While listening to a talk radio program the other day about the new Central Maine Power transmission line proposed for western Maine, I became infuriated. The folks in favor of it had resolved themselves into believing that something needs to be done to combat global warming, and it might as well be this. And the folks who oppose the project had a hard time articulating a better alternative.

Well, to me, the idea of cutting a jagged scar the length of western Maine to bring power to Massachusetts is nuts and shortsighted. I will go out on a limb and say the project will be obsolete before it is fully up and running.

I believe this is true because I have been following the changes in battery technology over the last few years, and batteries are getting smaller with greater energy capacity and quicker charging characteristics. With solid-state batteries in cars, we are looking at a 10-minute charge and a 300-mile range.

Tesla’s South Australia Powerpack facility currently stands as the largest lithium-ion battery of its kind on the planet. The battery is charged using wind and solar energy.

So how could this idea work in New England? Since brick-and-mortar stores are shutting their doors in record numbers, the supply of large empty box stores is increasing. If we were to turn these buildings into power pack facilities and charge the power packs with roof-mounted wind and solar power generation, then this would fill the need of more power in a greener manner while eliminating the need to cut the jagged scar into western Maine.

Point-source energy creation and storage is a better way to go.

Just a friendly reminder that tree-spiking to save a tree is a class C felony, although it’s completely legal to destroy the environment for personal and capitalistic gain.

Mark Cowperthwaite

Windham