The Governor is leaving today on another trade mission, this time to Spain and Germany. According to the Maine International Trade Center, the state-funded organization that is organizing the trip, this mission is different. This time, instead of focusing on a geographic area, the mission is focusing on wind energy.
According to various news reports, the mission will generate contacts and maybe some investment in Maine. I wish them luck.
But while we offer our good wishes for success, it might be useful to understand how far behind our state is in the wind-power game. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Texas is the national leader with almost 10,000 megawatts installed or under construction. Maine has about 100 megawatts installed or under construction. For Maine to get into the Top 10 states in capacity, we need to increase our wind capacity by 882%.
States like Texas, Iowa, California, Washington, Oregon, Minnesota, Illinois, New York, Colorado, Indiana and Oklahoma (the top 10 in wind power capacity) all offer significant tax incentives for wind power construction. Each of these states have improved their electric grids to accept this power. Each has streamlined their regulatory process to allow this energy development.
Maine, on the other hand, offers no tax incentives for wind power projects. Our state’s electric grid is verging on antiquated, and our regulatory process for wind projects often adds up to months and months of inaction before a project can be built (and that’s if it even receives approval).
A sales and marketing strategy is important – we need to show the world that we are capable and interested in becoming a leader in the wind power industry. But if the world responds, are we prepared?
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Matt Jacobson is the President and CEO of Maine and Company, and a current Republican candidate for Governor of Maine.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published at the Jacobson for Governor Blog
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