Is it lights out for solar? ☀️🪫
About six years ago, lawmakers expanded Maine's Net Energy Billing program to encourage renewable energy in the state. And it worked — too well, some would say.
"The goal in 2019 was to build 750 megawatts of solar," said Maine Public Advocate Heather Sanborn. "And we have built 1,600 megawatts of solar under that program."
Net Energy Billing allows residents and businesses to install on-site solar power, then get credits on their electric bill for power they don't use, which is sent back to the grid.
The expansion allowed bigger solar developments of up to 5 megawatts to take advantage of that benefit, and increased the number of customers each array could serve.
That led to an explosion of solar construction across the state, as solar companies rushed to capitalize on specialized electric rates subsidized by electric customers.
The expansion soon became a political flashpoint, as costs of the program rose. The program has been modified several times by lawmakers in the past few years.
Now, Maine's controversial net energy billing program is coming to an end. A new law, passed this session, stops new developments from receiving benefits and slashes compensation for existing solar farms.
Eliza Donoghue, executive director of the Maine Renewable Energy Association, said Maine is abandoning its commercial solar program at the same time as the Trump administration is taking aim at renewable energy — including by gutting tax credits for developers and homeowners in its signature "big beautiful bill" recently signed into law.
"I think there is generally wide agreement on the egregiousness of what's happening on the federal level in regards to the clean energy policy," Donoghue said. "Then for Maine to be piling on top of that? It's a really troubling mix."
President Donald Trump’s massive budget bill, which he signed into law on July 4, will kneecap development of solar and wind energy, while incentivizing further development of oil and gas. The new laws phase out Biden-era tax credits for wind and solar projects. Now, those projects need to either break ground within one year, or come online by the end of 2027 to access the credits. And, it terminates credits for home energy efficiency upgrades by the end of 2025, including rooftop solar, electric heat pumps and insulation.
Already, some large Maine solar projects are being put on hold. But short-term demand for rooftop solar has skyrocketed, as homeowners try to take advantage of a tax credit that reimburses up to 30 percent of the cost, by the end of the year.
All of this comes as Gov. Janet Mills has moved up Maine’s deadline for reaching 100% clean energy by 2040. Solar has already proved effective in stabilizing the New England grid during times of high energy demand – but what will its future be in Maine?
Under the new law, Maine energy officials have until September 2026 to come up with a renewable energy incentive plan to replace the net energy billing expansion.
~ Reporting by Peter McGuire. Listen to the full story here.
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American Airlines buys last of toxic firefighting foam at Brunswick airport
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You’ve probably heard the viral statistic: we currently have enough clothing on the planet to outfit the next six generations. Whether or not this is true (people attribute the quote to the British Fashion Council, but I couldn’t trace the original data, so I’m guessing it might be one of those zombie statistics), it likely gets repeated so often because it feels true.
We’ve seen mountains of clothes in landfills, on beaches and filling abandoned lots, often abroad. We’ve seen the trend of “hauls” or “unboxing” videos on social media, where users try on piles of clothing, mostly fast fashion, for entertainment. We’ve heard that fashion is one of the most polluting industries, accounting for between 2%-10% of global emissions, and 20% of clean water pollution, all by itself. A 2018 study by UNICEF found that 85% of all textiles go to the dump each year, which is frankly shocking.
The fashion industry has made gestures at cleaning up its act since all these scary stats emerged; some seem to be actual attempts to incorporate recycled materials and buy-back programs into their business models, and some are poorly disguised greenwashing. It can be exhausting to play detective and try to figure out which is which. But, there is one area we have total control over: our own buying and discarding habits.
After all, some of the clothing in those giant piles strewn across places like Ghana (where some designers are making lemonade out of lemons, by the way) comes from the fashion industry — and some comes from us. If we’re not careful, our latest pile of spring cleaning donation clothes may be headed for a landfill, too.
Here are some steps you can take that will make sure you’re not unwittingly contributing to the textile waste problem.
Embrace minimalism
This is the obvious one — the most sustainable piece of clothing is the one you never bought. Lately, before purchasing something, I’m asking myself: does this item meet a need I have? Buying fewer, better-quality pieces reduces the need to clean out the closet, which means fewer clothes to discard in the first place. And as a nice plus, it likely saves money in the long run.
Would I give this to a friend?
Before dropping clothing off for donation, make sure it’s actually sellable and wearable. That means no stains, no tears, no musty smelling fabric — if it’s stretched out or too worn, most re-sale places can’t actually sell it. Always wash and fold clothes before donating, and if an item is past repair, textile recycling (below) is probably the best option. If you wouldn’t give it to a friend, don’t donate it! Another reason to make sure clothing is clean and dry: Goodwill reports it throws out about 5% of donated clothing annually due to mildew — apparently, it can contaminate entire bales of clothing. Eeek.
Think local
Not all donation centers operate the same way. Some only sell a fraction of what they receive and send the rest abroad or to landfill. Prioritize organizations that support your local community, such as homeless or women’s shelters, refugee resettlement groups, church donation drives, community closets or free stores and sometimes even libraries. Call ahead to ask what they accept and how donations are used. You may have to be patient: some places will only take things in season, such as coats in the wintertime. Or, to reach individuals directly, post it in your local Buy Nothing group on Facebook.
Go solo: sell your clothes yourself
Give your pre-loved pieces a second chance by selling them directly to people who actually want them. This reduces the risk of them being tossed by overwhelmed secondhand stores. Throw an old-fashioned yard or stoop sale, or look to online platforms like eBay, Poshmark, threadUP, or Depop, for example.
Responsibly recycle
For clothes that are no longer wearable (holey socks, stretched-out tees, undergarments, etc.), look for textile recycling programs. Brands like Trashie, Terracycle, and even some local dumps offer recycling options that turn worn-out items into insulation, industrial rags, or even new textiles. And you can support the circular economy by purchasing recycled fabrics, too: “For new items, look for ‘recycled content’ products to ensure we are creating demand for recycled textiles, which leads to more incentive for companies to close the loop and give new life to used textiles,” writes Beth Porter for Green America.
Bonus: Rent it!
Buying something to wear to a one-time event? Did you know, it’s possible to rent? Companies like Rent the Runway, Nuuly and others have various options (from one-time to monthly) to try something out without buying — usually, at a fraction of the price of owning an item. Plus, they take care of dry cleaning, repairs, and shipping labels. Suddenly, wedding season isn’t looking so scary, is it?
See you next time,
Molly
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