Wind & Solar Power
September 2008 - Let the wind blow and the sun shine! Yes, imagine it! We are installing the first ever renewable wind and solar power system in the North Maine Woods! It is our intention to have the new system on line by the end of November. There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate and celebrate this new era at "Historic Pittston Farm".
This new project will be composted of two-10 KW wind generators, 100 feet in the air, 60 Photovoltaic 2' X 4' Solar Panels, 80 Trojan Batteries and 4 inverters. The components will be integrated with our existing diesel generators and will be automatic transfer from one phase of the system to another, providing us with an anticipated 35 KW per hour of renewable energy.
75-85% GREEN will be the result of the new energy system with other equipment changes, at our National Historic site location. New commercial refrigeration equipment and elimination of kerosene heating in our cabins will be replaced with LP Gas and in some cases electric heating equipment.
This project is being installed by BRJ Works, Inc.. from Winthrop, Me (207)377-8316. Brent Wakefield has 40 years of experience in this field and has installed other systems throughout the State of Maine and our nation and we are pleased to have his company awarded this all important contract.
This $325,000.00 first of a kind project in this remote location is being financed by Machias Saving Bank, Bangor, Maine and the loan backed by the Small Business Administration. Our sincere thanks to President Ed Hennessey and our banker Jerry Jarrell for their confidence in this vitally important project here for our continued success.
The time was right for this important change to occur in our operations. With the current cost of diesel fuel close to $5 a gallon and probably going higher and an average amount of usage at 48 gallons a day, it was clear for us we needed to make changes!
To look for alternate sources of energy was the responsible way to continue our operations. As owners we examined the two natural resources in our backyard, wind and solar, Mother Nature's fuel. Our location at the confluence of the North and South Branches of the Penobscot River and at the very West end of Seboomook Lake provides us with excellent wind conditions. If we could bring down our fuel consumption, and utilize our God given resources and maximize them this is what we would attempt to do. This will allow us to grow and improve in other areas and at the same time improve our planet earth. We were off to explore these new possibilities and now with proper permits in hand and support through our many state agencies and financing we are ready to start.
When completed our new system will be providing approximately 2/3 of all our energy cost for operation here. Rather than continue to put oil into a large black hole in the ground, put more emissions into our beautiful surroundings each day, and continue to have an oil truck visit us on a very frequent schedule this above described system is the result!
Foundation locations for equipment has been marked off and ground breaking is expected within a couple of weeks. We would ask you continue to watch our progress and see these changes first hand when you come and visit us this fall. We will be posting pictures to keep our friends and guests informed.
This is a great new era for Historic Pittston Farm. We as a family are pleased to decrease our use of fossil fuels in an area 20 miles from the nearest energy grid system!
Again, keep checking out our web-site and this page for updates.
Thank you for reading about us and come and see us soon here in the North Maine Woods, your home in the North.
Bob and Jenny Mills
"Come as a Stranger... Leave as a Friend"
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