LINCOLNVILLE – Since the December 2016 commission, the solar array panels installed next to the fire station in Lincolnville have produced almost half of the town’s goal of renewable electricity — 24,770 kilowatt electric hours have been produced out of the goal of 56,000. This usage of solar, which has allowed for a carbon dioxide offset of 26,400 pounds, has area towns taking notice.

Bar Harbor and Belfast have already initiated municipal energy panels, according to ReVision branch manager and Lincolnville resident John Luft.

“Right after the Lincolnville array that we did here, the town of Rockport saw that and said, ‘We want to jump on this and we want to get it done.’ Very soon,” Luft told audience members during the solar array dedication and open house, June 21, in Lincolnville.

“That really accelerated,” he said. “The town of Monroe just passed [a bill] last week at their town meeting to start to explore this, and Camden now has re-awoken. They’ve been thinking about this for five years or so.”

Lincolnville’s solar project started in February 2016 when the Board of Selectmen authorized an energy committee to explore solar options. In June, the Board voted to allow requests for instillation proposals and a power purchase agreement. In October, attendees of a town meeting voted 134 - 0 in approval of the project.

Construction began in November on a 43.4 kilowatt grid-tied solar electric system. The electricity produced is distributed to its municipal buildings, starting with the fire station. According to a ReVision flier, the Town of Lincolnville receives credits that can be applied to other town-owned accounts, providing roughly 90 percent of municipal electricity needs.

“It’s actually changing the society and the world we live in,” Luft said. “It’s great because these are the arrays that everybody sees and everybody judges. And we’re really proving that this is economically viable and it’s also good for the planet. We export $5 billion a year in fossil fuels. If we can keep that in Maine then it will do wonders for our economy. It’s going to create jobs. It’s also going to be better for the planet.”

Chris Rector, speaking on behalf of U.S. Senator Angus King, told dedication attendees: “I can tell you, from having seen this project, and knowing how quickly you got it through, it took perseverance. You don’t achieve what you’ve all achieved without a tremendous amount of perseverance.

“Clearly the fact that you’ve got a crowd here today wearing the t-shirts proudly, and seeing this, it’s passion that carries a project like this forward.” Senator King would say ‘Congratulations to the town.’”

Betty Johnson, Waldo County Commissioner said: “This is such a giant step forward into the future. It’s overwhelming. I’m glad I’m a citizen of Lincolnville. It’s truly a proactive idea and project and completion. It’s going to save us money. Also our environment. Cut down on the carbon dioxide. The whole nine yards.”

Greta Gulezian (part of the energy team) read a letter from S. Paige Zeigler’s (State representative district 96) “One of the reasons that I ran for office was last year’s defeat of a solar bill. I wanted to be sure that our district would be voting for the next permutation of that bill. The only way I would guarantee that was to run for office.”

The Maine House of Representatives voted this afternoon on LD1504, a bill that deals with solar energy.

Zeigler said in his letter: “This bill, as amended, will allow 1) the consumers receive a fair price for their solar energy, 2) stability and predictability in the consumer solar market, 3) protection for rate payers, solar jobs, and for our environment, 4) a meaningful public analysis of cost and benefits, and development of a realistic timeline to use that analysis for future rate determination and 5) arbitrary caps to be lifted on community solar farms.

“In other words, this is an important bill to move Maine forward to a sustainable future....Even if we pass this bill in both houses with Amendment A (the stronger of two amendments proposed), the bill would probably face a veto. We need to gather support.”

Related story:

Lincolnville to celebrate its solar energy project; designate its portion of Route 1 a Scenic Highway

Sarah Thompson can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com