President Trump campaigned to end the U.S. offshore wind industry and put a stop to federal leasing for new developments on day one of his administration. Since taking office earlier this year, Trump has made good on his threats to halt American offshore wind projects.
His anti-wind agenda has stifled clean energy growth in Maine and the rest of New England, where ocean wind is regarded as crucial for meeting long-term electricity demands, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and boosting economic development.
Now, some in the wind industry have turned their attention north, to the Canadian province of Nova Scotia where that country's first offshore wind development is gaining speed.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston laid out the project's ambition in a promotional video released earlier this year.
"What if Nova Scotia could power up to 27% of Canada’s energy needs?" Houston said. "Think about that — that would make Nova Scotia an energy superpower."
The proposal is called Wind West, a massive infrastructure development that would exploit more than 60 gigawatts of potential ocean wind power off Nova Scotia's coast, many times the province's 2.4 gigawatt demand. The plan calls for a major transmission development to carry that power to big cities further west.
And Nova Scotia is eyeing the northeast U.S. as a potential customer, too.
"This energy is very valuable,” Houston said in the video. “New England has massive extra energy needs and they are certainly not alone."
The province has been working on Wind West for years. But it may gain new relevance as the Trump administration upended New England's offshore wind power plans.
Under President Trump’s leadership, the U.S. government temporarily halted construction on the nearly-complete Revolution Wind development off Rhode Island, erased wind energy development areas in the Gulf of Maine and terminated $34 million in funding for a specialized wind power port in Salem, Massachusetts, among other moves aimed at suppressing clean energy.
Maine has long been interested in harnessing offshore wind as a major source of energy for the state. It has been 12 years since UMaine tested a one-eighth scale prototype of a floating offshore wind turbine, the first in North America. The Maine Climate Plan goal of using 100% renewable energy by 2040 had relied on tapping the power of offshore wind. Maine's energy plan calls for buying 3 gigawatts of ocean wind power by the same year.
"There’s still a lot of real interest in continuing these projects, but it is simply impossible at this time," said Adrienne Downey, a director with consulting firm Power Advisory and expert in offshore wind power.
Downey said the administration's moves might put offshore wind development in the northeast back at least a decade. It could also jeopardize a goal of securing abundant power for the region as electricity demand soars. Regional grid operator ISO New England estimates an 11% growth in demand in just the next decade.
With prospects dimming for offshore wind in the U.S., Nova Scotia could become a new source of that power, Downey said.
"If we can’t build it here, and we can’t build enough capacity through other resources fast enough, is that a potential opportunity for the northeast to tap into? We’ll see."
Meanwhile, Grant Provost, business officer for the iron workers union in Maine, sees opportunities in Nova Scotia's proposal. U.S. workers are already employed by global companies likely to help build Nova Scotia's wind farms, Provost said. And they've got experience and union connections that could set them up for jobs if the Wind West project moves forward.
"The possibility of U.S. workers who already have the skills and the certifications that are needed for offshore wind going to Canada to supplement their marketplace while they stand it up is high," Provost said.
Nova Scotia's plan is still in early stages and its success isn't certain. The province plans to lease offshore areas that could generate 5 gigawatts of power by early next year. It's also waiting to see if the Canadian government will designate Wind West a "project of national interest" that would provide financial incentives and streamlined permitting.
The Nova Scotia government estimates a buildout of 15 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2040 could power 11 million homes, according to reporting by the CBC.
Elisa Obermann, executive director of Marine Renewables Canada, a trade group, said it is too early to speculate if Nova Scotia's plans will attract developers and investors feeling shut out of the U.S. market.
But Obermann said her group has seen a recent noticeable increase in membership from U.S. companies and organizations. Attendance at Marine Renewables Canada's annual conference in Halifax this week was almost double what it was last year.
"You know, there’s that possibility that investors will be looking at Nova Scotia and Canada, because there is a real opportunity developing there," she said.
