Come one, come all to E2Tech’s 3rd annual Expo on Thursday, November 16 at the University of Southern Maine in Portland. This year the E2Tech Expo will engage private, public, and non-profit stakeholders to help both startups and mature, established companies access the resources they need to promote their products, services, and technologies; accelerate growth; compete in national and global markets; support a robust and innovative state environmental and energy market and workforce; and make Maine an innovation hub to start and grow a business. In the morning there will be time to network and grab some food before the E2Tech Annual Meeting, Keynote, and Plenary Panel. Lunch will provide another opportunity to network and explore the various event sponsor and exhibitor tables. In the afternoon, E2Tech Talks will focus on the Maine Innovation & Entrepreneurial Community followed by workshops designed to match attendees with opportunities to prosper and grow. The event will wrap up with a happy-hour networking session.

If you are interested in being an Expo Sponsor or Exhibitor, please visit
e2tech.org/Expo2017 and contact Jeff Marks at jeffmarks@e2tech.org. 

For more information about the event or to register,
please visit  the 2017 Expo Registration page.

In 2011, the Maine Legislature adopted a statutory goal to reduce oil use 30% by 2030. Maine consumes more heating oil per capita than any other state, making us susceptible to price volatility and fuel shortages. Mainers face many other heating issues, such as old, inefficient heating systems; poorly insulated and weatherized homes; and a long heating season. Maine is at a crossroads for heating and transportation energy policy, with some roads leading to long-term solutions and others accomplishing more short-term goals.

Heating system ease of use and affordability are important considerations in developing a robust heating energy policy. Mainers, especially the growing elderly population, want their heating system to be simple and easy to use. They understandably do not want to carry fuel to their stoves, but instead want to set a thermostat and be comfortable all season long. For example, for wood pellets to be considered a viable heating option for homeowners, suppliers need to continue developing ways to make them more user-friendly. Pellet boilers with hopper-fed pellets are certainly a step in the right direction for this industry.

Switching heating systems or even upgrading a system is often costly for the homeowner. Many Mainers are unable to afford to change their current heating system. However, financial assistance programs and additional education and outreach are options to more affordable heating.

Having an easy and efficient system will not reduce one’s heating bill or reduce one’s fuel consumption if their house is poorly weatherized. Another Maine statutory goal is for 100% of homes and 50% of businesses to be weatherized by 2030. While this is an aggressive goal, weatherization assistance programs and policies are already in place to help reach it. New infrastructure, buildings, and heating systems may need to meet or exceed efficiency and weatherization standards and regulations to help reduce oil dependency and heating bills.

As new technology is developed, and as more infrastructure is needed to accommodate the new technology and the increase in electrical demand, Maine will need an educated and trained workforce to meet this increased demand. And, as Mainers electrify their heating, Maine’s grid will need to be more resilient to ensure comfort and security year-round. Electric utilities will play a key role in ensuring heating electrification is done affordably, efficiently, and with transparency.

Maine is a rural state, resulting in many vehicle miles traveled. Maine uses more energy per capita and motor fuel per capita for transportation than the United States average, which unsurprisingly, also results in higher transportation fuel expenditures. Just like heating, Mainers struggle with vehicle fuel price volatility. Reducing Maine’s oil dependency in the transportation sector involves Mainers moving more efficiently and increasing the use of alternative fuel vehicles. This can be challenging, as Maine is one of the least densely populated states in the country. Diminished housing affordability and availability can contribute to housing sprawl and strand workers and the elderly outside the reach of public transport and vital services. Increasing electric charging corridors, ride sharing programs, and public transportation routes are all potential options to deal with this issue while also reducing emissions.

Transportation Energy Use Per Capita, Million Btu per capita, 2013
(U.S. Department of Transportation)

Motor Fuel Use Per Capita, Gallons Per Capita, 2013
(U.S. Department of Transportation)

Want to learn more about The Future of Fossil Fuels in Maine?
Join E2Tech and the Governor's Energy Office on Thursday, October 19 from
7:15 AM-12:00 PM at Maple Hill Farm Inn and Conference Center.

