MAINE MORNING STAR • January 10, 2025
With only about 50,000 commercial and residential natural gas customers in Maine, there is a looming question about how much it will continue to contribute to the state’s energy mix. Public Advocate William Harwood and environmental advocates would like to see its use wind down in the coming years, but others say the resource is the stopgap needed for Maine to reach its clean energy goals. While the state waits for an analysis to help guide utilities into the future, there are generally two schools of thought on how natural gas factors into a more climate-friendly energy mix. Since it is cleaner than coal or oil, some view it as a bridge to more reliance on renewable energy sources as dirtier fossil fuels come offline. Others want to scale back its use, given that it still presents environmental risks.