The U.S. Coast Guard is partnering with The University of Maine Advanced Structures and Composites Center (known as AEWC) to conduct a study to determine the cost savings associated with the development of composite buoys.

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Governor John Baldacci met with the leaders of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf states and United States Interior Department Secretary Ken Salazar in Washington D.C. to discuss offshore wind development and energy transmission.

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Maine will receive $11.5 million in Recovery Act funds to promote quality of health care through technology and to develop the State’s health care workforce.

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In February President Barack Obama announced a series of steps his Administration is taking as part of its comprehensive strategy to enhance American energy independence while building a foundation for a new clean energy economy.

At a meeting with a bipartisan group of eleven governors, including Governor Baldacci from Maine, the President laid out three measures that will work in concert to boost biofuels production and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

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Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced on January 22, 2010, that $4.8 billion in stimulus funds is available in a second round of grants and loans to expand broadband access in rural areas across the country.

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“The Maine Home Performance program is open for business,” said Governor Baldacci. “All Maine homeowners are able to participate. By making eligible improvements in their homes, they can access rebates of up to $3,000 and save between 25 percent and 50 percent on their home heating bill.”

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WASHINGTON, DC –The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced that the University of Maine in Orono will receive a $12.5 million Recovery Act grant to construct the new Advanced Nanocomposites in Renewable Energy Laboratory (ANREL) at the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center. The new laboratory will be the only such facility in the United States to include complete development capabilities for designing, prototyping and testing large structural hybrid composite and nanocomposite components for the deep water offshore wind energy industry.

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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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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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Impressed, was the look on the countenances of Statoil representatives after they finished their Maine energy infrastructure tour with Bath Iron Works, as the last stop. Seeing how the company makes state-of–the art destroyers for the U.S. government is always impressive.

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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