Bernstein Shur loves what they do and are passionate about every part of it. Their experienced, interdisciplinary energy practice helps clients throughout New England and around the world navigate every part of energy generation and distribution. As part of the legal team, they will ensure your energy project runs like a closed circuit: seamlessly, and with an uninterrupted flow. That way, when it’s finally time for you to flip the switch, everything just works.

In response to the 1978 passage of PURPA, Maine began to restructure its energy markets. The origin of Bernstein Shur’s energy practice was in navigating through Maine’s restructuring process, as the market opened for independent generators to permit, build and operate generating facilities throughout the state.

Since that time, they have represented almost every independent generator across the state, from hydro to biomass to waste-to-energy to wind to solar. They have always been on the cutting edge of energy issues in Maine, from the waste-to-energy facilities in the 1980s and 1990s, all the way to the present, in which their subsidiary successfully pairs fleets of vehicles with biogas throughout the country under the EPA’s RIN program, as their clients lead the nation in merchant transmission installations.

While always looking to mitigate controversy, they specialize in highly controversial energy development projects – Maine has a unique political culture, and their lawyers, in addition to being technically proficient, focus on the practical, the cost-effective, and the human element of obtaining their clients’ goals. Having seen every possible type of objection to an energy project, they pride themselves on being adept at diffusing tension, creative problem solving, prioritizing legal issues, and being efficient with limited development dollars to achieve a financeable project.

While Bernstein Shur will zealously defend their clients’ projects and priorities (and have successfully litigated on their behalf), they are, at their core, deal lawyers – they want to get your project a “yes” – from the public, from the regulators, from your vendors, your lenders, and your investors.

In addition to subject matter expertise, they are experts in collaboration. Their level of experience affords them with close, positive, working relationships with in-house counsel, outside counsel, other local counsel, and consultants. In their team you will find a cohesive team of dedicated, fun individuals who love their particular role in Maine and New England’s energy markets.

Bernstein Shur joined E2Tech as a Sustaining Leader in 2017.

Learn more about our Sustaining Partner Program!

MTI is now accepting applications from Maine organizations looking to invest in R&D equipment, infrastructure, and technology as part of a $45 million bond referendum. MTI plans to distribute about half of the funds through a series of Lightning Rounds before the end of 2017. Interested applicants must meet all program requirements, including being a Maine organization; providing at least a 1:1 cost share for the project; using the fund for infrastructure (capital construction, improvements, or equipment costs); be associated with research, development, and commercialization innovation; and be within or intersect with one or more of Maine's seven technology sectors. The application includes submitting a 10-slide project pitch deck to MTI's online portal. Slide decks will be accepted and considered monthly through December 8, 2017. 

For more information, please visit the MTI Website.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that Hurricane Harvey significantly disrupted the oil and petroleum product supply chains. Inputs to Gulf Coast refineries dropped by 34% between August 21 and September 1, 2017. Texas is home to 31% of the United States' refining capacity, supplying petroleum products to the Gulf Coast, East Coast, Midwest, and international markets. Hurricane Harvey caused many refineries in the region to reduce or shut down production. The Colonial Pipeline, which runs from Houston to New York Harbor and connects 29 refineries and 267 distribution terminals while carrying 2.5 million barrels per day of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, was forced to reduce shipping amounts and frequency due to low petroleum supplies. These disruptions caused gasoline drawdowns all along the East Coast and gasoline prices to increase. While gas prices typically rise for travel on Labor Day Weekend, the prices were exacerbated by Hurricane Harvey's impact to the supply chain.

Two weeks later, the disrupted supply chain hindered people trying to escape Hurricane Irma in Florida. Closed shipping ports led to fuel shortages and high gas prices which prevented many people from being able to smoothly evacuate from Irma's path. Even though the Secretary of Homeland Security waived the Jones Act temporarily allowing foreign-flag vessels to bring fuel from other eatern U.S. ports to South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Puerto Rico to reduce fuel shortages. At the height of Hurricane Irma, 59% of Florida customers experienced power outages. 

How Did Climate Change Play a Role?

