Fire Station Solar Array
Upcoming Town Meeting Vote to Save Money on Town’s Electric Bill
In the upcoming 2025 Town Meeting there will be a warrant article for a solar project on the Fire Station roof where the Town has an opportunity to produce half of its power needs at 60% of the costs.
The Town has been presented with a proposal from Maine Solar Solutions to purchase and install a 44.5kW solar array on the Municipal Fire Station. The energy produced the system is anticipated to cover 50% of the Town’s energy use and will be directly credited to the Town’s accounts. This $100,000 project would be paid for with undesignated funds. Further, the system would qualify for a $30,000 Federal Tax Credit Program.
Moreover, the payback period is 9 years, which is less than half of the system’s warranty period of 25 years. If approved at the Town Meeting, the system will save $7,418 in year one (or on average $4,451/year), and a total of $111,288 over 25 years instead of paying a quarter of a million dollars for electricity.
Further, an additional Q&A presentation for residents will be held at the Town Office on Wednesday, May 21 at 5PM or on Zoom.
- Project Presentation - Forward to minute 39:23 of this Select Board Presentation
- System Proposal
- Draft Contract
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the funding for the array come from?
The money comes from the undesignated funds, meaning this money is already in our reserves and will not increase your tax bill. These funds have become available over the last few years as the town has saved money on expenses.
Where does the power go that is produced?
All of the power produced by the system will be credited to the Town’s several CMP accounts (including but not limited to the Fire Station account) each month. Any power not used during the month it was produced will be reserved in a Net Energy Billing account with CMP. The Town will have 365 days to use those kWh credits towards our bills.
How does Net Energy Billing work?
The kWh credits in the account are applied to both the deliver portion (handled by CMP) and the supply portion (the electricity itself) the default is the Standard Offer. Put another way, if the Town was powered 100% by solar the Town would only be paying a connection fee to be connected to the grid which is not covered by Net Energy Billing. The connection fee is around $30 per account. All CMP customers with or without solar are assessed this fee.
What % of our electricity bill does the energy generation from this solar array cover?
The power produced by this array is estimated to cover 50% of our needs.
What are the maintenance costs?
Solar does not have any moving parts, fuels or filters so there is no maintenance required. Further, the panels do not need to be washed. Snow does not need to be removed from the panel as they essentially act like a metal roof and will shed the snow.
Does it require a utility upgrade?
Maine Solar Solutions doesn’t think the system will require an upgrade due to its size. The first step to determine this will be addressed in the interconnection application with CMP.
Who owns the panels and equipment?
The Town owns all of the equipment. Nothing is rented from the company.
What are the costs to dispose of the panels?
Bowdoinham’s Solid Waste Facility’s e-waste consolidators will charge $0.60/pound. The 72 panels each weigh 61.73 lbs and would cost $2,667 to recycle. However, this is significantly higher than the cost of landfill disposal, which can be as low as $1 to $5 per panel.
Is the roof capable of holding the array? What about roof damage?
Yes, it can handle the load. Further, the installation is on a standing seem roof which requires no roof penetrations. The racking system clips onto the seams and the panels onto the racking system. There is a 12-year workmanship warranty and a 30-year power output warranty.
How many quotes did the Town consider?
The Town sought after quotes from the three oldest solar companies in the state Sundog Solar, ReVision, and Maine Solar Solutions.
Why is this project not being sited at the Public Works building?
While this location was originally sought in a previous project the location does not have as much solar access due to the tall pines surrounding the building. It would be an additional cost to take them down which makes this new location more attractive.
If you have any questions, feel free to be in touch with Yvette Meunier, Director of Planning & Development at [email protected] or 207-666-5531.
- Project Presentation - Forward to minute 39:23 of this Select Board Presentation
- System Proposal
- Draft Contract
- FAQs