Isle au Haut to build solar-powered smart energy microgrid
The solar-powered microgrid project on a beautiful Maine Island is full-steam ahead. Read Renee Cordes’ article on Isle au Haut’s Microgrid project and the power of renewable energy. The following is an excerpt from her article.
Isle au Haut is moving ahead with an ambitious plan to get its electricity from a solar-powered microgrid.
Home to parts of Acadia National Park, the midcoast island is accessible via mailboat from Stonington, about seven miles away. It gets its electricity from Stonington via a 35-year-old underwater cable that’s showing signs of wear and tear. Rather than replace the cable for an estimated $1.7 million, the Isle au Haut Electric Power Co. is planning a switch to solar for its 140 customers. It had also looked at diesel and wind, but found that solar was the most economical.