While climate scientists and meteorologists are still running attribution studies to determine the level of impact greenhouse gases had on Hurricane Harvey and Irma, other factors can be assessed more easily. NASA and NOAA were both measuring the ocean temperature across the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico along the hurricane paths. Both bodies of water had surface temperatures of 30ºC/86ºF, which is warm enough to feed a category 5 hurricane. Hurricane Harvey made landfall as a category 4 hurricane, sustaining 130 mph winds, while Hurricane Irma broke the record for longest sustained category 5 winds (over 157mph) as it crossed the Caribbean islands, sustaining 185 mph winds. 

Hurricane Harvey's maximum storm surge was 12 feet above ground level, while other areas of South Texas experienced 3-6 feet storm surge. Southeast Texas experienced high levels of rain, with some areas getting over 40 inches within 48 hours. The maximum rainfall during Harvey was 51.88 inches, which broke the North American single rainfall event record. 

Hurricane Irma stretched from the east coast to the west coast of Florida, causing water to recede from the coast on the west, while causing an average 4 feet of storm surge on the southeast coast and seven feet of storm surge on the northeast coast. However, that storm surge is on top of the 10-12 inches of sea level rise along Florida's east coast in the last century, allowing additional areas to be flooded.

Another record Hurricanes Harvey and Irma created was having two category 4 hurricanes make landfall in the United States in the same year. Only 27 category 4 or stronger hurricanes have been documented in the United States since 1851, including Harvey and Irma. Hurricane season begins June 1 and continues until November 30 each year, so there is still plenty of time for additional devastating hurricanes to hit. Axios is reporting estimates of Hurricane Harvey having caused between $65-$75 billion worth of damage, while Irma is estimated to have caused $50 billion, together totaling around $120 billion in hurricane damages for 2017 so far (this does not include damage estimates for Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands). When adjusted to today's prices, Hurricane Katrina (2005) is still the most expensive hurricane at $160 billion. 

While climate change may impact each hurricane differently, we can all be sure there will be more storms of Harvey and Irma's magnitude, with more records broken in the future as our climate systems continue to change. We can already see this occurring as Hurricane Maria is causing catastrophic damage to Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands as a Category 5 hurricane, when just weeks prior they were hit with devastating Hurricane Irma, also a Category 5 hurricane. 2017 is the sixth year on record to have multiple category 5 hurricanes, with additional storms currently gaining strength in the Atlantic.

Maine currently spends only about 1% of its total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on research and development (R&D), which ranks the State 37th nationally (Measures of Growth 2017). How can Maine increase its R&D support and activity through growth and maintenance of its infrastructure, capacities, and resources? How do we ensure a reliable stream of public and private investment into R&D generally, and "energy" R&D specifically? How can Maine develop, attract, and retain a workforce with skills that match the needs of Maine's current and future employers? And, is there a role for the State Government to play in developing policies and programs that support R&D, demonstration/pilot programs, and commercialization? These are some of the questions the Maine Governor's Energy Office (GEO) and E2Tech are grappling with as they develop a Maine Energy Planning Roadmap.

The GEO is engaging private, public, and non-profit stakeholders to develop a Roadmap and has convened four Task Forces to help identify technology limitations, market barriers, and political and policy issues; develop action items and strategies to address these issues; and prioritize the most important actions to achieve the State of Maine's energy goals. 

1. Energy Innovation
2. Heating
3. Policy Evaluation
4. Transportation

Thursday, November 16 from 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM at University of Southern Maine-Portland

The third annual E2TECH EXPO will be the premier environmental and energy event of the year! Federal and state agencies, policymakers, energy and environmental companies, and other innovation “enablers” are on tap to advise attendees on strategies for Maine’s economic and business development future. E2Tech Expo 2017 will engage private, public, and non-profit stakeholders to help both startups and established companies access the resources they need to:

1) Promote their products, services, and technologies;
2) Accelerate their growth;
3) Compete in national and global markets; and
4) Support a robust and innovative state environmental and energy market and workforce and make Maine an innovation hub to start and grow a business.

