth fairy too.
I believe in leading Maine entrepreneurs like Tom Mosher who actually create saleable products and employ hundreds of crafts people.
In terms of real justice; a lot of art gallery owning liberals have gone out of business because of the loss of trickle down wealth; more than a few have become Republican conservatives.
Alot of folks who are conservative aren’t republicans you have alot of Blue Dog Dems , Independents (myself), Green Party and Libertarians who are angry with the way the Dems ran things here in Maine. They were angry with their Economic, Welfare , Social Agenda, and Nanny State rammed down our throats. They were angry that the Dems in Augusta wanted their way with no compromise on anything. We felt the last 36 years our voices were not heard. That is why they were booted they destroyed our economy, our education system, our freedom and quality of life. The Maine Democrat Party still doesn’t get it because they are running on more of the same and a return to the same failed destructive policies that put the State of Maine into the mess it is today. Ben Grant, Emily Cain, Cynthia Dill, Barry Hobbins, Peggy Rotundo, Justin Alfond, Troy Jackson, Meaghan Maloney, John Martin they all don’t get it.
you’re an independent in name only. You’re rabid right wing stances and rhetoric show otherwise.
The same tarred brush you paint others with, also covers you.
…didn’t your mom ever teach you about the backside of name calling?
you’re a rabid right winger yourself so you felt the need to back up your fellow cult member. good for you. how come your side ONLY support your own and don’t give a damn about anyone else?
If you want cleaner politics you should join me in condemning all the name calling going on in this forum of discussion.
what name calling? Don’t read it then. Shut down the computer and watch some TV. I think Fox News is on. Michelle Bachman is speaking about how the polio vaccine made her mentally retarded.
Heard they had a bad batch of vaccine, sorry to hear you and Michelle had to get it.
The roach must be burning your fingers ! Dam more rivers !
The Democratic Party, at best, is the liberal wing of the Wall Street Bankers and Cockroach Party.
what ridiculous comment.
Lots of people are doing just that – thanks to homeowner tax credits passed by Democrats over GOP opposition.
I see small wind turbines and rooftop solar systems popping up everywhere in Maine.
Ronald Reagan and the GOP removed homeowner tax credits for solar systems back in the ’80’s – Democrats reinstated them in 2007.
And that created jobs here in Maine – and reduced energy costs for Maine homeowners and businesses that installed those systems.
LePage is making the same stupid mistakes that the GOP has made over the last 40 years when it comes to renewable energy.
GOP + LePage = job destroyers.
Yessah
Efficient wind and solar energy technology DOESN’T EXIST. What you are suggesting is that the government subsidize these to replace far more efficient sources of energy that compete on the market. That’s worse than subsidizing GM. At least GM doesn’t produce cars using Model-T technology! Yes, it’s a good thing RR stopped these foolish tax credits, otherwise, both the government and the economy would be in much worse shape than it is now.
One more thing: Do yo realize all the pollution that is created in the production of these inefficient technologies such as windmills, batteries, and solar panels? They themselves don’t really offer net clean energy when everything is taken into account.
Yes it does – global wind power capacity currently exceeds 200,000 MW and is growing by ~25% per year.
Wind power produces 181 terawatt hours of power each year.
US and global PV and solar thermal power production is also growing exponentially with 40 GW installed and more than 13 GW of new capacity added last year. PV module prices have dropped dramatically and are rapidly approaching grid parity.
The US pioneered large wind turbine designs back in the 1970’s – Ronald Reagan killed those programs. Denmark supported wind turbine development and now has a vibrant turbine export industry. We could have had those jobs. We now import wind turbines from Denmark and Germany. Good going GOP.
The same goes for PV modules and solar hot water systems. Ronald Reagan and the GOP killed the US solar industry in its infancy in the 1980’s.Until recently the US was a major exporter of PV panels (thanks to government support of solar in Europe) . Because the GOP under Bush did not support our domestic solar industry we have lost market share to China and Japan and Malaysia and Europe. Again, we should have had those jobs here in the US.
Same thing with solar thermal power. The US pioneered this technology and several of these plants was built in California in the 1980’s – the GOP killed that industry too and we now import solar thermal power systems from Spain.
GOP = energy industry and job destroyers.
yessah
Your prophecies come from wind industry propaganda and are based on face plate output. USDOE analysis indicates a more realistic figure is 28% of that capacity.
An emerging reality, is that there needs to be an ‘instant on’ backup to make up lost wind output when turbines go down, wind dies off or blows so hard the turbine shuts down.
That means we now have to pay for TWO power generating supplies; and more often than not this is either natural(fossil) gas fired or hydro power; both of which can now run continuous sparing us the rape of wild areas by wind farmers, with a 4 acre/turbine clear cut footprint, 10% grade access roads where none were before, and clear cuts for transmission lines.
And the bottom line is that the cost of wind power far, far exceeds the cost of power generated by natural gas or hydro power.
Vermont’s governor, like LePage, negotiated a deal this past spring with HYDRO QUEBEC that resulted in a cost to Vermonters of 6 cents/ KwH. Wind farm power w/subsidies has been estimated(NY State utility authority) to cost approx 52 cent/KwH.
You must admit it, those Vermonters and our governor are sure dumb to buy clean, green hydro power for 6 cents/KwH in a 20 year deal!
You haven’t told me how the GOP, Reagan, and other Republicans have destroyed solar and wind power industries. I fail to understand how by not funding these industries, they are being killed. Subsidies to these are akin to throwing tax payer money into a bottomless hole! I know one thing for certain, the government has lost billions of dollars on account of subsidies to these industries, Solyndra being just one example, thanks to Obama. No, these industries will never complete with other sources of energy. Wind energy, in particular, is way, way too dispersed to be collected efficiently. No amount of technological development will ever change that fact, according to Professor Hill at the University of Maine.
One more thing, cut off the subsidies to these industries along with tax rebates, and you will see imports of their related products decrease to near zilch.. Why? Because without tax payer funded subsidies and rebates, the real costs of these to users will dampen demand to near extinction.
All energy on Earth, other than some geothermal and background radiation, is solar energy.
Fossil fuels are nothing more than fossil sunlight.
You’re somewhat right, but that’s not the entire story. Ambient wind and solar energy are very dispersed, thus relatively expensive to exploit. Contrary to your assertion, however, fossils fuels are more than mere “fossil sunlight”. They are condensed forms of sunlight energy, unlike ambient sunlight.
Sure, let these small units pop up all over the place—if you pay for it 100% by yourself! I should not have to pay more taxes so somebody can get a tax credit or a subsidy for something that is anot a cost effective generator of energy. Go for it—alone.
