With the painfully high prices of oil and natural gas driving up electricity and heating costs over the past year, Maine needs an alternative clean energy source that will be reliable and affordable. Wind energy generated in the Gulf of Maine has the potential to provide that solution.

Serving on the Legislature’s Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee this session has already allowed me to work on legislation that will have a significant impact on our state’s climate future and transition to clean energy. One measure that our committee is expecting to tackle in the coming weeks will be critical to reaching our goals. A proposal by Sen. Mark Lawrence, D-Eliot, would direct the state’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to procure enough electricity from offshore wind farms to power 980,000 homes, enough to meet the needs of every home in the state and more. This ambitious number is realistic thanks to Maine’s unique natural resources and forward-thinking institutions.

The Gulf of Maine is well known for its steady winds, which can provide a stabilizing clean energy source, particularly in the winter months when they are the most consistent and when Maine’s energy usage is at its peak. In addition to our state’s robust natural wind resource, the University of Maine system is well on its way to helping position Maine as a leader in the field of wind power technology. The University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composite Center is in the process of developing and testing a deepwater, floating wind turbine technology that has already garnered federal support. This means that Maine could become a hotspot for off-shore wind energy for the entire region.

To capitalize on this momentum, Sen. Lawrence’s bill helps set up a procurement process that is appropriately ambitious, thoughtful and equitable. His proposal sets a goal of procuring 2,800 megawatts of electricity by 2035. The PUC could begin working on those procurements as soon as 2025 if this measure becomes law.

But this bill is more than a simple procurement mechanism. It also importantly acknowledges the significance that a burgeoning industry holds for the future of our state. Rarely does an entirely new industry emerge, providing opportunities for good-paying jobs across multiple sectors. Sen. Lawrence’s bill seeks to ensure that the jobs created and the benefits secured by these planned investments will help all Mainers, particularly those that have been historically marginalized. It additionally works to minimize any impacts on wildlife, commercial fishermen, and the environment in order to responsibly and collaboratively build a future for our region that is cleaner, more equitable, and that honors the heritage industries that have been the bedrock of Maine’s economy for generations.

Even though offshore wind has been controversial at times, the recent endorsement of the Natural Resources Council of Maine and labor union leaders with the Maine State Building and Construction Trades Council indicate that there have been many diverse voices at the table in crafting this legislation. I expect that to continue to be the case as the language is finalized and as the bill moves through the legislative process.

I am committed to working with Sen. Lawrence and my fellow committee members on this bill to ensure it lives up to its promises for Maine. Please feel welcome to reach out to me with feedback, questions or concerns about this legislation or any others before the Legislature this session.

Rep. Jim Boyle, D-Gorham, is serving his second term in the Maine House of Representatives and previously served two years in the Maine State Senate. He is a member of the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee. Contact him at Jim.Boyle@legislature.maine.gov.