Thursday’s ruling is a blow to solar advocates who have fought the new rule that reduces credits to homeowners. By Megan Doyle, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has dismissed a legal challenge to a controversial new solar energy rule, saying the dispute should go to a lower court Read More
net metering
New Solar Rules Cause Headaches for Solar Users, Installers & Innovators
“The Maine Public Utilities Commission is out of control…” by Andy O’Brien Free Press news story Last week, Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) voted to move back the date to implement controversial new rules affecting rooftop solar users from May 1 to March 16. Under Maine’s current net-metering rules, homes and businesses can sell excess Read More
Advocates for Home Solar Projects Slam Decision by “Out-of-Control” PUC
Pressured by Gov. LePage, the commission decides new rules reducing compensation for rooftop-generated power will take effect March 16, six weeks earlier than the deadline it set two months ago. by Tux Turkel, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story Maine’s rooftop solar installers, who thought they had until April 30 to put up panels Read More
Lawmakers Have One More Chance to Fix Nonsensical Solar Rules
Bangor Daily News editorial Maine lawmakers again have the chance to fix unnecessary rules that will hamper the development of solar and other alternative, clean energy in Maine and will also needlessly cost Mainers millions of dollars. In 2016, the Legislature passed a bipartisan bill to update the state’s rules around solar power generation. LePage Read More
Support of LD 1686, An Act to Amend the Laws Regarding Distributed Energy Generation and to Eliminate Gross Metering
Senator David Woodsome, Representative Seth Berry, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities & Technology, my name is Dylan Voorhees and I am the Clean Energy Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). Thank you for allowing us to present this testimony. Given the history of the policies in this bill, Read More
Solar Power Continues to Gain Ground in Central Maine
Projects are going up all over, aiming to harness electricity and, in the process, create local jobs. by Colin Ellis, Morning Sentinel Central Maine newspapers news story In early December, when light was dwindling in the late afternoon and wintry weather was taking hold, space heaters were coming out of storage and household lights were Read More
Public Utilities Commission Hears from Public on Proposed Solar Rule Change
By Brandon Doyen WABI news story HALLOWELL, Maine (WABI) – The Public Utilities Commission heard from the public in Hallowell on Tuesday on a rule the PUC proposed that would double the cost to connect solar installations to the grid. Members from the Natural Resources Council of Maine as well as businesses and homeowners that Read More
Resistance to LePage’s Solar Policies Grows in Maine
Environmental groups are pushing back on both the dismantling of net metering and increased interconnection fees on solar owners, in the courts and in public hearings. by Christian Roselund PV Magazine news story Maine Governor Paul LePage was initially elected to office with less than 40% of the vote, and was largely the beneficiary of Read More
Maine Solar Advocates Win Reprieve in Advance of Lawsuit
The Maine PUC delays the start of the law to allow time to clear up confusion, extending the current power pricing that’s an incentive for rooftop installations. by Tux Turkel, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story HALLOWELL — Maine’s rooftop solar installers won a four-month reprieve Tuesday when the Maine Public Utilities Commission voted Read More