Yeah – I forgot, the GOP only wants to subsidize Big Oil, Big Coal, Big Gas and Big Nuclear.
Home owners?
not so much
LieinMaine…I also don’t want my money going to tax cuts for General Motors, Exxon Mobile and GE so I guess that makes us even
no it doesn’t because their subsidies are a 100 times larger.
We have a solar water heater, and a tank less lp gas back up. 9 months of the year the panel give us all the hot water we need. Our light bill runs between 20.00 and 60.00, more light and pellet stove in winter.
giving up that quick recovery electric hot water heat will save you!
Very few houses are solar sited; designed to maximize solar gain; have a hot water system which is inexpensively mated to a set of tubes or glazed panel.
Very few owners have a few thousand dollars to spend now to get that ‘pie in the sky’ reward in future years.
I’ve never heard of a solar sales pitch that included the return of an alternative investment over time into the R.O.I. i..e. take that $8k and put it into XYZ bonds to give you perhaps a 5% return and no depreciation/maintenance expenses.
This is why when you GOOGLE EARTH your region, nearly all of the solar thermal installations are in the richest neighborhoods; often as vanity plates.
Solar thermal should be included in every new house built in Maine; so why haven’t the Dem’s mandated that? The capital cost is amortized into the Mortgage.
Really you must have not been paying attention to the 36 years of total Democrat control and the last 50 years of Democrat/Democrat-Independent Governors. Look at what it has gotten us to be the laughing stock of America. They drove our economy into the ditch it drove out all of our good businesses manufacturing jobs, store fronts empty, factories closing. Our roads and bridges are abysmal you can’t go 50 ft with out hitting massive potholes which causes flat tires or major suspension damage. More than 75% of are schools are failing and are crumbling or out of date building code wise. Our regulations are killing business nooone wants to start a business why because it would fail less than a year after opening. Our tax policies are anti-citizen. Now we are a haven for everyone who wants to mooch off of the system. So to say LePage is a job destroyer you don’t know what you are talking about. LePage is cleaning up the 36 years of destruction caused by the Maine Democrat Party. The Dems are bad for business, bad for people and bad for Maine period.
Yeah – that Jock McKernan guy was a big ‘ol Democrat – we know this cuz he married one.
try again
Been outside of Maine much…I don’t think you have. Certyainly not outside of the US either I bet except maybe Canada. We are the laughing stock because of our fool governor.
And don’t blame the failing infrastructure on the Democrats. Blame it on your hero George Bush and company and 8 years of pointless wars in foreign land tyhat drained our resources instead of fixing problems here. Have you been living in a dream world ?
You actually think other countries are laughing about the Governor of Maine! Are we that prominent? I don’t think so. Come up with something better or nothing at all.
Amen these Liberals are in denial they are clueless to what has gone on the last 37+ years here in Maine. They have had handouts for so long they are afraid what is going to happen soon when the handouts start getting cut off. Well it is time for these Libs and Bums to go find new sugar daddies to subsidize their addiction to Welfare.
Yes because all dems are on welfare! what a fool!
As classy Joe Wilson said, ” You lie!”
Just like your hero’s Emperor Obama , Fmr. Gov. Baldacci, Ex. Gov. King they gotta keep making their “investements” so to keep the safety net they gotta buy their voting block. Those lazy useless welfare bums gotta keep their handouts and subsidies. They gotta stay home on their couch eating their potato chips watching the satellite dishes or on the computer on facebook on the chat lines. While the rest of us bust our butts struggling to survive ourselves.
your taxes pay only pennies to pay for welfare, but you guys are so jealous that you work and they don’t that you should take a chill pill. Pennies is all you pay to them!Why get so worked up over it. No more than you lose in your couch yearly! And definitely less than we give out in tax loopholes and subsidies to the rich.
Just how was it that the democrats had power all those years? Oh I forgot it was because they won elections wasn’t it.
Well if you can buy votes from those who are mooching off of government you will always win. They didn’t win the last election now did they when the playing field was level and the libs put up another pair of idiots to run up against Gov. Lepage.
Oh so the democrats sent a check to people to get them to vote democratic did they? Or are you saying that the only people who were allowed to vote were welfare recipients?
sounds like more of a GOP stunt, you know the guys who jammed the Dems get out the vote phone lines in 2008.
If you keep passing more Welfare Programs so that Welfare is more attractive and you can make more money collecting Welfare well hey everyone might as well just sit on the couch and become useless. Why our healthcare costs are up is we have become too lazy.
duh greedy insurance companies!
cat you lie and exaggerate in almost every one of your posts and you should know better by now because I have criticized you before for saying “the last 50 years of Democrat/Democrat-independent governors”. LePage is the 3rd Republican Governor during that period and Longley and King were more Republican than Democrat independents. Actually since 1959 (52 years), the Dems have only held the governorship for 24 of those years. Why must you misrepresent all the time?
AND THE JOB LOSSES SINCE 2008 ARE DIRECTLY THE RESULT OF YOUR REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT BUSH TANKING THE ECONOMY here and everywhere else in America!
ANGUS is now a Republican???
When did the leopard change his MPB spots? When did he stop shilling for FIRST WIND?
The whole world knows that the economy tanked as a consequence of the implosion of risky mortgage based derivatives….apparently you’re the last to learn about the changes in Freddie & Fannie by Franks & his bed mate?
Angus started out as a Republican turned Independent. Apparently, you have been brainwashed to believe Bush’s incompetence had nothing to do with tanking the economy AND failure to make any effort to fix it. Bush had knowledge of the impending collapse 7 months BEFORE the meltdown and did nothing, waited until it was crisis, pushed through the bank bailout giveaways, spent a couple more months of doing nothing, then just handed the ball off to Obama., leaving the economy hemorrhaging 700,000 lost jobs per month. Brainwashing and revisionist history writing go hand and hand with the Republican right wing crazies. Your madeup GOP excuses don’t cut it with most Americans.
I have a signed copy of his book he ran on…not a republican concept in it; nothing but an enormous expansion of government power and nanny statism.
His first job was working for Sen. William D. Hathaway(D)…that branded him a liberal Democrat! I challenge you to locate his Republican registration!He didn’t want to run as a Democrat since it mean’t running the convention gauntlet; so h etook his supporters money and became an Independent.
Until you’ve met his wife Mary, you’ll never know how much of a progressive liberal Democrat he really is.
