Where the Sun Don’t Shine

In his State of the State speech last month, the governor promised incentives to encourage the purchase and use of solar energy systems in Maine homes and businesses. The governor’s push to use domestic, clean energy supplies is welcome, but it must be tempered with the realization that solar, as well as some other alternative energy supplies, will make only a tiny dent on the state and country’s reliance on foreign oil.

Gov. John Baldacci wants to reduce Maine’s dependence on oil, especially when it comes from volatile regions, notably the Middle East. He also wants to move toward cleaner power sources. Both fine goals but solar panels won’t get him to them.

Last year, the United States imported 11.85 million barrels of oil a day, according to the Energy Information Administration, and 5.44 million barrels a day were produced domestically. According to the administration, 85 percent of the energy consumed in the United States comes from fossil fuels, mostly oil. Less than 6 percent comes from renewable sources, with far less than 1 percent coming from wind and solar combined. Clearly these latter power sources have much potential for growth, but they are far from supplanting oil as an energy source.

Two more facts from the energy agency: 94 percent of solar collectors in the United States are used for heating swimming pools and 4 percent are used for domestic hot water heating. The other is that not many solar panels are currently sent to Maine; they mostly go to sunny places, such as Florida and California.

So unless the governor plans to change the weather – who wouldn’t support more sunny days? – or entice Mainers to build a lot of swimming pools, this effort raises false hopes. Rather than offering tax incentives for solar power, the governor would do better to encourage people to wrap their hot water heater and pipes, to use energy-efficient light bulbs and to buy fuel-efficient cars.

These have worked for state government, which purchases 40 percent of its electricity from renewable sources, mainly hydropower. Further, fuel-efficient vehicles have been added to the state’s fleet, state buildings have undergone energy audits and are heated with biodiesel. As a result, the state has saved $776,000 in energy and transportation costs and greenhouse gas emissions have been cut by 8 percent in the past two years.

Until Maine can change the weather, this state model is worth replicating privately.