Today, the Maine Public Utilities Commission’s Efficiency Maine program announced the award of $635,000 for energy efficiency projects at 19 commercial, municipal and non-profit facilities across Maine.

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Governor John E. Baldacci today presented his priorities for restoring $78.7 million in cuts original proposed to close a budget gap created by the global recession and declining State revenues.

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Governor Baldacci delivers his State of the State address. photos by Ramona du Houx

In his speech, the Governor said that in these challenging times, Maine people rise to the occasion, and that working together, Maine will have a more secure future.

“Despite the difficulties we face, the hard choices and hard work ahead, the next chapter in Maine’s history will be one of resurgence, growth and opportunity,” said the Governor. “The choices we make will help to determine which way Maine goes.”

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• Exclusive Interview with Gov. John Baldacci about Maine’s wind-energy potential and how the state will become an energy exporter

• The plan to close the budget gap – implementing more efficiencies will help

Editorial—
• Maine’s recovery – it started seven years ago

Maine is moving forward with the development of alternative energies. Recent accomplishments include:

• Fox Islands Electric Cooperative, a model for community wind development

• Offshore wind test sites are the beginning of Maine’s future exporting energy

• Brunswick Naval Air Station could become a green-energy hub

• Kibby Wind adds to Maine’s reputation as a wind-power generator

• Maine’s weatherization programs

• Expanded natural gas pipeline provides energy options

With wind development growing in Maine educational programs for wind-energy technology and wind-tower rescue are also on the rise with:

• Northern Maine’s Community College program,

• A specialized training programs for wind-energy technology and wind-tower rescue,

• and UMaine’s new graduate and undergraduate programs

Taking action for climate change legislation—

• Operation Free – defending America with climate-change action

The first step for the Maine Forest Initiative—

• Sustaining Maine’s forests – a model for the federal government

Businesses News—

• Maine Standard Biofuels of Portland, Maine

• $25 million to expand broadband to rural Maine

• Old Town Canoe stays in Maine and expands with Pine Tree Zone assistance

All photography in this issue by Ramona du Houx unless indicated

Ocean wind energy—

How important is deep ocean wind energy to Maine’s overall renewable energy plans?

“I truly believe that deep ocean wind will be the major resource of domestic renewable energy, for our region. We have a tremendous opportunity before us to export this resource to our region, and met our energy needs.

“Deep-sea ocean wind energy is the future. When I went to Norway and saw their floating wind turbine it stood before us, like the Washington Monument, my immediate reaction was to say, ‘this is the future.’ We have consistently strong winds offshore producing enough energy to power 149 nuclear power plants.

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Robert Marvinney, State Geologist and Dr. Dagher or UMaine talk to Gov. Bladacci about the offshore wind tests.

Maine took another big step in becoming the first state to create offshore wind test and demonstration sites. During a press conference at the Statehouse, government officials and researches announced three sites where offshore wind prototypes will be constructed. The first of which will begin construction late in 2010.

According to Dr. Habib Dagher, director of UMaine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center, Maine could generate electrical energy from offshore wind equivalent to 149 nuclear power plants. The offshore wind potential of 100 gigawatts is three to four times the current peak demand for all of New England.

That’s a lot of energy, more than enough to power Maine homes and businesses with electrical heat and lights, as well as export it to New England and Canadian markets.

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A massive hanger on BNAS. The base has nearly two million square feet of industrial and commercial space that could be used to build wind turbines and component parts.

Instilling confidence that Maine is the right partner to work with in producing wind turbines was a clear objective of Maine’s delegation that hosted the Norwegian company’s visit. Another stop along their tour was the soon-to-be decommissioned Naval Air Station Brunswick.

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Gov. Baldacci talks to students of the wind training in Portland.

The specialized course, Tower Rescue & Composite Training 2009, also instructed these individuals in composite technology, wind-tower repair at Southern Maine Community College Advanced Technology Center extension in Brunswick. Wind-tower composite repair could become something Maine specializes in with the research and development occurring at UMaine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center.

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Maine has been recognized as a leader in wind-energy development. There are currently 300 megawatts operating or under construction in Maine, with another 450 megawatts of wind in various stages of development throughout the state. Already, Maine is home to 95 percent of the operating onshore wind capacity in New England.

The overall plan is to educate students in Maine in wind technologies, from the development stages, with the composite technology expertise at UMaine, to engineering the turbines. The education received could, upon graduation, translate to jobs with companies in Maine that are part of the DeepCwind Consortium.

With 15,000 jobs projected in this field, Maine is gearing its educational programs up to meet the demand for skilled workers.

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NMCC students (from left) Neil Berry and Eric Harvey take in the view at the top of the wind tower on the UMaine Presque Isle campus. As part of their safety training, all wind-power students must complete a climb test on the 225 foot tower, including standing on top of it.

The program instructs students in how to operate, maintain, and repair wind-turbine generators.

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