When the sun beats down on the roof of the equipment barn at North Country Rivers this summer, it will be doing more than drying off the kayaks and whitewater rafting equipment scattered around the outside of the building.
With the help of more than 140 solar panels installed last week, the energy from the sun will be captured and converted into electricity that will fuel about 50 percent of the resort's energy needs.
The $105,000 project, which was partly funded with a federal grant, is part of an overall $250,000 energy revamp at the resort that started in 2011 with a desire to be more environmentally friendly and reduce energy costs, said owner Jim Murton. The savings generated from energy costs so far has also helped expand North Country Rivers into a year-round operation and since 2011 has added about 15 full-time year-round jobs. "We really wanted to be open 12 months a year and have a payroll 12 months a year for our key employees," Murton said. "We really had to look at controlling energy costs if we wanted to stay open in the winter. This was really a key driving force in allowing us to go year-round and be a four-season outfitter."
The $105,000 project, which was partly funded with a federal grant, is part of an overall $250,000 energy revamp at the resort that started in 2011 with a desire to be more environmentally friendly and reduce energy costs, said owner Jim Murton. The savings generated from energy costs so far has also helped expand North Country Rivers into a year-round operation and since 2011 has added about 15 full-time year-round jobs.
"We really wanted to be open 12 months a year and have a payroll 12 months a year for our key employees," Murton said. "We really had to look at controlling energy costs if we wanted to stay open in the winter. This was really a key driving force in allowing us to go year-round and be a four-season outfitter."
Full article is available here: https://www.centralmaine.com/2015/05/17/solar-panels-help-add-jobs-cut-costs-at-binghams-north-country-rivers/