Wrong Angus King was always Democrat he ran as an Independent because he had ZERO chance of beating Joe Brennan in the Democrat primary, he pulled a Jim Longley Sr.. He knew if he ran as an Independent he had more time to raise money and run ads without being attacked by his opponents. Noone only those who watched MPBN knew who he was. He won with only 35% of the vote in 1994. So you better tell the truth because Angus King has never been an Independent , just like Jim Longley Sr. did the same when he became governor he had ZERO chance of beating George Mitchell in the Democrat primary in 1974, he ran as an Independent (won with 39% of the vote in 1974), his one and only term as Governor. You Libs need to research your history because you don’t know what your talking about.
For those who support this petition just say..I want to pay more for electricity! Just say, I want the wanton destruction of every mountain top in Maine, for tax and rate payer subsidized industrial wind farms.
Keep on burning taxpayer subsidized heating oil – subsidies the GOP fought hard to preserve – even as oil companies and oil speculators made record profits.
At our expense.
Are you opposed to Natural Gas Pipelines, Coal Plants, BioMass Plants ?.. Why does it have to be just Wind or Solar like the liberals want. Just like Corn Ethanol to replace Gasoline why does it have to be that why can’t it be soybean fuels, sugar cane ethanol, cellousic ethanol, biodiesel, natural gas, hydrogen powered cars. The Liberals want it to be only one choice not multiple choices for energy. The problem with Democrats as we seen with Obama you throw money at companies like Solyndra it ends up failing. Then everyone who thinks about getting into the Renewable business all runs away knowing it’s a failure.
Sorry – Liberals want energy efficiency, hydro, solar, wind, biomass, tidal and geothermal – and especially not coal.
yessah
Nuclear power is also heavily subsidized.
LePage has bigger things to worry about
http://www.climatecentral.org/blogs/record-warmth-grips-plains-states/
High Temperature Records Set in the Plains
Published: January 6th, 2012
Longstanding high temperature records were annihilated yesterday in
eight states, most especially in North and South Dakota, which are
typically among the nation’s coldest places at this time of year.
It was warmer in Rapid City, S.D., with a high of 73°F yesterday, than
it was in Miami, where the temperature topped out at 69°F. Mitchell,
S.D., reached 68°F, an all-time record high for the month of January
(recordkeeping began there in 1896).
In May 1816, frost killed off most of the crops that had been planted, and on 4 June 1816, frosts were reported in Connecticut, and by the following day, most of New England was gripped by the cold front.
On 6 June 1816, snow fell in Albany, New York, and Dennysville, Maine. Nearly a foot of snow was observed in Quebec City in early June, with consequent additional loss of crops—most summer-growing plants have cell walls which rupture even in a mild frost.
In July and August, lake and river ice were observed as far south as Pennsylvania.
And for anyone interested here are three sources to back up the above post.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_Without_a_Summer
http://www.farmersalmanac.com/weather/2010/03/22/the-year-without-a-summer/
http://www.yourdiscovery.com/earth/year_without_summer/intro/index.shtml
That was caused by the Tambora volcanic eruption – which injected large amounts of ash and sulfate aerosols into the upper atmosphere.
Which blocked solar radiation and cooled the planet.
Humans are currently releasing billions of tons of CO2 into the atmosphere which is absorbing upwelling IR radiation and warming the planet.
All this has been measured and the data published in peer reviewed science journals.
It cannot be denied.
Try again
Did I say it wasn’t caused by a volcanic eruption? No I didn’t. And the volcanic eruption was the year before too.
The information about “global warming” or “climate change” has and is still being debated. At least one of the British studies has been debunked for not including data that showed the opposite of what the “scientist” hypothesized about.
Last night on either WLBZ or WABI the “weather forecasters” were discussing the amount of snowfall this year compared to years past. Their opinion was we are slightly behind from prior years but this year is not the least amount of snowfall to date.
In the 1970s the scientists were talking about “global cooling” and the coming of the “second ice age”.
Sulfate aerosols from Tambora remained in the atmosphere for several years and circled the globe.
The cooling effects lingered as well.
All the scientists that were smeared by the stolen emails that constituted ‘Climategate’ were investigated and cleared of all charges of scientific malfeasance.
None of those studies were “debunked”.
And no – scientists were not talking about global cooling in the 1970s – that tidbit came from the overactive imagination of a Newsweek reporter in 1975.
Some GOP fairy tales never die.
There is no debate on the cause of global warming in the climate science community- it is caused by human activity.
yessah
I beg your pardon; there is a lot of skepticism on the subject. There’s nothing like trying to railroad the electorate, huh…?
Way to go Gov!!
Way to go Gov????
See that Dubb All Over also likes the Goves stance too,
________________________________
From: Disqus
To: rdcomeau@att.net
Sent: Saturday, January 7, 2012 3:59 PM
Subject: [bdn] Re: LePage: Renewable energy mandate pads pockets of special interests
Disqus generic email template
Dumbb All Over wrote, in response to RocklandBiker:
Way to go Gov????
Link to comment
please go Gov!
Way to go Gov?
Way to go Gov!!!
I agree with the Governor.
Me too.
I question whether LePage is able to read and interpret what he reads. Thisreferendum question is simply asking if we want the providers of our electricity to ensure that 20% of that electricity comes from renewable resources. It does not say that the individual user must buy 20% of his/her electricity from renewable resources. Although, we have seen companies turning to renewable energy for their businesses.
Quite a twist of semantics you’ve got going there.
You say,” This referendum question is simply asking if we want the providers of
our electricity to ensure that 20% of that electricity comes from
renewable resources.”
And then turn around and say, “It does not say that the individual user must buy 20% of his/her electricity from renewable resources.”
So what are you suggesting? That our providers be mandated to source 20% renewables, and then not sell it to consumers as part of their package? What happens then, they just write it off their books and charge consumers for the loss anyway?
Mind-numbing. Does anyone actually think the people of Maine won’t see through this huge SCAM?
Since the market is controlled by the oil and gas industries, letting the market run it’s course is not the answer. I have great faith in diversified solar energy, a solar panel or two on everyone’s roof. Along with the wind energy, we can easily meet the 2020 deadline.
Wind energy subsidies are vastly more expensive than any other form of energy. Put an industrial wind turbine in your backyard and let me know how you feel about it.
No it is not – in parts of the US and Europe that generate double-digit percentages of electricity from wind power, wind power displaces more expensive electricity from fossil fuel power plants – and reduces the cost of electricity.
Electricity costs in northern Maine are going DOWN not up due to affordable power produced by the Mars Hill wind farm.
yessah
That is a fallacy. List exact source of data.
