Solar panels on the roof of a barn in Falmouth, Maine.
September 20, 2018 (PORTLAND, ME) – Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) filed a lawsuit today challenging rules from Maine’s Public Utilities Commission that punish owners of solar energy and other renewable energy systems for generating their own clean electricity. The Commission’s policy, which took effect in March of this year, reduces compensation for Maine residents and businesses who own solar or other renewable energy systems when they distribute their excess electricity back into the electric grid for use by others.
“The rules put forth by the LePage administration are a giant step backward for solar power,” said Sean Mahoney, Executive Vice President and Director of CLF Maine. “Mainers overwhelmingly support solar and other renewable energy sources. These policies disincentivize homeowners from making the necessary investments at a time when it is more important than ever for the state encourage development in Maine’s fast-growing clean energy sector.”
CLF was joined by the Industrial Energy Consumer Group, ReVision Energy Inc. and Natural Resources Council of Maine in filing the lawsuit in Superior Court. You can find the filing here.
CLF experts are available for further comment.
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