Don’t miss out on valuable networking and the chance to learn more about the critical resources available to the energy, environmental, and cleantech sectors. More information will be posted at http://www.e2tech.org/. For information on sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities, contact Jeff Marks at jeffmarks@e2tech.org. 

Modern Grid Partners is a utility consulting firm that provides business and technology expertise to their customers’ operations, projects, and future grid goals. As a small and focused consulting firm, Modern Grid Partners is a nimble team of utility experts dedicated to successful implementation of Smart Grid technology. Modern Grid Partners was founded in 2015 with the goal of becoming a trusted advisor to their utility partners, with its corporate office located in Portland, Maine. Modern Grid Partners has steadily grown since inception and holds multiple contracts with utilities in the United States and Canada. 

 Modern Grid Partners has supported forward thinking utilities across North America with the successful planning and deployment of Smart Grid and Water related systems and technologies. Based on their team’s expansive experiences, they know the people, processes, and technologies required for successful advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) implementation. This includes a deep understanding of the equipment life cycle, operating costs, operational savings, revenue cash flow impacts, and return on investments.

 Modern Grid Partners is passionate about helping their utility clients and the industry embrace emerging technologies, drive value in renewables integration, and optimize the delivery of AMI solutions. Each of their consultants has more than fifteen years of direct utility expertise. As a trusted advisor and utility partner, they work with their clients to evaluate both the technical and organizational performance of new technologies, processes, and project implementations. Modern Grid Partners is proud of their depth of talent, deep domain utility knowledge, and breadth of experience to lead and integrate AMI from start to finish.

Modern Grid Partners becomes part of the planning and deployment teams. They work together to deliver results through business case development, infrastructure strategy and design, CIS integration, RFP development, and vendor evaluations. 

The alignment of business and technology expertise to support a utilities operation, projects, and future goals is a challenge all electric companies face in 2017. By bringing together engineers, business consultants, and project managers, all with smart grid expertise, a more reliable grid can be achieved. Choosing Modern Grid Partners means choosing global expertise, localized knowledge, and a resume full of success with AMI, Telecom, GIS, CIS, OMS, SCADA, and other emerging smart grid solutions. From early stage planning to project closeout, Modern Grid Partners can help align the strategic vision to drive new levels of connectivity and IT/OT convergence that the future grid will be based upon.

Modern Grid Partners became a founding E2Tech Sustaining Leader in 2017.

Learn more about our Sustaining Partner Program!

MTI is holding free TechStart and Seed Grant workshops in early October. These grants are for entrepreneurs and companies who are developing innovative products, processes, or services.  The TechStart Grants (up to $5,000) can be used to conduct market research, develop a business plan, and file for patent protections. The Seed Grants (up to $25,000) can be used to develop a prototype, demonstrate proof of concept, and conduct field trials.  For more information and to register for this free event, visit http://www.mainetechnology.org/workshops.

Portland Workshop

Wednesday, October 4 12:00-2:00 PM

Bangor Workshop

Thursday, October 5 12:00-2:00 PM

Webinar

Wednesday, October 11 2:00-3:30 PM

On June 13, 2017, a general fund bond issue for investments in research, development, and commercialization was approved by voters in a statewide vote. That bond included $45,000,000 to be distributed by the Maine Technology Institute (MTI) “in the form of grants to support infrastructure, equipment, and technology upgrades in the following targeted technology sectors: biotechnology, advanced technologies for forestry and agriculture, information technology, and precision manufacturing technology” (Maine Office of the Secretary of State).

MTI plans to distribute about half of the bond funds through a series of Lightning Rounds before the end of 2017. Interested applicants must meet all program requirements, including being a Maine organization; providing at least a 1:1 cost share for the project; using the funds for infrastructure (capital construction, improvements, or equipment costs); be associated with research, development, and commercialization innovation; and be within or intersect with one or more of Maine’s seven technology sectors. The application involves registering proposals on MTI’s online portal and submitting a 10-slide project pitch deck. Slide decks will be accepted after October 2, 2017 and will be considered monthly through December 8, 2017.

For more information on MTI’s Technology Asset Fund program requirements visit: https://www.mainetechnology.org/program/maine-technology-asset-fund-2-0/