Title 35-A

1. Offshore Wind Research Consortium. The Offshore Wind Research Consortium is an initiative of the department, in collaboration with the Department of Marine Resources and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, to coordinate, support and arrange for the conduct of rese…

1. Program established. The Maine Offshore Wind Renewable Energy and Economic Development Program, referred to in this section as "the program," is established to further the development and use of offshore wind power projects in the Gulf of Maine. The department, in collaboratio…

1. Preparation of requests for proposals; offshore wind power projects. The department shall establish a schedule for competitive solicitations for the development and construction of offshore wind power projects to meet the objectives of the program as described in section 3407.…

The commission, in coordination with the department, shall seek to advance regional transmission solutions to interconnect offshore wind power with transmission and distribution utilities, other New England states or entities and the independent system operator of the New England…

1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. A. "Associated facilities" means elements of an offshore wind terminal, other than the quay, fixed and mobile cranes, offshore wind foundations and wi…

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 2007, c. 661, Pt. A, §7 (NEW).] 1. Associated facilities. "Associated facilities" means elements of a wind energy development other than its generating facilities…

1. Application of standard. In making findings regarding the effect of an expedited wind energy development on scenic character and existing uses related to scenic character pursuant to Title 12, section 685‑B, subsection 4 or Title 38, section 484, subsection 3 or section 480‑D,…

If any portion of the generating facilities or associated facilities of a wind energy development is proposed to be located within a conterminous area of coniferous forest that lies above 2,700 feet in elevation, is at least 25 acres in size and provides suitable habitat for Bick…

The Maine Land Use Planning Commission may, by rule adopted in accordance with Title 5, chapter 375, establish standards for the addition of and add a specified place in the unorganized and deorganized areas to the expedited permitting area. In order to add a specified place to t…

The Maine Land Use Planning Commission may, by rule adopted in accordance with Title 5, chapter 375, remove a specified place in the unorganized and deorganized areas from the expedited permitting area as described in this section. [PL 2015, c. 265, §8 (NEW); PL 2015, c. 265, §10…

In making findings pursuant to Title 38, section 484, subsection 3, the primary siting authority shall presume that an expedited wind energy development provides energy and emissions-related benefits described in section 3402 and shall make additional findings regarding other tan…

In making findings pursuant to Title 12, section 685‑B, subsection 4 or Title 38, section 484, subsection 3 on whether a wind energy development must be constructed with setbacks adequate to protect public safety, the primary siting authority must consider the recommendation of a…

1. Construction and operation requirements. A person may not construct or operate a wind energy development, other than a grid-scale wind energy development, without first obtaining a certification from the department that the generating facilities: A. Will meet the requirements …

1. Scenic viewpoint. The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry shall adopt rules to designate scenic viewpoints located on state public reserved land or on a trail that is used exclusively for pedestrian use, such as the Appalachian Trail, that have state or nation…

Any judicial appeal of a municipal decision regarding permitting of an expedited wind energy development that is taken in the manner provided in the Maine Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 80B must be heard and determined by the Superior Court as expeditiously as possible.

1. Process. An application for a grid-scale wind energy development must contain, and the primary siting authority shall require, best practical mitigation for all aspects of construction and operation of generating facilities. In determining best practical mitigation options, th…

This chapter may be known and cited as "the Maine Solar Energy Act."

1. Public interest. The Legislature finds that it is in the public interest to develop renewable energy resources, including solar energy, in a manner that protects and improves the health and well-being of the citizens and natural environment of the State while also providing ec…

1. Monitoring. The commission shall monitor the level of solar energy development in the State in relation to the goals in section 3474, basic trends in solar energy markets and the relative costs and benefits from solar energy development, including but not limited to: A. Revenu…

1. Encouragement of solar energy-related development. It is the policy of the State in furtherance of the goals established in subsection 2 to encourage the attraction of appropriately sited development related to solar energy generation, including any additional transmission, di…

1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. A. "Eligible system" means a plug-in photovoltaic system or plug-in battery system with an export capacity of 1,200 watts or less that is: (1) Listed …

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 2019, c. 478, Pt. B, §1 (NEW).] 1. Bid rate. "Bid rate" means the rate proposed under a qualified bid for the output of a distributed generation resource in respo…

1. Procurements. The commission may not procure distributed generation resources in the shared distributed generation and commercial or institutional distributed generation market segments using the targets and procurement methods described in this chapter. 2. Participation in wh…

