MAINE, USA — Maine has been surging toward its clean energy goals, reaching 50 percent clean energy by 2024, according to the governor’s office. However, federal cuts to sustainable energy incentives have stopped many solar projects in the state.

Scott Cuddy, director of membership development at Local Chapter 1253 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union, says there is a lot less work than expected.

Cuddy says union workers lost two large jobs that would have employed 40 to 50 workers each. He says that contractors only bid for projects they know their workforce can handle.

In an email, Cuddy explained, “losing two big jobs just before the summer building season kicks off means they don’t have other work to send their employees to.”

In 2019, Governor Janet Mills signed legislation setting 2050 as the target year for achieving 100 percent renewable energy in Maine. That same year, Maine’s community solar program began. A few years later, President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, which allocated $369 billion over ten years for renewable energy development, pollution reduction, and environmental justice initiatives.

Cuddy reports that wages in Chapter 1253 went up 20 percent to $60 an hour.

The high wages and consistent work drew workers to the electrician’s trade, says Francis Eanes, executive director of the Maine Labor Climate Council. He says unions have doubled in size over the past six years.

“They’d gone from bringing in 5 or ten apprentices a year,” Eanes said.  “As recently as a couple years ago, a couple of our locals brought in 65 or 70. This is tremendous growth.”

One of those electricians is Maine State Representative Kilton Webb (D-Durham). Before running for office, he worked as an electrician, and his first project was on a solar farm.

“We saw a lot of solar development in the state, and that was a great way to get electricians in the door,” Webb said.

Webb says he understands the ebb and flow of construction work, quoting the adage that laborers are “working themselves out of a job. We are really reliant on the contractors and developers bringing in new projects for us.” 

Another reason for the solar boom in Maine was the state’s community solar program, beginning in 2019. The state legislature recently cancelled that program after it exceeded expectations.

Maine’s Public Advocate Heather Sanborn says the reform was necessary.

“We set out to build 750 MW of solar, and instead we’ve built more than 1600 MW. Now we need to make sure that solar power is delivered affordably to Mainers going forward,” Sanborn said.

The legislature also authorized the creation a new Department of Energy Resources, to replace the Governor’s Office of Energy. Under this new leadership, solar experts anticipate that renewable energy will continue to grow.

Bob Cleaves, co-founder of Dirigo Solar, is confident that solar, wind, and other green energy options are in Maine’s future.

“Unlike other parts of the country,” Cleaves said. “We have very few energy options in Maine; solar, wind, and biomass are probably the only three sources of energy where we will see new capacity.”

Webb agrees but also knows that future work does not help idle laborers today. Still, he says construction is cyclical and more work will surely come.

“There’s a lot of work on the horizon, and just because it’s not here right now, maybe won’t be here next year, doesn’t mean it won’t be a little further down,” Webb explained.

He knows that this may make it difficult for new apprenticeships to emerge, but he sees other options beyond large-scale solar.

“The work is still out there, but it’s just not the traditional work that an apprentice might find themselves in,” Webb said. “Battery backups, residential rooftop solar, and heat pumps and other beneficial electrification items like those.”

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