Local and state officials joined Nexamp for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the recently completed Rumford Solar connected in Central Maine Power (CMP) service territory. The project, part of Maine’s Net Energy Billing Tariff Rate program, will enable the Town of Rumford and several area businesses and non-profits to save money on their annual electric costs while simultaneously supporting the expansion of renewable energy.
Located north of Portland in Oxford County, the Rumford Solar farm features more than 16,000 solar modules mounted on Terrasmart’s A-frame tracker system, TerraTrak, that follows the sun throughout the day to generate 6.5 MWdc of solar energy.
This is one of many Nexamp community solar projects that benefit both residential and non-residential customers across Maine. Rumford will also realize savings across its municipal buildings as a participant in the Nexamp community solar program.
“Fully developed and constructed by Nexamp, this is one of the first of our many active projects across Maine to go live,” explains Chris Clark, Chief Development Officer, Nexamp. “Rising energy costs and an urgent need to further the country’s energy independence objectives are driving the deployment of distributed renewable energy resources.”
One of the non-residential customers of this project in particular is sustainability minded Maine Beer Company.
Maine Beer Company CEO Steve Mills notes, “As a company that made a commitment to the environment from day one, we are excited to work with Nexamp in expanding the clean energy options in Maine both for businesses and individuals. Community solar provided by Nexamp supplements the solar power we create on our campus at Maine Beer Company, getting us closer and closer to our goal of operating 100% on clean energy.”
“This solar energy project in Rumford will help the town and its neighbors save on its electricity bills and reduce their dependence on fossil fuels,” says Dan Burgess, Director of the Governor’s Energy Office. “These benefits are why, with the bipartisan support of the Legislature, Maine has adopted an ambitious plan to have 80 percent of our electricity coming from renewable resources, such as solar, by the end of this decade. This will save money, create jobs, and make Maine more energy independent.”
Based in Massachusetts, Nexamp is one of the nation’s leading community solar developers and has a growing regional team based in Maine. Community solar allows residents, businesses, non-profits and others to participate in the benefits of solar energy without having to install rooftop panels or make an up-front investment. Participants subscribe to a solar energy project and earn discounted credits on their monthly utility bills for their portion of the energy the solar project produces.
“Our team is proud to have partnered with Nexamp in building this milestone solar project for the Town of Rumford, Maine,” says Terrasmart President Ed McKiernan. “The collaboration between the teams at Nexamp and Terramart thrived through the tough wintery conditions experienced during installation, so we could collectively help deliver a more sustainable future for the community of Rumford, and ultimately support Maine’s renewable energy goals.”
“Rumford is an ideal place to live and work and we are committed to maintaining our beautiful landscape while ensuring that we do the right thing for the environment and our residents,” says George O’Keefe, Economic Development Director, Town of Rumford. “We have been working closely with Nexamp on this project for several years and are proud to help cut the ribbon today on a solar site that supports the production of renewable energy right here in town, helping the town and our residents save money while contributing to a better, cleaner environment for future generations of families in Maine.”
Tags: Community Solar, Nexamp, Terrasmart
