McGowan for Maine

Our country is at a crossroads regarding energy production and consumption.  We currently use a great amount of energy to heat our homes, power our businesses, and fuel our vehicles.  At the same time, we are heavily reliant on energy sources that are finite and financially unpredictable.  Because of Maine’s rural geography and cool climate, our state is especially energy dependent, and we collectively export millions of dollars each year out of state and overseas.  These energy challenges create an opportunity for bold leadership, and Pat McGowan has the clearest plan – a 2020 Vision – to move Maine toward energy self reliance within ten years through increased conservation, expanded local generation, and investments in innovation.

Promote Conservation & Energy Efficiency

The most immediate and economical way to reduce energy costs in Maine is to reduce energy consumption through conservation and efficiency.  On Earth Day 2010, Pat conducted an energy audit of his 1835-era home in Hallowell, Maine.  The results of the audit showed that by making modest renovations to his home, he could significantly cut his household energy consumption and save money each year.  Pat believes that expanding conservation and efficiency programs is essential to move Maine toward energy self reliance.

• Form public-private partnerships to perform energy audits.  Just as the first step in any medical treatment is a proper diagnosis, the first step toward energy conservation and efficiency is an energy audit.  While the cost of such an audit is relatively inexpensive, it may be an expense that many families and businesses cannot afford during tough economic times.  That’s why Pat supports forming public-private partnerships where state and federal funds are available to subsidize the cost.  Maine must expand the use of energy audits if it wishes to effectively promote the goals of conservation and efficiency.
  
• Expand weatherization and efficiency programs.  The Efficiency Maine Trust, which starts on July 1, 2010, consolidates all energy efficiency programs in Maine under a single umbrella.  The Trust will contain tools to help Maine residents weatherize their homes and increase the energy efficiency of their businesses, but the Trust’s funding stream remains uncertain because Federal stimulus dollars will run out within the next few years.  As Governor, Pat will work with the Maine Public Utilities Commission and the Legislature to develop appropriate long term funding sources to support large scale weatherization and efficiency programs.  The quickest way to reduce oil and electricity consumption is through efficiency improvements, and Maine must make essential investments to jumpstart this work. 
• Support tax incentives for hybrid cars and alternative energy.  Pat was born in Bangor, grew up in rural central Maine, and has visited to every corner of this state.  As he drives, canoes, and flies across Maine, he can see the changes that have taken place in the last ten years – windmills on ridgelines, solar panels on houses, and hybrid cars in driveways.  Being green is not always easy for Maine families and businesses, so Pat wants to ensure that state tax policies reward energy efficiency.  During tough budget times in the last few years, the state has cut back on tax incentives for hybrid cars and alternative energy use.  As Governor, Pat will work with the Legislature to restore these incentives and make them more widely available. 

Expand Energy Generation in Maine

As Commissioner of the Maine Department of Conservation, Pat was responsible for overseeing the expansion of wind power in the state and chaired Governor Baldacci’s Wood to Energy Taskforce on biomass.  From these experiences, he knows that Maine is uniquely positioned to become an energy hub for the northeastern United States.  Our state has abundant natural resources, and as Governor, Pat will work to harness these resources to generate clean, renewable energy, create jobs, and drive down electricity rates for consumers.

• Responsibly harness Maine’s wind resources.  Maine has the greatest wind resources in the northeastern United States, including both on-shore and off-shore sites.  Our state is already a regional leader in wind energy generation and as Governor, Pat will work with stakeholders – local landowners, fisherman, environmentalists, and energy companies – to responsibly increase generation.  The energy will be used both to power Maine homes and businesses, and as an exportable commodity that will bring revenue back into the state.  By responsibly harnessing Maine’s wind resources, Pat will create hundreds of good paying jobs and attract spinoff businesses such as engineering firms and turbine manufacturers.   
• Turn wood into energy.  Maine’s traditional economy has been built on forestry, fishing, and farming.  Pat is the only candidate running for Governor with a clear plan to modernize these industries into the green jobs of the future.  Part of this plan is the Great Maine Forest Initiative, which calls for conservation of Maine’s working forests, promotion of green-certified timber harvesting, and expansion of clean, renewable biomass energy.  The Initiative will ensure that domestic manufacturers have cheap, sustainable power to run their plants and allow them to produce and export value-added “green certified” lumber, pulp, and paper across the country and around the world.
• Explore a LNG facility in Washington County.  With the support of affected local communities, Maine should support a safe and environmentally sound LNG import facility in Washington County.  The development will likely bring a terminal, re-gasification plant, and expanded pipeline to Downeast Maine.  The project will also bring good paying jobs to the region and supplement our state’s natural gas supply, which will lower peak costs for Maine consumers.

Invest in Energy Innovation

Maine is a state of entrepreneurs and can-do people who pride themselves on resilience, adaptation, and innovation.  Because our state is uniquely positioned to become an energy hub for the northeastern United States, Maine must be a leader and innovator in the green economy.  The next generation of innovative ideas for the green economy should be Maine ideas, and in ten years, Maine should be the capital of the green economy in the United States and the world.

• Pioneer and perfect the production of biofuels.  Maine is already a leader in the area of biofuel innovation.  Old Town Fuel & Fiber is collaborating with the University of Maine on an exciting and promising project to make biofuel out of wood bi-products.  Maine should support and encourage expanded public-private partnerships of this type and step forward with additional support for the research, development, and commercialization of biofuels.  The groundwork and infrastructure for innovation in this area has been set, and it will be up to the next Governor to make these sound investments.
• Develop and implement “smart grid” technology.  For many years, engineers, power companies, and policymakers have been talking about the development of a smart power grid in the United States that can intelligently monitor the flow of electricity from suppliers and the use of electricity by industrial and residential consumers.  Because smart grid technology is rapidly moving toward reality, Maine must continue to explore strategies for affordable implementation.  Developing and implementing a smart and modern power grid, and employing other technologies such as dynamic pricing and thermal storage, will help Maine promote the reliability of our state’s energy system, reduce carbon emissions, and achieve energy self reliance.