A standard buyer designated pursuant to this section shall aggregate the output of the portfolio of distributed generation resources procured pursuant to this chapter and sell or use the output of the resources in a manner that maximizes the value of the portfolio of the resource…

1. Initial competitive procurement. The following standards and methods apply to the initial competitive procurement of distributed generation resources associated with commercial or institutional customer accounts under section 3485 and of shared distributed generation resources…

1. Procurement amounts. By July 1, 2024, the commission shall procure 125 megawatts of the output of distributed generation resources associated with commercial or institutional customer accounts by conducting an initial competitive solicitation for the first block of 25 megawatt…

1. Procurement amounts. By July 1, 2024, the commission shall procure 250 megawatts of the output of shared distributed generation resources by conducting an initial competitive solicitation for the first block of 50 megawatts pursuant to section 3484 to establish market‑based, d…

1. Credit assigned to a customer's bill. If the value of a credit to be applied to a customer's bill under this chapter is less than the amount owed by the customer at the end of the applicable billing period, the customer must be billed for the difference between the amount show…

The commission shall adopt rules to implement this chapter. Rules adopted under this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 2021, c. 151, §1 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 151, §2 (AFF).] 1. Decommissioning. "Decommissioning" means the physical removal of all components of a solar energy developme…

A person may not construct, cause to be constructed or operate a solar energy development with ground-mounted solar panels occupying 3 or more acres without first obtaining approval of a decommissioning plan from the environmental permitting entity under section 3495.

Upon a transfer of ownership of a solar energy development subject to a decommissioning plan approved under section 3495, a person that transfers ownership of the development remains jointly and severally liable for implementation of the plan until the environmental permitting en…

A decommissioning plan must: [PL 2021, c. 151, §1 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 151, §2 (AFF).] 1. Decommissioning. Provide for the decommissioning of a solar energy development. For any portion of the development located on land classified as farmland any time within 5 years preceding the …

An environmental permitting entity shall approve a decommissioning plan whenever it finds the following: [PL 2021, c. 151, §1 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 151, §2 (AFF).] 1. Successful decommissioning. The plan, if implemented, will result in successful decommissioning of the solar energy …

The Department of Environmental Protection shall administer and enforce this chapter with respect to the decommissioning of solar energy developments for which it is the environmental permitting entity, subject to the same powers and authorities granted to it pursuant to Title 38…

This chapter applies to a solar energy development with ground-mounted solar panels occupying 3 or more acres on which construction begins on or after October 1, 2021 and to any other solar energy development with ground-mounted solar panels occupying 3 or more acres that undergo…

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 2023, c. 215, §3 (NEW).] 1. Decommissioning. "Decommissioning" means the physical removal of all components of a battery storage system development, including but…

1. Prohibition. A person may not construct, cause to be constructed or operate a battery storage system development with a capacity of 2 megawatts or more without first obtaining approval of a decommissioning plan from the environmental permitting entity under this section. 2. Pl…

1. Consumer-owned transmission and distribution utility. For the purposes of this chapter, "consumer-owned transmission and distribution utility" means any transmission and distribution utility that is wholly owned by its consumers, including its consumers served in the State. "C…

Notwithstanding section 310, any consumer-owned transmission and distribution utility that proposes to increase rates, tolls or charges by not more than 15% of the utility's annual operating revenues or proposes to decrease rates, tolls or charges in any amount may elect to set r…

1. Scope of section. Notwithstanding any other provision of law or any charter to the contrary and in addition to any charter or private and special laws creating or affecting any consumer-owned transmission and distribution utility, the rate, toll or charge made, exacted, demand…

1. Exemption. Upon request of a consumer-owned transmission and distribution utility of not more than 150 customers, the commission may exempt the utility from any of the requirements of any commission rules and this Title, with the exception of sections 3502 and 3503. 2. Rule-ma…

This chapter may be known and cited as "the Community-based Renewable Energy Act."

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 2009, c. 329, Pt. A, §4 (NEW).] 1. Community-based renewable energy project. "Community-based renewable energy project" means a locally owned electricity generati…

1. Program established. The community-based renewable energy pilot program, referred to in this section as "the program," is established to encourage the sustainable development of community-based renewable energy in the State. The program is administered by the commission. 2. Pr…

Long-term contracts with program participants who elect the long-term contract for community-based renewable energy pursuant to section 3603, subsection 4, paragraph A are governed by this section. [PL 2009, c. 329, Pt. A, §4 (NEW).] 1. Investor-owned transmission and distributio…