The Nova Scotia Government declined an interview request from Maine Public.
But in a statement, it said it can provide a stable jurisdiction that developers, supply-chain companies and investors are looking for amid policy uncertainty in the United States.
"Capital allocated to the Eastern seaboard in the United States now needs a home and we see opportunity for it to be invested in Nova Scotia," said Adèle Poirier, a spokesperson for the Nova Scotia Department of Energy.
— Pete McGuire
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With winter right around the corner, many Mainers are looking forward to the season: ice skating, skiing, snowboarding – glistening snow coating a forest full of trails waiting to be explored. But it also means a return of a season some have come to dread: a season of high utility bills.
“Everyone is saying prices are going up," Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, tells planet maine via email. "Nobody is saying prices are coming down."
Electricity and natural gas prices are climbing at more than twice the rate of inflation. Blame rising electricity costs, increasingly volatile winter storms, needed grid maintenance, and unpredictable natural gas prices. And despite Maine’s major progress toward heat pump installation, many are still reliant on expensive heating oil.
There are some solutions available, depending on your situation. MaineHousing’s Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) and LIHEAP (for low-income households) help to pay for heating fuel for eligible households – although this year, the funds have been tied up because of the government shutdown.
But regardless of qualifying for rebates, shutdowns outside of our control, and internationally-dependent oil prices, there is something we can control to help with heat cost and efficiency: weatherization.
And the good news? If you’re a long-time reader, you may have already made some of these updates to your home. We covered how to keep your space cool in the summer; one or two of the same tips will apply here.
1. Condition yourself to a colder house
We’ll start with the obvious. It almost feels silly to tell Mainers to do this - it’s already a point of pride for many of us not to touch the thermostat until well into November (“just put on a sweater” was a common refrain in my childhood, and as an adult I still employ a hot water bottle and a fleece blanket before turning the temperature up). But for those who fear the cold, know this: you don’t have to do it all at once.
“Every one degree you turn your thermostat down can save about 2% on your bill,” writes Wolfe of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association. “Turn it down gradually — one degree a week — so you stay comfortable.”
Still, everyone has their limit. The World Health Organization recommends an indoor temperature of at least 64 degrees Fahrenheit during the colder months. Studies have shown the optimal indoor temperatures for babies are between 60-68 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Schedule an energy assessment/audit
This is often a free or low-cost service - they’ll give you a quote for how much the repairs will cost at the end. During the assessment, a professional will come to your home and identify vulnerable areas such as cracks, air leaks, and missing insulation using tools like a thermal camera or blower door test. Some like to shop around and get quotes from a few people before making any decisions about what to might tackle yourself versus what you might hire a professional to do.
3. Seal up cracks with weather-stripping
If you’re going to be heating your house, preventing warmth escaping is half the battle. Heat likes to move, and will, if given an opening. The most common vulnerabilities are doors and windows. A simple and low-cost option is sealing up cracks with tape or rubber, commonly found at hardware stores. Some people in older houses like to put clear plastic over windows for the whole winter season - this will prevent you being able to open the windows to air out smells or cooking smoke, though. Other options include caulking or weather-stripping, which can be DIY or done by a professional.
If it’s in the budget, replace or fix leaky windows.
4. Seal off low traffic rooms
Do you have a top floor or finished attic you never use? Or a guest room that’s not part of your day to day routine? Turn off the heaters in that room, then close the door. No use paying to heat areas of the house you don’t hang out in. If you have guests coming into town, it’ll only take half a day or so for the room to get warm again once you open it up. Just try to keep an eye on the temperature - pipes will freeze if they reach 32 degrees, and can start to warp under 55 degrees. Foam tube pipe insulators should protect them - they’re cheap and easy to install yourself.
5. Look into assistance programs
Efficiency Maine and Maine Housing offer various rebates for insulation upgrades, depending on income. This could mean weatherization improvements or heating system repairs. After all, why pay full price if you don’t have to?
Til’ next time,
Molly
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