An Energy Vision for Maine in 2020

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An Energy Vision for Maine in 2020
Presentation to Climate Change in Maine
Reducing Risks, Reducing Costs and Planning for
the Future
Erika Morgan, Executive Director Maine Energy
Investment Corporation Brunswick
erika_at_RenewMaine.org
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2020 The Wider Context

• Oil is gone. Implications .
• Local sources win.
• Closed Loop processes.
• New Pricing mechanisms, voluntary or otherwise
• Tensions during the transition..
• Highlights of the Energy Vision
• Agriculture
• Transportation
• Residential /Community

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Agriculture and Energy

• Food from local sources
• On-Farm energy
• Wind
• Gasification
• Biofuels

4
Transportation and Production

• Transportation
• Clean fuels are ubiquitous
• Vehicles get better mileage
• A growing multi-model transit system
• BioProducts are coming fast
• Starch-based and Biomass-based
• Biomass gt bio-oil DME gt olefins ethylene,
  propylene and polypropelene, among others.
• Plastics to pharmaceuticals- everything oil did.

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Residential / Community

• Energy Efficiency for existing homes
• New American Neighborhoods mean more walking,
  fewer vehicles
• New Construction is Zero Energy
• Passive design, radiant floor heating and hot
  water all standard.
• Distributed generation wind and/or PV, fuel cells
  coming.
• Make your home climate-neutral by offsetting
  other emissions.
• Terrapass orangecard etc.

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Community Energy Vision

• Clean Electricity through
• Wind installations in buildings, public parks
• Long-term wind contracts and/or
• Community gasification units
• Expanded municipal role in waste collection and
  energy production
• Biofuels from collected greases, yard wastes
• Sales of excess over town use.
• Bottom line climate neutral operations

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Conclusion What Can We Do Now?

• Three Core Actions
• Full cost - Voluntarily pay it now, or we will
  pay later.
• Infrastructure -- Build it now, through your
  choices purchases patronize climate
  leaders
• Cover everything -- All buildings, operations and
  activities must work toward climate-neutrality.

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Conclusion We CAN Do it!

• Americans can always be counted upon to do the
  right thing, after all other possibilities have
  been exhausted.
• -- Winston Churchill
• Despair is only for those who see the end
  beyond all doubt. We do not. It is wisdom to
  recognize necessity when all other courses have
  been weighed.
• -- Gandalf, in The fellowship of the Ring,
  J.R.R. Tolkien