OK – Iowa
http://www.tommywonk.com/2010/03/wind-power-in-iowa-httpwww.html
Germany
http://cleantechnica.com/2011/12/20/increasing-wind-energy-in-germany-pricing-out-natural-gas-plants/
Northern Maine
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/25/idUS154646+25-May-2011+BW20110525
for starters
Ha,Ha,Ha .The one on northern Maine is a press release from First Wind. Do you think they would say anything diferent.
Ha Ha Ha – the price of electricity in Northern Maine is going down – not up – by 10-21%.
So sorry to burst yer bubble.
I dont see whats wrong with this, for years the Baldacci administration had backed so-called “green” energy, and then we found out he was lining his own pockets with it….
LePage had said from day one, if it can stand on its own feet, then he would support it,,, green credits are failed policy
Here in Millinocket we are getting soaked by Canadian Brookfield power, and its from hydro…
Finally we have a Governor that “isnt” being paid off by a special interest group (Baldacci & King)
Re-Elect LePage
LePage wants to buy more hydropower from Canada – get used to more “soaking”.
yessah
LePage is also getting a gas line to Millinocket that Baldacci “said” he was going to do…..
LePage is by far a better Governor than either Baldacci or King
LePage is twice the GOVERNOR that Baldacci or King ever thought of being!!! LePage is actually putting the interests of the Maine people first. King and Baldacci only catered to their leftist liberal special interest groups. If you notice, these are the people who can’t stand LePage because they’re no longer receiving favored treatment. LePage is a common sense Governor with common sense solutions. Let him do what the voters elected him to do and that is LEAD, something Maine has been lacking in recent years.
Very well put
in only your dreams. The guy is abusing his power by pushing for an ONLY FOR THE RICH radical agenda.
I’m not rich and he did take the time to listen to me and many others.
Yup, at 6 cents a KwH….man, is he dumb, saving us money like that, when we could be spending over 50cents for wind power. ….that’s what Mainers want MORE EXPENSIVE ELECTRIC POWER!
Cmon he’s so up the butt of the Koch brothers and the only work for the rich radical right wing crowd that he has no choice but to screw the poor and the elderly. They will help fund his re-election efforts if he pushes anti-union and voter disenfranchising legislation and sure enough that’s exactly what he’s doing.
Ya know, every time I poke at Michaud for being gay, or Quimby for being so ugly i get censored
LePages got most of his campaign from us hard working Mainers, while Baldacci & King got theirs from crooked union officials…!
the unions WORK for the workers. Republicans work to undermine worker’s rights, worker’s pay and worker’s benefits. They are even trying to eliminate the minimum wage!!!!
The last time a union rep tried to get me to “see things his way” he lost some teeth-
I wont say that unions havent helped out in US history, but they sure had their share of harming things.
Saying stupid sweeping statement like “Republicans work to undermine workers rights” just goes to show that your totally brainwashed
Forbes magazine rated Maine as the worst state to do business. Part of their reasoning is Maine has one of the highest electricity costs in the country. If we are ever to make Maine more attractive for job growth, how is increasing electricity costs even further going to accomplish this? It’s not. Governor LePage is right. The last thing we want to do right now is to significantly raise electricity costs. Follow the money trail. Those promoting this renewable energy mandate are simply trying to fill their pockets with our hard earned money. Follow the money trail folks, follow the money trail. This has SCAM written all over it and I encourage everyone to NOT sign this petition.
Tell that to folks in the County – their electricity costs are going *down* because of the affordable electricity produced by the Mars Hill wind farm.
Economic analyses clearly indicate that regions that have the highest percentages of renewable power production have significantly lower electricity costs.
In Europe and parts of the US (like Iowa) that have high percentages of power produced by wind, electricity costs are lower and more stable than regions with low or no wind generation.
When wind power generation is high, wind power displaces more costly electricity from natural gas-fired power plants – and reduces spot prices of electricity.
The facts do not support Tea Party Fairy Tales.
yessah
You’ve got to be kidding me. You mean the Mars Hill wind mill project that devastated their beautiful mountain top. The same Mars Hill project that only rated a 2 on the wind development scale (1 being terrible and 6 being an ideal location). This project was part of the SCAM job I was talking about. If wind power is so affordable, then why do they need government subsidies to build wind mills? They’re not affordable nor reliable, nor are they friendly to the environment. Are you aware that we always have backup generation on spinning reserve, powered by coal, simply to come on line whenever the wind dies down? Yes, this is a fact and even Jonathan Carter realizes wind power is a complete scam job. Due to the coal fired spinning reserve, he also agrees that it’s also not environmentally friendly.
As far as Europe is concerned, why is nuclear energy the # 1 form of electricity in France? It’s because it’s cheap and reliable.
Don’t believe me, look up the articles by Jonathan Carter and you will see it for yourselves. Wind mills are complete scam jobs and Angus King, along with many others are getting rich and are laughing at our stupidity. As I said, do not be decieved into signing this petition.
Check out this link:
http://www.sunjournal.com/node/548645
Electricity prices in Northern Maine will decline by 10-21% thanks to wind power from Mars Hill.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/25/idUS154646+25-May-2011+BW20110525
I do not believe the good people of Mars Hill want to get rid of it and pay higher electric bills and property taxes.
So, we should have government owned and operated nuclear power plants – like Socialist France? The same Socialist France that exploited its former African colonies for cheap uranium – and left them with multiple environmental disasters?
Do you realize that, thanks to Ronald Reagan, we the tax payers own all the spent fuel produced by commercial nuclear plants – and have to pay for the vast majority of the cost of disposing it?
Is this the socialist energy policy the GOP wants for America?
I get really weary of gross exaggerations by people pushing wind power. The Mars Hill Wind project has no impact whatsoever on electricity rates in Aroostook County. Here are the facts about the Maine Public Service standard offer for electricity as approved by Maine PUC. For other than the large non-residential class, the standard offer comes from New Brunswick Power Generation Corp. That is the entity to which the fickle trickle of wind power from the Mars Hill is sent. If one looks at the capacity factor output of the various generation sources of NB Power Generation, it breaks down this way as percentage of total MW output: Oil: 47%; Nuclear: 21%; Hydro: 18%; Coal: 14%; Wind: 3%. Including the 42 MW of Mars Hill Wind @30% capacity factor, the total contribution to the electricity output of NB Power Generation attributable to Mars Hill Wind is 4 tenths of a percent (.4%).
If wind power has no impact on electricity prices – we should not worry about building more wind farms.
Your so-called facts are wearily wrong. Electricity from Mars Hill is sold locally and contributes to the decline in electricity costs in the County.
