PORTLAND — Maine wind power supporters are touting the industry’s economic impact ahead of the legislative session.
A report Tuesday by the Maine Center for Business & Economic Research at the University of Southern Maine says the industry will produce 4,200 jobs in 2015 and that the industry is poised to double over the next four years to 1,300 megawatts of power output.
Study author Charles Colgan says the projected investment of $1.3 billion from 2006 through 2018 is helping rural parts of Maine that needed it most.
The report was commissioned by Wind for Maine and the Maine Renewable Energy Association. Wind for Maine spokesman David Farmer says it’s important to quantify the economic benefits to counter skeptics including Gov. Paul LePage who says wind energy is too expensive.
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