A planned community solar farm near Androscoggin Lake in Wayne is one of about 10 similar projects that are under development around the state.
The projects are unlike traditional residential solar installation in that the households benefiting from the solar-generated power aren't actually located on the sites of the solar arrays. Instead, the power goes to Central Maine Power Co.'s grid, and the customers get credit for the power to pay for their own electricity bills.
Unlike rooftop solar arrays, community solar farms allow anyone in the electricity utility coverage area to invest in the project. The cooperative projects can open the doors for people who can't install solar panels where they live, perhaps because their homes are too shady or they live in apartments, and bring the individual investment costs down with better economies of scale, Mueller said. "Even though we have a fairly rural and sparsely populated state, a majority of people live or work in buildings that don't have great solar power opportunities," he said.
Unlike rooftop solar arrays, community solar farms allow anyone in the electricity utility coverage area to invest in the project. The cooperative projects can open the doors for people who can't install solar panels where they live, perhaps because their homes are too shady or they live in apartments, and bring the individual investment costs down with better economies of scale, Mueller said.
"Even though we have a fairly rural and sparsely populated state, a majority of people live or work in buildings that don't have great solar power opportunities," he said.
Full article available here: http://www.centralmaine.com/2015/09/06/planned-solar-farm-in-wayne-could-be-maines-third/
