Places That Use Solar Power in Maine

Maine Solar House

• Located on the coast of Maine and facing the Atlantic Ocean, this private residence consists of about 2,800 square feet. It includes a vaulted ceiling in the great room hardwood floors, an architectural-lighting home-media center and a radiant-heated shower. The owners make use of passive solar energy systems, which do not require electrical or mechanical devices. One of the passive solar techniques includes rigid foam board insulation around the foundation wall.

  The home has walls with a R-40 insulation value; the ceilings have a R-value of 60. The R-value measures the resistance of heat flow through the materials. Higher R-values show greater insulating ability. The home has 500 square feet of solar collectors on the south roof and 4.5 kilowatts of photovoltaic (PV) panels.

  Sixteen glass-substrate solar energy panels make up the PV array. An inverter transforms the panel's direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC), which runs the home's normal appliances. Solar collectors store energy from the sunlight during the day. The collector releases heat to provide hot water or produce heat after sundown.

Pittston Farm

• Located in the northern Maine woods, where the north and south branches of the Penobscot River converge, the 100-year-old Pittston Farm offers hiking, hunting fishing, horseback riding and white water rafting. Located about 20 miles from the nearest utility grid, the property relies on 100 percent off-grid power generation. In 2008, the proprietors of the facility made a decision to move to renewable energy project that combines wind and solar sources.

  The solar component of the system comprises 60, two-feet by four-feet photovoltaic modules. Two 100-feet, 10-killowatt wind generators create wind energy. The combined system requires 80 batteries for energy storage and uses four inverters. The blend of wind and solar energy systems should generate 75 to 80 percent of the energy needs of the establishment to go along with the diesel generator system.

Oakhurst Dairy

• Beginning in 2008, Oakhurst Dairy owners had 75 solar panels installed on the roof of its headquarters, located in Portland Maine. The system powers a solar thermal system used to provide hot water for the dairy pasteurization process. The panels cover about 2,500 square feet and reduce the dairy's heating oil usage by 5,000 gallons per year. In 2009, installers mounted a photovoltaic system on the roof of Oakhurst's Waterville, Maine, production facility. The system has 216 modules instaledl over an area of 3,250 square feet. The owners expect the photovoltaic power system to generate over 15 percent of the facility's electrical needs or the equivalent of 45,000 kilowatt-hours.

Manchester Maine Fire Station

• The new Manchester, Maine, fire station has a 44-panel photovoltaic mounted on the south side of the roof along the ridge line. The array consists of 44, 40-inch by 65-inch Solon Blue modules. Each panel produces 230 watts. Town officials expect the system to generate 9.2 kilowatts of solar energy, which equates to 46 percent of the fire station's expected electricity needs. The system ties into the local utility grid. Excess energy produced by the solar power system goes into the grid, which the local utility, Central Maine Power Co., credits to the station's bill monthly.