A local collaborative effort is making a big push to spread the use of solar power in Lincoln County before a federal tax credit expires at the end of 2016.
The Twin Village Energy Committee, the Midcoast Green Collaborative and ReVision Energy have partnered together to launch Solarize Central Lincoln County, a program designed to lower the costs of solar energy for residents and businesses in Damariscotta, Newcastle, Nobleboro, Bremen, Bristol, and South Bristol.
“What we have is a wonderful opportunity to get more people involved in solar energy,” said Paul Kando, co-founder of Midcoast Green Collaborative. “The more people who can have solar energy in their homes, the better off our planet will be.”
The Midcoast Green Collaborative chose ReVision Energy, a renewable energy contracting company with locations in Maine and New Hampshire, as its partner for the project. Members of the collaborative have been working with ReVision since early spring, when conversations about the Edgecomb Community Solar Farm Association began.
“It’s really a benefit for us, because we can work with this large group of people who have been waiting and wanting solar energy for a long, long time,” said Jennifer Albee, customer relations manager for ReVision Energy.
Once an interested homeowner or business contacts ReVision Energy, the company will send representatives to site to evaluate the potential locations for the solar panels to be installed. A roof facing south is ideal to receive the most sunlight during peak hours of the day, Kando said.
In the event that the roof is not suitable for the solar panels, there are other options. Community solar farms can support up to nine shareowners.
The cost of installing a solar system varies based on the system used, however there is financing available through ReVision Energy.
“There is this perception that installing solar energy is going to cost a lot of money, but at the same time, people are willing to finance a car at the drop of a hat,” Albee said. “The car only ends up costing more and more money as time goes on. With solar energy, the amount of money saved and the ability to cut fossil fuel usage is huge.”
There is currently a 30 percent federal tax credit available for homeowners and businesses that install a solar system before Dec. 31, 2016. After that, the legislation supporting the bill will expire, and the tax credit will drop to 10 percent if it is not renewed. There are currently no state tax incentives available.
“There’s a huge sense of urgency behind this because we don’t know what’s going to happen after 2016,” said Marnie Sinclair, a co-founder of Midcoast Green Collaborative.
To ensure installation of the systems before the end of 2016, interested parties must sign up for Solarize Lincoln County before Nov. 30, 2015. Albee said the goal is to have 40 solar projects installed.
To help spread the word about the Solarize programs, members of the Midcoast Green Collaborative and Twin Village Energy Committee have been hosting open houses and conversations about the program. On Saturday Oct. 3, Sinclair will host an open house from 10 a.m. to noon at 172 Bristol Rd. in Damariscotta to talk about her solar energy system and the benefits of switching to solar.
“My motivation for going solar is the state of the planet,” Sinclair said. “I fear for the next generation, and it’s important to do what we can now to help reduce our carbon footprint.”
More information about Solarize Central Lincoln County can be found at http://solarizeclc.com.
