Posted inBusiness, Maine, sj-web

With Statoil’s exit, wind industry looks to UMaine

AUGUSTA (AP) — Norwegian company Statoil’s decision to abandon its $120 million offshore wind power project in Maine is a setback, renewable energy advocates say, but they still hope a strong offshore wind industry can be built in the state. Statoil announced this month that changes in terms with the state and scheduling delays have […]

Posted inMaine, sj-web

Statoil cancels $120 million offshore wind project in Maine

AUGUSTA — Norwegian company Statoil announced Tuesday that it was pulling the plug on its $120 million offshore wind pilot project in Maine, citing uncertainty about state regulations. It will instead put its resources toward pursuing an offshore wind project it has been developing in Scotland. “Obviously, this is a huge disappointment,” Paul Williamson, executive […]

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Posted inBusiness, sj-web

PUC orders UMaine to reveal wind project proposal details

AUGUSTA — State regulators say the University of Maine and its partner companies must reveal some details of its offshore wind project proposal. Public Utilities Commission Chairman Thomas Welch said on Tuesday that some redacted version of Maine Aqua Ventus’ proposal should be made public by the end of the month. The company will work […]

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UMaine says it needs to keep wind project proposal confidential

More coverage: LePage energy chief defends efforts to reopen offshore wind bids AUGUSTA — Representatives for the University of Maine’s offshore wind project are defending its move to keep its proposal confidential following calls that it be made public. Maine Aqua Ventus, the company designing the university’s project, filed comments with the Public Utilities Commission on […]

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Alfond says LePage interference with Statoil deal hurts state’s image

LEWISTON  — Maine Senate President Justin Alfond, D-Portland, on Monday denounced Gov. Paul LePage’s efforts to derail a deal between the state of Maine and the Norwegian energy giant Statoil. New details of the lengths that LePage’s administration went to unhinge a full-scale offshore wind energy pilot project off the coast emerged Monday in a […]

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LePage team worked against wind project

AUGUSTA (AP) — Before its public push to have Maine reconsider wind energy proposals, Gov. Paul LePage’s administration worked behind the scenes to explicitly derail Norwegian company Statoil’s multimillion-dollar agreement with the state for an offshore wind project, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. The first public word that the administration was trying […]

Posted inBusiness, Maine, sj-web

Maine’s involvement in global offshore wind threatened by legislative actions, say industry watchers

PORTLAND — Statoil North America on Wednesday said it was putting its offshore wind energy project on hold because of “the risk and uncertainty” created last week when the Legislature, at Gov. Paul LePage’s behest, made changes that will delay and potentially threaten state approval for the project. The Norwegian company informed the Maine Public […]

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Political battle prompts company to halt offshore wind project

AUGUSTA — Statoil North America is putting its efforts to develop an offshore wind energy project in Maine on hold until the fall as a result of an amendment to an omnibus energy bill in the Legislature last week that put Statoil’s already-approved project in direct competition with a University of Maine proposal. Senate President […]