Testimony in favor of LD. 1447 “An Act To Create Jobs through the Establishment of the Renewable Energy Resources Feed-in Tariff Program” by Mike White of the Midcoast Green Collaborative. Wednesday: 4/27/2011, 1:00 PM Hearing room of the Utilities and Energy Committee, Cross Building, Augusta.
It’s time to loosen the grip of the monopolies that produce and distribute electricity You don’t have to be Florida Power & Light to build a solar plant on your rooftop. Maine people, small Maine businesses, and Maine Farmers could benefit from the passage of a feed in tariff law.
We have every reason to demand that renewable energy be the basis for our future energy system. Electricity produced from renewable sources, the wind and the sun, is non-polluting and sustainable. The use of renewable energy does not endanger the climate and the fuel is free.
We need policies that rapidly transition our energy system from polluting, unsustainable fossil fuels to sustainable, renewable sources. Feed-in tariffs are the mechanism used in all countries where renewables have been ramped up. No country has been successful with another policy.
Our major electric utility, Central Maine Power, will oppose this feed in tariff bill. They’ll say this is going to be very expensive. They’ll say we are going to pay many times more for electricity. They’ll throw out a number that sounds like a lot. The reality is feed in tariffs fairly distribute the costs among ratepayers and the cost is only a couple of dollars per month per ratepayer.
Since the payments are covered by ratepayers, they don’t hurt the utilities’ balance sheets. Feed-in tariffs make it easier for anyone to make a profit generating renewable electricity. So, in essence, it’s asking utilities to help in the undoing of their monopolies.
We need Central Maine Power. We need them to be a strong and viable company that does what it does best, distribute electricity. We also need to put Mainers first by giving us the right to become producers of clean, green, renewably produced electricity, to help in the twin efforts of combating climate change and achieving energy independence.
I strongly recommend a yes vote for LD 1447.
Mike White, Island Carpentry Inc., 258 Robinhood Road, Georgetown, Maine 04548; 207-371-2030, islandcarpentry@yahoo.com, www.island-carpentry.com
