Energy Choice and Reliability

Let’s keep Maine’s energy infrastructure dependable all year round

When temperatures plummet in Portland, Lewiston, Allagash, Kennebunk and other Maine communities, you need to be confident that your home’s heating system and your family vehicle can get the job done.

The best way to ensure that you can keep your family safe and comfortable — plus get them where they need to go each day — is to have access to reliable, proven energy sources.

Energy Choice Ensures the Most Reliable Equipment

What’s the most effective home heating system in Maine? That depends on your specific home, budget and lifestyle. These days, the most common form of home heating system in our state is one fueled by heating oil or propane. Natural gas and wood are also popular. And we’re seeing more households use electric heat pumps. You know best what works for your family. Some homes can get by with a cold-weather heat pump to keep them comfortable by transferring heat from outdoor air in winter. Others prefer the robust heat generated from petroleum or gas products.

The same is true of Maine’s roadways. We’re seeing more electric vehicles on the road — including personal cars, commercial vehicles and public transportation. For some residents of our state, an EV is a dependable means of transportation. However, other Mainers are concerned about start-up and performance issues from EVs in icy weather and prefer tried-and-tested petroleum-fueled vehicles.

Energy choice means having access to all types of home comfort equipment and road vehicles so each Maine resident can choose the best option for their life, budget and needs.

Your Choice of Home Appliances

The right to choose your home’s energy sources extends beyond your heating equipment. In states where energy choice is being threatened, other popular home appliances may soon be unavailable to homeowners. These products include high-performance gas stoves, efficient gas and oil-fired water heaters and gas-powered dryers.

These products are safer, more efficient and greener than ever before. It should be your choice to decide if you want to install one in your home.

Protecting Deployable, Dependable, Eco-Friendly Fuels

Another benefit of energy choice is knowing that the energy that is used to heat your home, fuel your vehicle and power your water heater and other essential appliances will be there when you need it.

One of the key reasons that traditional energy sources like heating oil, propane, diesel and gasoline have remained so popular in Maine is that they are there when you need them. You don’t need to worry about utility outages with these products. Local, family-owned companies keep trucks on the road to ensure you have access through extremely adverse conditions.

Moreover, the growing popularity of biofuel-blended heating oil, biodiesel, renewable diesel and conventional propane (and the emergence of renewable propane) are enabling Mainers to considerably shrink their carbon footprints with their existing petroleum and gas-powered equipment.

Safeguarding Grid Reliability

Embracing energy choice also make our grid power more reliable. You see, Maine’s electricity depends on a diverse, balanced generation slate. Our power comes from natural gas, wind, petroleum, hydroelectric and other sources. Conventional generation sources like gas and petroleum have the benefit of being deployable when electricity demand is highest (something that isn’t the always case with wind and solar).

Additionally, energy choice lowers the strain on our grid. When you limit residents’ choices to electric heat pumps and EVs, you vastly increase the demand on your electricity infrastructure. Now, consider that Maine needs to import up to 30% of its electricity each year to meet current demand.

Protecting energy choice in this state makes our grid power more reliable for all Mainers.

How Can You Preserve Maine’s Energy Choice?

Thankfully, Maine’s legislature passed LD 556 last year, which protects your right to choose the right energy source for your home and family. LD 556 prevents municipalities from prohibiting safe, commercially available energy options. But there is talk about doing away with LD 556 in the future.

LD 556 doesn’t make it harder to get an EV, heat pump, solar water heater or induction stove. It simply ensures that you can keep your traditionally-fueled equipment if you prefer. It’s about ensuring your freedom to take care of your loved ones as you see fit.