Tag: solar

RadioActive 6/15/17

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Penobscot River Rally and Flotilla

1) Today we hear some audio from Saturday’s Penobscot River Rally and Flotilla on the Bangor Waterfront, where people gathered to support the Penobscot Tribe’s struggle for continued stewardship of the River, and other local and statewide struggles for clean water and clean energy.
2) Over 30 organizations co-sponsored the event, which showed support for the Penobscot Nation’s efforts to retain sovereignty and stewardship on the section of the river passing through their island territory. In 2012, the Maine Attorney General’s office sought to establish that section as State territory. The Tribe has sued the State in an on going legal case: Penobscot Nation v Attorney General Janet Mills.
3) Speakers broadcast in this program address the Juniper Ridge Landfill expansion in Old Town and the dumping of toxic leachate into the Penobscot River and on state bills and policies that could support or paralyze the development of solar energy in Maine.

Guests:
Ed Spencer, Old Town resident, logger and intervenor in Juniper Ridge Landfill expansion process
Dawn Neptune Adams, Penobscot tribal member and activist
Fred Greenhalgh, ReVision Energy and solar activist
Jim Freeman, Flotilla organizer, Alliance for the Common Good,

This program was produced in partnership with the Sunlight Media Collective.

Power for the People 6/14/17

Producer/Host: Steve Kahl
Engineer: John Greenman

Alternative Energy: Solar PV policy in the current legislature

Key Discussion Points
a) net metering
b) proposed PUC rules
c) solar Power Purchase Agreements

Guests:
Chuck Piper, Sundog Solar
Vaughn Woodruff, Insource Renewables
Holly Noyes, Revision Energy

Talk of the Towns 5/12/17

Host: Ron Beard, Emeritus Professor, University of Maine
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Issue: Community concerns and opportunities

Program Topic: A Climate to Thrive seeks energy independence for Mount Desert Island

Key Discussion Points:

1. A climate to thrive is working on “energy independence” by 2030… what does that mean? What is most compelling about solar energy in the pursuit of energy independence?
2. What are the main elements of your solar work, including Solarize MDI?
3. What is the Community Energy Center at College of the Atlantic, and what projects does it carry out?
4. What are some of the barriers facing community solar initiatives? How are you working to surmount those barriers? A Recent Maine PUC Ruling is negative long-term but provides an incentive for installing solar in 2017.
5. What advice do you have for listeners in other communities?
6. Given your longer term vision of energy independence, what are your mid-term hopes… what would you like to see happening over the next five years.

Guests:
Joe Blotnick, Coordinator, A Climate to Thrive
Gary Friedmann, Chair, A Climate to Thrive Advisory Board, Town Councilor, Bar Harbor
Anna Demeo, College of the Atlantic, Director of Energy Education and Management

Power for the People 4/13/16

Producer/Host: Steve Kahl
Engineer: Amy Browne

Issue: Renewable energy

Program Topic: Solar, wind, inverters, and energy storage

Key Discussion Points:
a) solar bill pending in legislature
b) residential wind power
c) storage of renewable energy

Guests by name and affiliation:
Hans Albee, Revision Energy
Chip Means, Pika Energy

Common Ground Radio 9/4/15

Producer/Host: C.J. Walke
Engineer: Amy Browne

Issue: Organic Food and Farming in Maine

Program Topic: Solar Energy on Maine Farms

Key Discussion Points:
a) History of renewable energy production on farms
b) Production of solar energy
c) Cultural considerations

Guests:
Bill Behrens, ReVision Energy, Liberty, ME
Anna Demeo, College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, ME
Steven Katona, MDI Clean Energy Partners, Bar Harbor, ME

WERU News Report 4/16/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

As the state legislative session is coming to a close, today we take a look at the status of some of the legislation we’ve been reporting on – and that the Natural Resources Council of Maine has been tracking—with NRCM’s Senior Director of Advocacy, Pete Didisheim. FMI: www.nrcm.org

WERU News Report 1/22/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

The state legislature’s Joint Standing Committee on Energy & Utilities held a public hearing on Tuesday on LD1652, “An Act to Support Solar Energy Development in Maine”
This bill has been chosen as a priority bill by Maine’s Environmental Priorities Coalition, a partnership of 28 environmental, conservation, and public health organizations, representing over 100,000 members, according to the Natural Resources Council of Maine. They say that if passed, this legislation will make solar power “more accessible and affordable for Maine people”. Today on the News Report we’re bringing you some of the testimony from the public hearing