Three large metal containers stand at the end of Industrial Park Road in Boothbay. They appear to be trailers that are hauled by a big rig, but in actuality they store industrial sized batteries. They became operational on April 1, and will serve as part of the three-year energy conservation program known as the Boothbay Pilot Project. 

Since 2012, GridSolar, a Portland based company, has worked with independent contractors to bring non-transmission alternatives, (energy not carried by wire) to the Boothbay region.

Now that the project is complete, several of the region’s municipal buildings and commercial properties have been outfitted with solar panels, batteries, LED light bulbs, and even ice-making air conditioners that all work together to reduce the electricity demand on the peninsula.

“The important thing about this is we’re able to deliver the energy that CMP needs when called upon,” said GridSolar’s founding partner, Richard Silkman. “Had we not done this project, CMP would have had to build a transmission line at a cost they estimate to be $18 million.”

Instead of spending $18 million to build new power lines, the Boothbay Pilot Project cost roughly $6 million, which was paid for by CMP ratepayers. That’s a savings of about $12 million, Silkman said.

Here’s how the Boothbay Pilot Project works.

For most of the year, the power lines on the peninsula face no stress. But during the hot summer months, when the region’s seasonal restaurants and businesses are operating, the electricity load builds. When the load builds significantly, the carrying capacity of the transmission lines stall. That’s when the system is most at risk, Silkman said. 

When the grid gets overloaded, a giant backup generator that’s located in Boothbay’s Industrial Park is switched on. It will pump 500 kilowatts back into the system. 500 kilowatts is equivalent to powering two Boothbay Harbor Hannaford’s, Silkman said. In addition to the generator, the three industrial-sized batteries are also capable of producing 500kw for up to 6 hours at a time.

Not only is the Pilot Project putting energy back into the grid, but it is also cutting costs.

Just ask Steve Lewis, the Operations Manager of the Boothbay Region Refuse Disposal District.

Lewis said the transfer station used to pay between $800-$1,400 per month for electricity. 

Since the solar panels were installed in 2014, the refuse district now pays $80 to $100 per month on the electricity bill. For the sheer size of the facilities, Lewis said the cost savings is “unbelievable.”

So far, the refuse district’s solar panels have produced roughly 114,000 kilowatt hours, enough energy to take 16 average households off the grid, said Sam Lavallee, a program manager for ReVision Energy, one of the several contractors involved in the project.

ReVision Energy outfitted the refuse district, fire department and town garage with solar panels at no cost to the town or taxpayers. ReVision Energy paid for the municipal buildings’ outfitting because of federal tax incentives, Lavallee said. But for commercial businesses, like Tugboat Inn and Boothbay Harbor Inn, the hotels financed the projects, Lavallee said.

GridSolar’s resources will be available for up to 10 years or more. After the contract is up, the customers can then purchase the equipment. The solar panels are rated to last 40 years with some additional maintenance costs included, according to ReVision Energy.

Since the Boothbay Pilot Project was the first of its kind to be tested in Maine, GridSolar is now focusing on the very same problem that exists in the broader Midcoast region. CMP estimates building new power lines could cost anywhere between $80 and $120 million dollars. Silkman said he believes he can solve this problem for around $30 million with non-transmission alternatives.

“There is potentially $50 or more million dollars worth of savings in the broader Midcoast, doing exactly the same kinds of projects that we did in Boothbay,” Silkman said.