A legislative committee heard testimony on Friday about a bill to require the state to buy only electric vehicles for the state fleet, if they are sufficient to meet the requisite tasks, in order to reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change.
Members of the State and Local Government Committee had questions about electric vehicle performance in cold areas like Aroostook County, and about what happens if there are blackouts on the grid, as demand grows for electricity. Bill sponsor Sen. Ben Chipman, a democrat from Portland, said the power could come from the sun.
"In terms of where the power comes from, what I envision is the state installing more solar panels, and actually creating our own power and charging vehicles with our own power and not being reliant on the grid, and not being reliant on CMP and Versant and whatever rates they are charging at the time," Chipman said.
A representative of the Propane Gas Association of New England spoke in opposition to the bill, and encouraged the legislators to at least amend it to include propane-fueled vehicles.
