LEWISTON — A Lisbon farm and South Paris auto dealer are two rural Maine businesses are receiving grants to install solar panels.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday that 13 businesses will receive funding from the Rural Energy for America Program. The program aims to aid businesses in achieving long-term sustainability by lowering energy costs and preserving the environment.
The 13 businesses from Maine are:
Keena Tracy of Little Ridge Farms, Lisbon Falls, $4,554: Funds will be used to buy and install a 6.12 kW solar photovoltaic roof-mounted system. This system will produce 8,205 kWh annually, meeting this business’ energy demands.
Paris Auto Barn, LLC, South Paris, $12,397: Funds will be used to install a roof-mounted 13.5 kW solar photovoltaic system that is expected to meet all of the company’s energy demands by producing 15,651 kWh annually.
Bar Harbor Community Farm, LLC, Bar Harbor, $6,868: Funds will be used to buy and install a roof-mounted 8.42 kilowatt solar photovoltaic system on a seedling greenhouse. Generated energy will meet the business’ demands and support year-round production and marketing.
Bruce Buck, (Buck Farms), Mapleton, $5,001: Funds will be used to install a biomass boiler using wood pellets to heat a malting facility previously used as an unheated potato storage facility. The boiler will produce 46,893 kWh of energy, which will allow for temperature control and hot water. This is crucial to processing this small farmer’s grain crops.
County Energy Solutions, LLC, Fort Fairfield, $6,792: Funds will be used to install a ground-mounted, dual-axis solar tracking photovoltaic system at the facility. This is a 6,840 watt system, generating 11,584 kW annually.
F.W. Thurston Co., Inc., Bernard, $11,738: Funds will be used to install a roof-mounted 12.93 kW solar photovoltaic system producing 16,173 kWh of energy annually. This will replace 18 percent of the business’ energy demands.
Frederic Flewelling, Crouseville, $4,499: Funds will be used to install variable-frequency drives on potato storage ventilation fans. Constant operation at a reduced speed instead of intermittent full speed will save 22,161 kWh of electricity annually.
JG SL Partners, LLC, Freeport, $5,590: Funds will be used to install a roof-mounted 6.89 kW solar photovoltaic system producing 8,370 kWh annually. This will replace 38 percent of the business’ energy demands.
North Country Rivers, Inc., Bingham, $7,772: Funds will be used to install a high-efficiency, ductless, air source heat pump to provide supplemental heating and cooling, saving more than 1,819 kWh of energy per year.
Solonely Acres, LLC, Solon, $19,980: Funds will be used to install a 5-ton geothermal heat pump system and a 16.83 kW solar photovoltaic system to a commercial storage building. This system will generate more than 57,000 kWh of clean energy, meeting this business’ energy demands.
Thompson Cottages, Inc., New Harbor, $3,600: Funds will be used to buy and install a 4 kW solar photovoltaic system on two seasonal cottages. This system will meet the energy demands of these cottages, produce 5,258 kWh annually and contribute to the long-term goal of all the cottages being powered by solar alone.
TMDE Calibration Labs, Inc., Richmond, $18,750: Funds will be used to buy and install a roof-mounted 25 kW solar photovoltaic system that is expected to meet all of the business’ energy demands by producing 33,565 kWh annually.
Wilbur’s of Maine Chocolate Confections, Freeport, $12,159: Funds will be used to buy and install a roof-mounted 15.4 kW solar photovoltaic system that is expected to replace more than 13 percent of the business’ energy demands. This system will produce 20,805 kWh annually.
The 13 businesses will share grants totaling about $120,000.
Information from the USDA and The Associated Press were used in this report.
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