PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 29, 2022
Our reliance on fossil fuels to heat our homes and power the grid means we regularly feel the effects of global events in our wallets. We need long-term solutions. To start, we should continue to diversity our electricity generation. The Public Utilities Commission can procure additional solar and wind energy to lock in low electricity prices for ratepayers through long-term power purchase agreements. Lawmakers should also increase the supply of electric vehicles in the state. By prioritizing solar projects on degraded or developed lands, we can move forward rapidly but also responsibly. Lawmakers should fund community resilience initiatives like the Community Resilience Partnership and state support for municipal planning. ~ Kate Dempsey, The Nature Conservancy in Maine