A proposed solar array that would power both the Sanford municipal and Waban buildings is a very exciting possibility, and one that we hope is realized.
In an effort to save on electricity costs, Waban Executive Director Neal Meltzer was looking into different options to provide electricity to the organization’s buildings. Waban, which provides services for developmentally disabled children and adults, has a campus on Route 4, as well as several other properties. With an electric bill of about $100,000 annually, the expense is proving to be a big hit to the nonprofit, which would rather focus its resources on programming.
Meltzer came upon the idea of solar arrays, and when his pitch for locating them at the airport was rejected due to FAA rules, he looked elsewhere. City officials, inspired by an EPA conference earlier this year, then stepped in with the idea of locating an array on the Rushton Street landfill site.
The city and school district also want in on the project, as they are paying $310,000 and $308,000, respectively, per year for electricity to feed city and school buildings as well as streetlights. The parties are pursuing a 5-megawatt solar array, which would be the largest solar farm in Maine.
Now a feasibility study is under way for this concept, being conducted by GroSolar of Vermont. They’ve already been involved in putting solar farms on brownfields sites, so their staff is experienced, and Sanford won’t be a guinea pig for this concept.
It’s been done further afield as well, so there’s no reason to think it can’t be done in Sanford. According to a report in the May 26 New Jersey Star-Ledger, there are 17 solar projects on landfills and brownfields sites across the Garden State alone.
Solar power is a dependable, clean, quiet and safe natural power resource, and while Maine is not known as the sunniest state, this study will show if the Rushton Street site will have enough exposure to make the investment worthwhile.
Capped landfill sites generally seem ideal for solar panel arrays, which take up quite a bit of space and are sometimes too heavy for older rooftops. Filled with decades of waste, landfills that have reached their capacity are capped off with several layers of soil and membranes meant to keep harmful materials from leaking out. They’re usually topped with grass, but reuse of the land has significant restrictions due to concerns about puncturing the cap. With the proposed ballast system for the solar panel arrays, however, supports do not need to be set deep into the ground, which makes it workable.
This project is not going to come cheap, of course, but that’s part of what makes the combination of municipal and nonprofit resources in this partnership ideal. Waban will have access to federal tax credits, which could be the linchpin in making this project feasible, while the city has professional staff, connections and other funding methods available. It’s interesting that no other municipal-nonprofit partnerships for solar power have sprung up in Maine already, but Sanford and Waban just might start a trend if this works out as well as we hope.
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Today’s editorial was written by Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Kristen by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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