To attract new visitors and connect more deeply with their loyal guests, Migis Lodge on Sebago Lake is powering its cottages with 912 solar panels. Their solar array will greatly reduce Migis' carbon footprint, saving them more than $800,000 over the lifetime of the system.
"We've always felt like we had a responsibility for our role in the environment," said General Manager Jed Porta, the grandson of Gene and Grace Porta who bought Migis Lodge in 1968 - Jed's parents, Tim and Joan, were handed the reins in the early 1980s and still own Migis today.
ReVision helped the Portas work through the challenges of installing solar on their property, where Migis' cottage rooftops receive dappled sunlight under Sebago's pine tree-lined banks. As Jed summed it up, "It's a wonderful location on Sebago Lake, a great destination in Maine, but not an ideal location for a solar array."
Photo courtesy of Migis Lodge
The solution was an off-site installation, located in Rockland, ME on a parcel of land that was formerly a gravel pit. Ground-mounted solar is perfect for locations that have restrictions on new construction, and so their array has given new life to unused space in the heart of Rockland. Brought online in late 2018, the array will power almost all of Migis Lodge's electrical needs through the upcoming busy seasons. "Well over 90% of our yearly electrical usage will be offset by the array," Jed confirmed.
By net metering their array's solar power generation, Migis Lodge will be able to offset the LED lights and electric heating of their 35 cottages, as well as the electrical needs of their kitchen and laundry services.
Migis Lodge is especially excited to inform their guests about how they are harvesting the power of the sun. "I think our guests will be excited for us, and it will add something to their enjoyment of being at Migis and having chosen to spend their vacation time with us. It's one more reason to enjoy the sunshine!"