Not the other way around.
Quebec, China, India and Europe and the rest of the world are investing heavily in renewable energy especially wind and solar.
They are eating our economic lunch.
…and anti-renewable energy conservatives want to keep it that way.
yessah
Wind power does impact electricity prices. The average price of wind power is 22 cents per kilowatt. The average price of nuclear or hydro is about 2 to 3 cents per kilowatt. So how is building government subsidized windmills going to reduce the electricity prices again? It will not and we will destroy all of Maine’s beautiful mountain tops, just so a few people like Angus King can get rich. SCAM, SCAM SCAM!!
Maine Yankee generated 800 megawatts of electricity before it was decommissioned. ME Yankee also generated this 24 hours a day seven days a week, whether we had wind or not. In comparison the Mars Hill wind mills only generate about 42 megawatts at full capacity. Full capacity means a 26 mph hour wind, which isn’t very often. Keep in mind that the wind turbines are completely not reliable because the wind dies down at the snap of a finger. That’s why we have oil fired generators on spinning reserve, so they can be quickly brought on line. So how is this good on the environment again? It’s not.
So let me see, we tore down ME Yankee, built Mars Hill wind mills and are now complaining about Maine’s high electricity prices. It’s this failed liberal logic that has placed Maine on the Forbes 50 list and now they want Maine to stay there. SCAM, SCAM, SCAM!
Your numbers are incorrect – the California Energy Commission reported that electricity produced by first generation turbines in CA cost 7.5 cents per kWh in the mid-1990’s.
By 2004, that dropped to 3.5 cents per kWh.
The newest turbines on the market today have much improved performance – and the price of wind power with these turbines has dropped again (by about a third).
Maine Yankee was down for weeks at a time for refueling and repairs – the cost of those repairs (required for safety reasons) made it uneconomic – and that’s why the owners tore it down. Those shutdowns required that Maine ratepayers buy expensive replacement power.
Nuclear reactors require mass quantities of spinning reserve because they can trip at a moment’s notice at any time.
Grid managers have found that wind power requires little if any additional spinning reserve – even when wind power penetrations approach double-digits of grid capacity.
Whilst Maine Yankee has been torn down – the spent fuel remains on-site – and we the taxpayers (thanks to Ronald Reagan) are on the hook for most of the cost of its disposal.
We own it and it is our responsibility to take care of it – for tens of thousands of years.
You do know that the last estimate to construct the Yucca Mountain spent fuel repository was over $100 billion and that taxpayers were on the hook for 70% of that – don’t you?
A new reactor the size of Maine Yankee would coast nearly $10 billion – that’s the cost of reactors currently under construction in Florida – where consumers are being charged $9 a month extra to build them.
These plants will NOT produce electricity at 3 cents a kWh – the costs will be much much higher.
There are currently 200,000 MW of wind power capacity deployed worldwide and it is growing at 25% per year.
It is not a SCAM SCAM SCAM – those names describe nuclear power.
yessah
Let me get this straight, what you are saying is as follows:
“Wind power is the cheapest form of electricity. Because it is the cheapest form of electricity, we need government subsidies to build windmills. Because wind power is the cheapest form of electricity, we need to force the consumer to buy it because according to you, the consumer would rather buy their power from the most expensive generator source.”
Your logic is clear fallacy and is an attempt to confuse the good people of Maine. According to your logic, when people go car shopping they would rather buy their vehicles from the most expensive dealership and because of that, we need to pass laws to force consumers to buy their vehicles from the cheapest car dealership. It’s the same exact thing, just a different scenario. Your claim make no sense whatsoever.
If wind power is the cheapest form of electricity, then STOP the government subsidies. If it is the cheapest form of electricity, then why is there a petition circulating to force people to buy wind power? If it is indeed the cheapest form of electricity, people will be flocking in droves to buy it. The fact that there is a petition forcing people to buy wind power is a clear indication that wind power is too expensive, not reliable and cannot compete in the free market because it’s simply too expensive. Let’s see, “22 cents per killowatt for wind power vs. 2 – 3 cents for hydro or nuclear.” Hmmmm, something is very suspicious and it has SCAM written all over it. Do not sign the petition. Wind power is simply too expensive and not reliable.
Do not post made-up quotes and attribute them to me.
And do not post bogus numbers – the California Energy Commission concluded that current wind power costs 3.5 cents per kWh – not 22.
http://www.energy.ca.gov/wind/overview.html
People ARE flocking to build wind farms – over 200,000 MW of wind turbine capacity has been deployed worldwide and it is growing by 25% per year.
Quebec is operating, building or planning 3142 MW of wind turbine capacity – and plans to sell to that electricity to the US.
Europe, Africa, South America and Asia – and especially China – are investing heavily in on- and off-shore wind and solar.
They will eat our economic lunch if the GOP has its way.
republicans have parroted the nonsense that Obama has created “uncertainty” that is holding back economic recovery from the Bush/GOP Great Recession.
It is republican energy policies that have created “uncertrainty” in the US renewable energy industries.
Time and time again they have pulled the rug out from under emerging renewable energy technology companies.
This is why we buy wind turbines from Denmark and Germany – and PV panels from Asia.
GOP = job destroyers
yessah
Two simple questions:
1) If wind energy is the cheapest form of electricity, why do they need government subsidies to build wind farms?
2) If wind energy is the cheapest form of electricity, then why is there a referendum FORCING people to buy cheaper electricity?
If you answer these questions honestly, my point was made. Wind energy is a SCAM, SCAM, SCAM. It can only rely on forced buyage and government subsidies. In the meantime, Angus King and cronies are getting rich and laughing at our stupidity.
Why does wind need subsidies – to keep up with all the other subsidized energy sources.
The voters will decide this question – you don’t have to sign the petition or vote for it.
It is something called “democracy”.
But then again – if LePage, the GOP and the Maine Heritage Policy Center passes more voter suppression laws – you may not be allowed to vote at all.
Yessah
Other energy sources, such as nuclear and coal are funded by private companies, not our tax dollars. You never answered question 2? How come?
Until recently, no new nuclear plants had been ordered in the US since 1973 – because they were too expensive to build and private capital wound not come near them.
$50 billion in federal government loan guarantees are the only reason new nuclear power plants are under construction today in the US.
Taxpayers funded the R&D that commercialized nuclear power.
Taxpayers funded the facilities that convert uranium ore into uranium hexafluoride – these were originally built for the Manhattan Project.
