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Mainers hate seeing wind and solar plants- they consider them to be a massive eyesore. The people of Maine won't consider "We'll build something you don't like

by Bratmon 6mo ago

Mainers hate seeing wind and solar plants- they consider them to be a massive eyesore. The people of Maine won't consider "We'll build something you don't like but we'll offset it by building something else you don't like" as a compromise.

carefulfungi 6mo ago
Of course Mainers aren't monolithic... https://www.mainepublic.org/climate/2026-04-07/maine-legislators-vote-to-legalize-plug-in-solar https://www.mainepublic.org/climate/2026-04-07/maine-legisla.... https://www.maine.gov/energy/initiatives/renewable-energy/solar-distributed-generation https://www.maine.gov/energy/initiatives/renewable-energy/so...
- Bratmon 6mo ago
  Utility solar is VERY different from small-scale solar panels on houses. And, yes, there are already utility solar and wind plants around. There are also chemical plants, prisons, and garbage dumps. That doesn't mean the people of Maine want to see more of those things.
  - cucumber3732842 6mo ago
    This. Utility solar in Maine in 2020-whatever is a lot like the crown's wood lots in Scotland in 1520-whatever. The locals lives aren't made any better by it and some people down south who hate them make bank. Say what you want about resource extraction, it necessarily leeched far more wealth into local economies. I personally think it's short sighted but I see why they're not a fan.
throwaway27448 6mo ago
> Mainers hate seeing wind and solar plants- they consider them to be a massive eyesore. I mean, some do... this implies a terrible politician to not address the material concerns of Mainers though.
- Bratmon 6mo ago
  Data centers don't really help the material conditions of Mainers though. Here's the net effects of new data centers they'll really see, in material terms: - A brief boost in construction jobs - ~0 new jobs in the long term - Increased electricity prices - A slight chance of very slightly lower taxes, as data center taxes partially replace taxes on other stuff It's not like the average Mainer is losing a lot from this decision. There's actually a good chance a data center ban is a net gain for the average Mainer materially, because the change in electricity demand (and thus prices) will outweigh all other effects.
  - throwaway27448 6mo ago
    > Data centers don't really help the material conditions of Mainers though. No, but solar and wind farms certainly do.
    - Bratmon 6mo ago
      Not if 100% of their power is being used to power data centers

by Bratmon 6mo ago

carefulfungi 6mo ago

Of course Mainers aren't monolithic... https://www.mainepublic.org/climate/2026-04-07/maine-legislators-vote-to-legalize-plug-in-solar https://www.mainepublic.org/climate/2026-04-07/maine-legisla.... https://www.maine.gov/energy/initiatives/renewable-energy/solar-distributed-generation https://www.maine.gov/energy/initiatives/renewable-energy/so...

Bratmon 6mo ago
Utility solar is VERY different from small-scale solar panels on houses. And, yes, there are already utility solar and wind plants around. There are also chemical plants, prisons, and garbage dumps. That doesn't mean the people of Maine want to see more of those things.
- cucumber3732842 6mo ago
  This. Utility solar in Maine in 2020-whatever is a lot like the crown's wood lots in Scotland in 1520-whatever. The locals lives aren't made any better by it and some people down south who hate them make bank. Say what you want about resource extraction, it necessarily leeched far more wealth into local economies. I personally think it's short sighted but I see why they're not a fan.

throwaway27448 6mo ago

> Mainers hate seeing wind and solar plants- they consider them to be a massive eyesore. I mean, some do... this implies a terrible politician to not address the material concerns of Mainers though.

Bratmon 6mo ago
Data centers don't really help the material conditions of Mainers though. Here's the net effects of new data centers they'll really see, in material terms: - A brief boost in construction jobs - ~0 new jobs in the long term - Increased electricity prices - A slight chance of very slightly lower taxes, as data center taxes partially replace taxes on other stuff It's not like the average Mainer is losing a lot from this decision. There's actually a good chance a data center ban is a net gain for the average Mainer materially, because the change in electricity demand (and thus prices) will outweigh all other effects.
- throwaway27448 6mo ago
  > Data centers don't really help the material conditions of Mainers though. No, but solar and wind farms certainly do.
  - Bratmon 6mo ago
    Not if 100% of their power is being used to power data centers