Wind Energy

Maine wind energy near 22 percent of 2015 goals

After last week’s ribbon-cutting at the Rollins wind farm in Penobscot County, Maine has four major wind farms, also including Kibby Mountain, Mars Hill and Stetson Mountain. Construction is under way at two more, Spruce Mountain in Woodstock and Record Hill near Rumford.

The Maine Renewable Energy Association says power produced from all of the completed or approved wind farm projects will put the state past 21 percent of the 2,000 megawatt wind power goal set by state law. Two other proposals for large wind farms are in permitting reviews.

After last week’s ribbon-cutting at the Rollins wind farm in Penobscot County, Maine has four major wind farms, also including Kibby Mountain in Franklin County, Mars Hill in Aroostook County and Stetson Mountain in Washington County. Rollins will soon join the others in generating power.

The Oakland project in Aroostook County, which could surpass Kibby to become New England’s largest wind farm, and the Bowers Mountain project straddling Penobscot and Washington counties are undergoing state permitting reviews. Total wind farm project investments in Maine approach $1 billion and construction has created or supported more than 600 jobs, according to a study the University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service.

www.renewablemaine.org/