Taxpayers funded the construction and operation of uranium enrichment plants that use UF6 to make commercial nuclear fuel. For many years enrichment services were provided to commercial nuclear plants at cost.
For many years the government provided nuclear plant owners with tax credits for the plutonium they produced.
Thanks to Ronald Reagan – taxpayers now own all the spent fuel produced by commercial nuclear power plants – and we will pay most of the cot of spent fuel disposal.
The last estimate for the canceled Yucca Mountain spent fuel disposal site was more than $100 billion – taxpayers are on the hook for most of that.
Taxpayers are also paying billions to dispose of depleted uranium from the production of commercial nuclear fuel.
Taxpayers are building MOX fuel production plants and converting reactors to use MOX fuel.
and…taxpayers are paying billions to compensate nuclear fuel cycle workers for disease and death caused by occupational radiation exposure.
Nuclear power is the biggest taxpayer subsidized scam going these days.
yessah
Do you have electricity in your home? If so, do you know that a great deal of it comes from nuclear power? Are you prepared to flick the switch and have no power because there is no wind? I don’t think you are. With that said, nuclear power is here to stay and I don’t recall of anyone, ever going around soliciting petition signatures that would force Mainers to buy nuclear power. People buy nuclear power because it is cheaper than wind power and that’s why we’ve never seen petitioners forcing consumers to buy electricity from nuclear plants. Folks, signing this petition will raise your electric rates. The very fact that there is a petition out there is proof in itself that wind power is too expensive and unreliable. Without a law forcing people to buy wind power, nobody will want to buy it because the 22 cents per kilowatt is simply too expensive to compete in the free market.
Again – 22 cents per kWh is a “made up” bogus number.
Wind power costs 3.5 cents per kWh – not 22.
Free market?
It does not exist.
yessah
What you are saying is simply NOT TRUE! If wind power was competitive, we would not have special interest groups working for the wind companies forcing people to buy their over priced product. At 3.5 cents per kilowatt wind power could compete in the free market and yes, the free market does exist. Your argument does not pass “The Straight Face” test.
Oh yeah – nuclear is heavily subsidized and new nuclear plants cannot be built in the US without billions in federal loan guarantees ($50 billion to be exact).
Taxpayers own the spent fuel produced by nuclear plant operators – who would not be able to operate those plants if they had to bear the full costs of spent fuel disposal.
Utilities that burn coal in aging dirty power plants grandfathered under the Clean Air Act take advantage of everyone downwind – acid rain, climate change & mercury deposition. If they had to closed those plants, and replace them with plants with best available emission controls, the cost of coal-fired electricity would skyrocket.
New natural gas pipelines in Maine require TIFs to be economically feasible.
Oil companies benefit greatly from GOP subsidies – and the GOP fights to preserve them – even when they are making record profits.
and republicans put up with with this nonsense every time they pull up to a gas pump or put heating oil in their tanks.
It’s clear you do not know what you’re talking about. Did your personal analysis include the government subsidies that build these wind scams? If wind power is so inexpensive, then why is the government subsidizing these projects in the first place. Your logic is full of fallacy and you’re trying to fool the population into signing the petition. Fellow Mainers, don’t be fooled into signing this petition. It is a SCAM JOB over the Maine people.
Not that I agree with Mr LePage — but you might want to check where the power from Mars Hill is being sold to — and I pay electric rates in the County
It is sold locally -through NB utilities.
NRCM and Maine Audubon are in bed with the wind industry. Wind power is a folly. The wind industry wouldn’t exist without heavy susidization, tax breaks, ability to sell Enron-inspired RECs, and mandates. The same bunch that got Maine into RGGI want to tighten that mandate. Its like tightening a noose around the economy of Maine, set to strangle us with high electricity costs.
I say get rid of every subsidy, tax break, mandate for every form of energy and get the government out of it. When the market decides, energy-dense sources will continue to power our economy and lifestyle to which we have become accustomed. What we won’t have is ethanol, sprawling industrial wind sites, or massive solar arrays. LePage is on the right track.
Does the name Enron ring a bell with you?
When California deregulated its electricity market, Enron manipulated power production in collusion with power plant operators.
It resulted in blackouts, massive price increases and economic dislocation.
and this is what the Tea Party really wants for Maine?
try again
Renewables are far cheaper than oil or nuclear and can compete quite nicely with natural gas and coal for power production.
Under your scenario, large fossil fuel and nuclear plants would close and replaced with on-site gas cogeneration, biomass, solar and wind.
yessah
Maine – you make it sound as though other energy sources are not subsidized below is a link to an article contrary to the assumption (a quick google search yields additional pertaining specifically to nuclear power). I understand why new technological ventures receive subsidies to off-set the considerable costs associated with those initial efforts but why are established sources being subsidized if they are as effective as you proclaim? Seems they could be weened off the government cheese if they are efficient and profitable, no?
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/01/science/earth/01subsidy.html
LePage should go back to Canada where he dodged the draft during the Vietnam War….
His special interests – Big Oil , Gas and Coal are the real problem…. Wind and Solar firms never offer kickbacks, that is why he is against them…
Yeah, because First Wind never gave the Baldacci PUC commissioner a $1 million stock kickback before he even left his position in the administration. Might want to check your facts.
Unfortunately, there are some who believe they know better then everyone else and everyone else should be forced through legislation to admire their knowledge but everyone else should foot the bill to pay for the results of their knowledge.
Yes, some states have lower electricity rates- thanks to “big government” dams run by the TVA in the South and the Bureau of Reclamation in the West. I don’t hear the Governor calling for something like those.
And Hydro-Quebec is run by- yep- “big government” in Canada.
Hydropower is the least expensive source of
renewable energy in the United
States and the most reliable. This being said, why are we no longer using
it in Maine? It’s cost was about 1-5 cent per kilowatt ( wind and solar are 14-22
cents) and we had 3 times more energy than we could use.
We could sell the extra energy and cut some
taxes or maybe save some of the programs everyone likes.
Oh, I
forgot we sold are power companies to out of state firms and the Special
Interest Groups (WIND,SOLAR) took over the State of Maine with our last two
Governors and declared water a non-renewable energy source(it stopped raining
and the laws of physic no longer apply to Maine).
We do not need oil or distasteful looking
windmills to generate electricity for the people of Maine.
Oh did I forget to mention Hydropower
is real “GREEN” energy.
People need to get off “Hate the
Governor” and bring forth some useable ways to solve the energy problems
that have occurred in Maine
over the last 12 years.
We could have fixed or replaced all of our
Dams for the money that has been wasted on Wind and Solar power(you know the
ones that are going Bankrupt daily).
