Augusta, ME – Solar companies across the state reacted to the news this afternoon of Governor LePage’s veto of LD 1649, An Act to Modernize Maine’s Solar Power Policy and Encourage Economic Development.

The bill represents a unique, collaborative effort between parties that have often found little agreement related to solar policy. Maine’s investor-owned utilities, local solar contractors, municipalities, environmental advocates, and the Office of the Public Advocate all support the measure, which will modernize the relationship between solar technologies and the regulated electrical utilities in the state. If passed, the bill would significantly increase Maine’s solar capacity and open up market sectors – such as grid-scale, agricultural, municipal, industrial and commercial applications – that are currently nonexistent in Maine due to current regulation. The bill also provides predictability in Maine’s existing solar markets, namely the residential and light commercial sectors.

The bill received bipartisan support in the Maine House and Senate and will return to those chambers on Friday when votes are scheduled to determine whether the legislature will override vetoes made by Governor Paul LePage.

For small business owner Vaughan Woodruff of Insource Renewables in Pittsfield, the bill’s progress has provided a mixture of hope and frustration.

“We entered into these negotiations in an effort to adapt Maine’s energy policy to meet the demands of a technology that is significantly different than many conventional sources of electricity,” said Woodruff. “The stakeholder process was challenging but ultimately demonstrated the ability for Mainers to come together to create a solution that benefits the people of Maine.”

Woodruff’s frustration stems from efforts by the governor’s office and out-of-state companies. Woodruff claims that these parties have been working directly with key legislators to undermine the efforts of stakeholders that were directed by the legislature to develop these solutions.

“Instead of focusing on solutions that address our state’s unique energy opportunities, the opposition is directly working to undermine the use of solar in our state. As a result, they are threatening the livelihoods of 330 Maine workers and their families,” commented Woodruff.

Maine’s solar companies are already feeling the consequences of the uncertainty surrounding LD 1649 and its outcome. Several companies have scaled back in recent weeks as potential clients have waited for the outcome of bill.

Assured Solar Energy, a solar contracting firm based in North Yarmouth, had seen significant growth in 2015. Owner Rob Taisey has seen continued interest in solar, but his operations have slowed significantly as prospective clients wait for certainty on how decisions in Augusta might affect their investments.

“Installing a solar energy system is a decision that many of our customers have thought about for years. It is an easy decision to put off for a while longer,” explained Taisey. “It would be irresponsible of the legislature not to develop a clear policy on solar and instead rely on the unelected, LePage-appointed PUC to come up with their own process to review net energy billing.”

Sam Zuckerman, owner of Maine Solar Solutions in Durham, has seen similar impacts. Zuckerman, like many solar business owners in Maine, has significant concerns about the future of Maine’s solar industry should the future of net metering be left to the Public Utilities Commission’s scheduled review of the policy.

“If we have this continued uncertainty while the public waits for the PUC’s review of net metering, many of our state’s solar companies may not be around by the time they make their ruling,” explained Zuckerman.

Fortunat Mueller of ReVision Energy of Portland was heavily involved in the stakeholder process that resulted in the drafting of LD 1649. Mueller voiced frustration with Governor LePage’s lack of good faith during the past ten months of negotiations with stakeholders.

“Each time an agreement was reached, the Governor and the director of his energy office, Patrick Woodcock, continued to bring up new objections and to move the goalposts,” said Mueller.

Mueller contends that the governor’s reasons for vetoing the bill demonstrates either LePage’s lack of understanding of the legislation or a willingness to be dishonest about the bill’s details in order to coerce lawmakers.

“He says he is vetoing the bill because it doesn’t contain price caps, when the bill has three separate mechanisms that constrain possible rate payer impacts. Every comprehensive analysis of the program shows a rate payer savings of over $100M over 20 years,” explained Mueller.

“The governor is simply wrong.”

In order to override the governor’s veto, two-thirds of Maine’s representatives and two-thirds of the senate will need to affirm the measure. The Senate voted unanimously in favor of LD 1649 prior to the veto and the House fell a few votes shy of the supermajority that will be needed for an override.

Supporters are optimistic that Maine’s legislature will vote to override the veto. Mueller believes that the estimated $500 million dollars of direct investment, 650 new jobs, and reduced electricity costs for all Mainers will convince legislators of the bill’s importance.

“The more that lawmakers understand the bill, the more they have voiced their support for it. We are confident that the legislature will vote on Friday to override the Governor’s veto,” said Mueller.

For more information or to schedule interviews, please contact Vaughan Woodruff, (207) 659-1054 

VIA: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/04/20/solar-power-supporters-face-long-odds-against-lepage-veto/cZscmLVflamEe1A9V9A4MO/story.html

AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine solar power advocates face long odds as they work to persuade enough Republican lawmakers to switch their votes on a high-profile solar bill and override an almost-certain veto by Republican Gov. Paul LePage.

Advocates say they are six votes short in the House and five votes short in the Senate of the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto. The Legislature will vote on April 29 when it reconvenes for a day to decide whether to override vetoes issued by the governor.

LePage has up to 10 days to veto a bill after it gets to his desk. The governor, who often waits until the last day to veto a bill, said in a radio interview that he would not sign the solar bill because ratepayers are being ‘‘bamboozled’’ by solar installers.

The bill, which has overwhelming support from Democrats, would change how solar customers are paid for their surplus power. Utilities, instead of paying retail price, would pay rates set by regulators.

Maine’s rooftop solar firms say the bill’s failure would jeopardize their industry because the state’s current solar policies are expiring. Without legislative action, they say, the LePage-appointed Public Utilities Commission this year could drastically cut the payout homeowners receive for their surplus power.

Fortunat Mueller, a partner with Portland-based ReVision Energy, said his company has put on hold plans to buy a Portland building for a showroom and warehouse. He said the company is now looking at purchasing a building in New Hampshire because lawmakers there have just passed a bipartisan bill that provides the industry with stability.

Vaughan Woodruff, a Pittsfield solar installer, said he hopes lawmakers will change their minds if they take the time to study the bill rather than rely on misinformation distributed by opponents.

‘‘It’s not a forgone conclusion that this thing is dead,’’ he said.

Maine Public Advocate Tim Schneider, who was appointed by LePage and represents the interests of ratepayers, said the bill would add 31 cents to the average homeowner’s monthly electric bill of about $70 or $80 in the fourth year of the program. After that, he said, the program would create savings, primarily because he expects the cost of other energy sources will increase.

He said the bill would save Maine ratepayers $58 million over 20 years. Individual residential customers would save on average 15 cents per month over 20 years, he said.