York Judicial Center in Biddeford gets 139-kilowatt solar installation

Courtesy / Verogy Verogy, a West Hartford, Conn.-based solar energy developer, announced the completion of a 139.5-kilowatt rooftop solar installation at the York Judicial Center in Biddeford.

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By Peter Van Allen

Verogy, a West Hartford, Conn.-based solar energy developer, has completed installation of a 139.5-kilowatt rooftop solar installation at the York Judicial Center in Biddeford.

The system is comprised of 256 solar modules, which will significantly reduce the building’s carbon footprint and provide a reliable source of clean energy for decades to come, Verogy said.

The York Judicial Center’s installation is the first solar project completed for the State of Maine Judicial Branch.

"Verogy is pleased to have the opportunity to partner with the Maine Judicial Branch to deliver a solar energy project that will generate clean power while advancing the state’s sustainability goals,” said Will Herchel, Verogy’s CEO. “Our project at the York Judicial Center is a great example of how Maine’s leaders are working to ensure their state is better prepared for the impacts of climate change.”

Maine Climate Council

In 2019, Gov. Janet Mills and the state Legislature established the Maine Climate Council, which developed a four-year action plan titled "Maine Won’t Wait."

The plan outlines measures to reduce Maine's greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and 80% by 2050, targeting carbon neutrality by 2045. Heating, cooling, and lighting of buildings in Maine are the source of nearly one-third of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The solar project at the York Judicial Center will produce over 162,000 kilowatt-hours of clean energy annually, enough to power more than 15 average homes for a year. In addition, on an annual basis, the project’s arrays will offset the equivalent of about 109 metric tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to the amount of emissions generated by an average passenger vehicle driven more than 278,000 miles every year.

The York Judicial Center solar project was awarded to Verogy in September 2021 after the company won a competitive RFP process held by the state.

The project was completed under a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement between the Maine Judicial Branch and Verogy that makes it possible for the state to purchase electricity at a significantly discounted rate. The agreement locks in a discounted rate so that as electricity costs rise in the future, the Maine Judicial Branch will continue to pay a reduced amount for electricity.