Maine produces 26% of its electricity from hydropower – we still use it.
Only a handful of dams have been breached in Maine and the benefits of enhanced production diadromous river herring for commercial fisheries in the Gulf of Maine far outweighs the small loss of power production.
The Penobscot restoration project will not result in a net loss of hydroelectricity production.
Maine has added over 350 MW of wind capacity to the grid since 2006 which more than replaces the power lost when dams in the Kennebec drainage were breached.
The rotund flightless bird reminds me in this bit of mendacity of Reagan, blaming trees for air pollution.
Paleeze LePage…the only special interest benefiting from requiring Clean Green Energy sources is the TAX PAYERS!! If Oil and Gas and other fossil fuel continues to remain our primary source of energy..ONLY YOU and YOUR CORPORATE CRONIES WILL BENEFIT!
P.S. PLEASE RECALL LePAGE BEFORE HE DESTROYS OUR BEAUTIFUL STATE OF MAINE!
“Green special interests” as opposed to the coal & oil special interests USUALLY catered too, right?
“Renewable energy mandate pads pockets of special interests”. This is opposed to the OIL and GAS SPECIAL INTERESTS that are usually catered to. I see. Sorry. The State would be wise to go GREEN.
Why is nuclear out of the picture? It should play a significant role in our energy independence and cost reduction.
Because nuclear is too expensive.
They are building two nuclear plants in Florida right now (where LePage really lives)
The estimated costs are $18-22 billion – and Florida ratepayers are shelling out $9 a month on their electric bills to build them.
No one has a clue how much electricity will cost from those plants.
The US also imports most of its uranium – the nuclear power industry uses 62 million pounds of uranium ore each year.
US mines produce less than 4 million pounds each year.
So much for nuclear and energy independence.
please someone make him stop. His disease apparently has affected a larger portion of his brain…and there wasn’t much there to begin with.
Yes, yes it does Governor. Crony capitalism at its worst. Leftist environazis raping the poor and the taxpayer with their harebrained crony capitalism.
Question: why do you hate poor people so much, leftists??
obviously you would benefit from funding being maintained for the PNMI’s in Maine. But to help you and people like you I hope LePage takes the funding for those away.
LePage says Mainers currently pay 42 percent above the national average for electricity. Why are Mainers paying more than the national adverage? Why isn’t LePage doing something about tis? Has to be a special interest group involved.
LePage doesn’t tell you that Maine has the lowest electricity costs in New England (because Maine generates 49% of electricity from renewable sources) and the national average price of electricity is skewed by government built, owned and operated power plants in the South and West (TVA and BPA).
Socialism is good for people those parts of the country.
yessah
I agree. I support renewable energy (why are we removing hydroelectric dams – for the fish???), but it should not be a mandate.
Very few dams have been removed in Maine – and their removal benefited stocks of alewife and blueback herring that historically were important forage fish for commercially important fish in the Gulf of Maine.
If we want our fishing industry back, we need to rebuild the stocks of the forage fish that support these fisheries.
The ‘renewable’ followers don’t give a damn how much people have to pay for their utilities. They are oblivious to the facts. Look at the money wasted on Solyndra and the Chevy Volt (7000 of these manufactured; all being recalled because they catch fire!!).
The nuclear power industry was authorized $50 billion in federal loan guarantees.
Those loan guarantees are the only reason why any nuclear plants are being built today in the US.
Private capital won’t come near new nukes – the US canceled more nuclear reactors (110) than it actually built and operated – with stranded cost exceeding $112 billion.
Ratepayers – not plant owners – paid those stranded costs.
If the GOP had its way, there would be no GM and no Chevy Volt – and we would be buying electric cars from Nissan and other foreign car makers.
Furthermore, Solyndra was mortally wounded by cheap Chinese-made PV modules dumped on the US market.
China is smart enough to back its domestic solar and wind industries – and lead the world in production and installation 0f wind and solar capacity
The GOP – not so much.
GOP = US job destroyers, foreign job creators.
yessah
I don’t really care if Maine adopts responsible wind and solar power, cuz it looks like I’ll more than likely be dead when the petrol runs out anyway. Why should I care if all of you are left in the dark ages when the oil runs out ? Lol ! Listen to your leader ! Besides I have solar and wind power on MY property already and I love it. The shackles of opression…broken !
The Dude abides
:)
Part of the subsidy going to LePage’s buddies in the multi-national energy firms is the lives of our people in uniform sent to keep the supply lines open.
I guess that why Ron Paul is reaping big donations from the military — they’re tired of fighting the oil wars for Exxon-Mobil, which by the way finances al Qaida and the Taliban through the Saudis.
McLepage has it almost rightly/wrong. We can blame the Union workers and the DHHS clients for this as well. Kevin Raye will vouch for the million dollar baby’s that might contribute $ to his campaign against Rep. Michaud, if they make money from either oil or renewable energy. Thats where the real money is at. Fussing over renewable fuel is left over stashed hash from the sixties. Right McLepage/Raye? Put that in your Iraqcrac pipe and smoke it.
Let’s get frackin’ That ought to wake us up.
The renewable energy revolution is here to stay. Fossil fuels will rise in price, no matter what. Anybody who thinks natural gas is a cheaper solution is just supporting the special interest groups, while blaming others with doing the same.
After a year of lies, I cannot believe thes man.
Guess he forgot we have the lowest electric prices in New England. New England most expensive electric region in the US. we are actually doing well in comparison.
Another Big Republican Lie
Where’s that petition? I’ll sign. I think that’s a great idea.
Let’s stick with non renewable energy sources, nobody makes a nickel off those.
Duh.
Big oil owns the republican party. If you think they don’t get heavily subsidized, you’re not seeing the truth. If you think they pay any taxes at all, you’re not seeing the truth. If you think they don’t corupt the democratic process with their “contributions” you’re not seeing the truth. Laplague is just doing what he is ordered to do to pay back their support. What a tool.
Just like you padded the pockets of Reed & Reed by awarding them the contract for the Route 27 bridges in Carrabassett Valley.
