Wishcamper Hampden’s photo voltaic farm produces 8,691,000 kilowatt hours per 12 months with no carbon air pollution, powering College of the Atlantic, Bangor Water District, and extra.
HAMPDEN, Maine – Four many years in the past, a photo voltaic set up was a couple of panels on a constructing, however at present an set up can take up a lot land that it is referred to as a photo voltaic farm.
One of the most recent photo voltaic farms in Maine is the Wishcamper Hampden photo voltaic farm, situated on 25 acres of land. It opened and started producing clear power for native prospects in February.
Wishcamper Companies Inc., which is an funding firm that invests in reasonably priced housing and renewable power, spent $15 million on the photo voltaic farm, partnering with the venture’s builders, Revision Energy.
The farm has greater than 14,000 photo voltaic panels, bringing the state nearer to Governor Janet Mills’ purpose of manufacturing 80 % of the state’s electrical energy wants with clear power by 2030.
“Obviously the significance of transitioning to renewable power is a worldwide difficulty, however it could actually solely be addressed regionally,” mentioned Andrew Kahrl who leads business gross sales at Revision Energy.
According to the 2022 power abstract power evaluation by Gov. Mills, Maine spent $4 billion {dollars} importing fossil fuels.
Kahrl mentioned the Wishcamper Hampden photo voltaic farm is working to alter the best way Mainers use power.
“Every kilowatt hour that we generate within the state of Maine just isn’t solely clear solar energy but it surely’s a venture constructed by Maine labor, owned by a Maine firm, and that power is used within the cities of Maine, faculties, hospitals, and so forth,” mentioned Kahrl.
Kahrl mentioned the farm will generate 8,691,000 kilowatt hours per 12 months with out carbon air pollution, powering the College of the Atlantic, Deer Isle-Stonington faculty districts, Bangor Water District, and others.
Former College of the Atlantic president Darron Collins was entrance and heart on the photo voltaic plant’s unveiling and ribbon slicing in February earlier than his current retirement.
“The power produced from these photo voltaic panels is transmitted 54 miles and powers our buildings on the College of the Atlantic campus,” Collins mentioned.
Customers who obtain power from the photo voltaic farm obtain a 15-percent low cost on their complete electrical energy invoice, and so they additionally be part of the motion to scale back dependence on fossil fuels and scale back carbon air pollution throughout the state.
“Anything we are able to do to contribute to local weather options just isn’t solely vital in Maine, but it surely additionally impacts the remainder of the world,” Kahrl mentioned.
Representatives from Revision Energy say Maine is among the greatest locations, logistically, to construct photo voltaic power vegetation as a result of photo voltaic panels produce greater power outputs in chilly temperatures. .
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