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Georgetown, ME Solar Energy Project

The Georgetown Energy Working Group (GEWG) was formed to investigate solar photovoltaic energy options for the municipal buildings within the Town of Georgetown, ME. For this, the GEWG provided their current research into obtaining an alternative energy source, along with the benefits and the current options that were available for photovoltaic energy. The options included a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), a wholly owned and built array, a solar farm share, and a subscription service. Upon investigating companies that are registered in Maine for photovoltaic solar and speaking with representatives from a total of 17 interested companies whose scope of work fit Georgetown’s needs, it was found that 5 companies were able to offer a PPA, 5 wholly owned solar array options, and 7 a solar subscription service. All these methods were evaluated to find their respective pros and cons. An economic analysis was also performed to help better assess the costs and return investments the Town may incur/receive over the life span of the solar panels or agreement period. Additionally, the Select Board also gave the task to investigate potential alternative heating options for the Georgetown Central School. For this, a site visit was conducted and a representative from MidCoast Energy was brought to the site to help assess options available for the rooms of interest, including the school offices, library, and the town office. This visit introduced several air source heat pump options for these target rooms. Additionally, electrical and fuel oil usage were obtained and charted in conjunction with the temperatures over the years. The results from these investigations will help meet Georgetown’s desire for more sustainable energy sources, a potentially independent power generation system, and a lower cost of electricity.

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