UMPI begins installing $1.2M solar array on campus

Courtesy / UMPI This snow-covered field will eventually be the site of an 848-module solar array at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.

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By Staff

The University of Maine at Presque Isle is building a $1.2 million solar array expected to save the campus an estimated $42,000 in electricity costs per year and generate about 460,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.

The field of solar panels, with a total capacity of 377 kilowatts, includes 848 individual modules arranged on 53 racks. A unique aspect of these modules is that they are bifacial, which means the downward-facing sides of the panels also capture sunlight — from the ground. That boosts their overall energy production by an average of about 8%, UMPI said.

“We are incredibly excited to be establishing this 848-module solar array on the southern end of our campus,” UMPI President Ray Rice said. “Sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint have long been priorities for us, so having this new system in place, and complementing our other renewable energy endeavors, is an excellent step forward.”

LaBella Associates of Rochester, N.Y., completed the design work on the project and Soderberg Construction of Caribou is serving as the general contractor. County Electric Inc. of Caribou is a subcontractor.

UMPI said the new project comes after long consideration about the best alternative energy project to pursue following a 2018 fire in an on-campus wind turbine, due to a mechanical failure.

While UMPI officials had hoped to move the project forward sooner than 2021, the school encountered several barriers, including higher-than-expected initial bids, a subsequent change in project scope, and the pandemic.

A stipulation of the insurance claim due to the extended time frame was that, in order to receive all funds, they would need to be incorporated into this solar project, allowing for an increase to the size of the solar array.

“This project has been a long time in coming and now that it’s underway, things are moving very quickly,” said Betsy Sawhill Espe, UMPI chief business officer.

“The panels and structure for the panels are on site, installation work is underway, and we expect the solar field will be up and running by the end of the year. We’re especially pleased that this project doesn’t require us to spend from our current budget or borrow, as the insurance payment is funding the entire effort,” she said.

The solar field will be located just south of the wind turbine pad and, with the help of Versant Power, will connect to the campus grid.

With most prep work already finished, project officials expect to be able to test the system and then connect almost immediately upon installation completion. UMPI’s new solar array is expected to save an estimated 326 tons of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere each year, or the equivalent of removing 71 cars from the road.

UMPI officials have worked closely with a campus organization, the Green Committee, throughout the project.

“Solar is a low-maintenance, scalable, and educational option that will benefit the entire university community,” UMPI Green Committee Chair Larry Feinstein said. “The Green Committee appreciates UMPI's proactive approach toward implementing such sustainable practices and hopes it can help to inform future efforts here on campus, in the community, and beyond.”