Don’t go back to energy future

Thank you for your series of articles on “Electricity Choice in Maine” as well as the ongoing articles about the California electricity shortages, and the article (Feb. 6) about the need for additional gas pipelines to fuel the new gas fired power plants. The New England situation is different from California, but there is one major pitfall about to happen in our region – the projection that, by 2005, 45 percent of New England’s electricity will be produced by natural gas without the pipeline capacity to carry enough gas to power the plants during the Winter.

The Coalition for Sensible Energy, a Maine nonprofit totally volunteer organization, supports the increased use of natural gas since it is the cleanest fossil fuel and permits the most efficient form of electric generation – the combined cycle turbine. However, to ensure reliability of our electric supply as well as reduce costs, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, we need to combine the use of gas with the use of more hydroelectric, biomass, solar and wind energy as well as greater energy conservation.

This overdependence on one fuel happened before – oil was the fuel that fired power plants in the 1970s until the oil producers decided to hold us hostage. Maine, intelligently, decided that, for our own protection and to assure reliable energy, we needed to be more self-reliant on our own renewable energy sources as well as increase energy conservation. As of the early 1990s, Maine’s electric power was produced with in-state 50 percent renewable sources – hydroelectric, biomass and co-generation. This in-state renewable energy production helped to employ Maine families, provided tax revenues to rural communities and the state, as well as secured a clean, reliable energy supply. Energy conservation programs in Maine have provided enough savings to replace at least one power plant’s output.

Thankfully, Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins understand the importance of energy efficiency and the increased use of renewable distributed generation. They are both co-sponsoring the just introduced “Energy Efficiency in Buildings Incentives Act- S 207.” This bi-partisan bill provides tax credits to homeowners and tax deductions to businesses that improve the efficiency of their buildings by 30 percent to 50 percent as compared to minimum code requirements. It also provides tax credits and deductions for the use of solar hot water and photovoltaics on buildings.

CSE has been working on the issues surrounding the electric industry restructuring in Maine since the fall of 1995. Here are some ways your choices for electricity can fulfill the promise of a clean, diverse energy mix and more efficient electricity use in all parts of the Maine economy so that we are not held hostage:

? Purchase electricity produced by renewable fuels: Maine currently requires that all electric supplies include at least 30percent from renewable and co-generated energy. You can buy higher amounts of renewable energy. One firm already offering a renewable electric product is Energy Atlantic located in Houlton. The Maine Council of Churches has formed Maine Interfaith Power and Light, which is in the process of combining the purchasing power of the churches, and volunteering members and even the members’ businesses to ask for bids for renewable power at the least cost. Talk to these groups and ask that they use Maine produced renewable power.

? Think of new ways to conserve electricity – it saves money: In cooking, cook more than one meal’s worth at a time – it saves physical energy as well as gas and propane or electric energy. Dry your clothes on a line instead of a dryer. Turn off lights as you leave a room and switch to compact fluorescent bulbs. Turn off your computer and other electric equipment when through. Air-dry your hair. Turn down your furnace (the less it comes on, the less electricity it uses). When you purchase electric appliances, look for the Energy Star label. Learn about what incentives are being offered from your utility for various conservation programs.

Refer to the State of Maine Web site on the Bundle Me Up program. New, more efficient ways of producing products are being developed all the time. The Maine Chamber of Commerce’s Energy and Environment Center is helping small and large businesses learn to save energy as well as reduce costs of production. A kilowatt saved is a lower electric bill.

? Think about self-generating at least part of your electric needs: The use of clean self-generation – wind, solar, fuel cells – would reduce our dependence on one fuel, as well as lessen demands on the transmission system. There are lots of products on the market that are very reliable and cost-effective. Talk to your legislators about developing a low-interest loan program and other forms of tax incentives or rebates for Maine citizens and small businesses. Support United States Senate Bill S 207.

? Learn what the fuel sources and emissions characteristics are for your electricity: For human and ecological health as well as reducing the threats from human-induced global climate change, the lower the NOx, SO2 and CO2 in the fuels the better. Unfortunately, the information currently shown on the Uniform Disclosure Statement is outdated and incorrect. Hopefully this will soon be corrected.

CSE urges all rate-payers to learn more about your electric power and your current and future options. Using the two “c’s – Choice and Conservation – can help keep Maine from going back to the future.

Pamela W. Person is climate change and air quality director of the Coalition for Sensible Energy, based in, Bucksport.