This is serious. Poor Paul is an expert on pandering to special interests and we should heed his warning on this one. He could actually be telling the truth for once. Hey, it could happen.
this is about crony capatalism…green companies get government handouts and then cycle money to the Dem party…while the rest of us pay enormous amounts for energy and our jobs go somewhere else
this is about crony capitalism…green energy gets gov’t handouts and then recycles the money to the dem party…meanwhile the rest of us pay enormous energy costs and our jobs go elsewhere…
Let me get this straight. Those sponsoring the petition claim wind power is the cheapest form of electricity. Because it is the cheapest form of electricity, we need government subsidies to build windmills and we now need to force people to buy the wind power because as they claim wind power is the cheapest form of electricity. If wind power were truly the cheapest form of electricity, we would not need to force anyone to buy it. People would want to buy wind power simply to save money. The very fact that there is a petition circulating around is a clear indication that wind power is too expensive, nor is it reliable enough to compete in the free market. Folks, don’t be fooled into signing the petition. More wind power means devastating more beautiful Maine mountaintops and significantly increasing our electricity costs. This does not even begin to make sense. The only thing that makes sense is it’s a clear SCAM job on the good people of Maine. Please don’t fall for it.
WAIT, Lepage wants a favor from fellow Mainer’s. OK, put our mural back and we will talk.
OH ya, and stop running your big fat face.
And yet he is pushing to convert to gas that benefits a Canadian company? And he is ignoring th elaws of supply and demand in that process. the more people that get on gas, the higher the price will go. The less oil purchased, the lower the price. If everyone in Maine converts to gas, teh prices will mimic the oil prices today. Iam not sure why all of the support for the Canadian Company, though I do prefer they get my money as opposed to the midle east. Just don’t think it is going to save a lot of energy costs in the long run,
Thank you Governor for pointing this out to the public. I believe the petition will sound deceptive and conveniently leave out the part of our monthly electric bill increasing by 20%! I know Southern Maine already has Natural Gas as a option to heat homes & businesses and it’s so much less expensive and probably one of the biggest draws for business.
Who made up the bogus “increasing by 20%” number?
Show your math.
yessah
Pay attention; the negotiations took place last spring in Quebec, in French…no wonder you missed them….ah, the benefits of having a bi-lingual governor!
The set rate for Quebec residents is 2.75 cents/KwH…and they have the best economy in N. America; and terrawatts of hydropower coming on line to sell into the N.E. U.S. at bargain basement rates.
One thing Le Page does better than any other Dem. is cut good deals for Maine!
What PPA did LePage negotiate with Socialist Quebec Hydro – and what is the actual cost of real electricity that he wants us to buy from them?
Oh wait – he has done no such thing.
GOP Fairy Tales are so silly.
yessah
Furthermore – PQ enjoys the “best economy in N. America” because they have a government owned utility – Hydro Quebec – that developed cheap *RENEWABLE* power resources – and sells electricity to its citizens at rock bottom prices.
Hydro Quebec is operating, building or planning 3142 MW of wind power capacity and plans to sell the electricity produced to the US.
They obviously know something LePage and the Tea Party GOP do not.
Quebec’s economy also benefits from Universal Single Payer Health Care.
If LePage was smart, he would make Maine more like Quebec – so we could be the best economy in N. America.
But he won’t.
C’est Dommage
I agree. Let New York lead the green movement. See how far that goes.
New York is doing just that – and creating jobs that LePage does not want in Maine.
This whole wind power concept is bogus. The single biggest argument against all these imaginary wind turbine savings is this: Wind is variable and fickle. Even when the ‘experts’ claim that they have identified the very best possible locations for wind turbines, they neglect to inform us of this tiny, niggling fact;l the wind sometimes doesn’t blow. This applies everywhere. Now imagine what is going to happen when your expensive wind turbine farm is dead due to a flat calm, or even a too-low wind velocity; The demand for power never goes away. We MUST have power ALL the time. This means that we have to maintain traditional oil-fired (since people seem to be so afraid of nuclear plants) power plants in a state of continuous standby, so that they can instantly be brought on line when required. That nasty, expensive fossil fuel has to be stocked in abundance for this likelihood. People have to be paid to sit on their thumbs, but ready to go to work, if the wind quits.
That’s for when the wind doesn’t blow. Now, we have another scenario: sometimes the wind blows way too hard for these wind turbine farms. Now the operators have to put on the blade brakes so that the turbines do not runaway and self destruct. Oops – back to those old oil-fired standby power plants again!
Also to be considered: these wind turbines sometimes fail in the most spectacular manner. Happens all the time. The powertrain components go dry and warp and overheat and fire breaks out. Result: one (or more) burnt out installation.
It is attractive to build a wind farm when there are government subsidies being handed out – especially to those who organize and ramrod construction. After that, somebody else is going to have to pay for routine maintenance and replacement of parts after catastrophic failures. Guess who that might be? Your good old Uncle Sam is not going to want to hear from you; heck, he’s already broke and penniless.
When wind farms show their ugly realities, the utilities abandon them. Now you have no wind turbines (because somebody went broke trying to keep them going), and – if you are really stupid – you have no reasonably priced alternatives. You also have lost your pristine high ground views and thoroughly irked all your neighbors.
You will always be able to buy power from someone else’s grid, but you will pay through the nose for it. California found this out when their wind farms turned out to be pipe dreams, and the Greens successfully stopped all power plant construction in the state. California had to pay huge bucks to import power from places where people had not yet lost their minds.
Lastly, think how many wind turbines you will have to erect in order to replace even a fraction of our oil-fired capacity. Thousands. Many thousands.
I have put in some links below which will be of interest.
http://voices.yahoo.com/wind-vs-nuclear-wisdom-professor-dick-hill-3737714.html
http://www.aweo.org/problemwithwind.html
http://www.google.com/search?q=wind+turbines+on+fire&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
http://www.google.com/search?q=wind+turbines+abandoned&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
Less than 2.5% of the oil consumed by the US is used to generate electricity.
These are intermediate-load and peaking power plants fueled by heavy residual oil and petroleum coke (the dregs of the refining process) that rarely operate.
US wind farms already produce more electricity each year than oil fired power plants.
In 2010 – oil-fired plants produced 37,061 thousand MWh of electricity.
Wind turbines produced 94,652 thousand MWh of electricity
Please try to keep up.
California is investing in thousands of megawatts of new wind and solar generating capacity – and its economy will benefit from affordable stable electricity prices.
California wind farms are not pipe dreams – they are valuable economic assets and job creators.
US utilities commissioned 3600 MW of new wind capacity in the first three quarters of 2011.
Please tell us where all these abandoned wind farms are located – lol.
The GOP fools no one.
Yessah
http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber/archives/46519
http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/02/wind_energys_ghosts_1.html
Buy the cheapest energy. PERIOD
I must admit that maybe LePage is right about this one. Even though he is sucking up to natural gas company. I believe that we need to socialize the Hydro Power in Maine. No one owns all that water, we all do! We all deserve a cut of it before taxes and expenses, the same way Alaska does with oil.