Municipal Solar in South Portland

Solar Projects

In 2018, South Portland committed to using 100% clean, renewable energy for municipal operations by 2040. Just four years later, we have four major municipal solar projects and are in a good position to meet this goal.

Solar_project_timeline

When planning for municipal solar projects, we wanted to focus on arrays that were thoughtfully sited: highly visible so residents can see the City’s progress and commitment to clean, renewable energy, and placed on previously developed and/or degraded land as to not interfere with agriculture, wildlife or natural ecosystems. 

In the beginning, installing solar arrays in South Portland was no easy task. It took years of planning and advocating for better solar policy at the state level. However, our persistence proved successful, and we have been able to develop cost effective solar projects across our City.

Planning & Development Array (2013)

The City installed its inaugural solar array in 2013, a 20 kW (AC) rooftop array on the Planning and Development Office at 496 Ocean Street. This array generates roughly 25,000 kWhs annually. In 2021, the city bought out the system and now realizes 100% of the cost savings from the energy generated by the system.

Planning and Development Office Solar

Capped Landfill Array (2017)

After four years of collaborative planning with Revision Energy in partnership with the City of Portland, South Portland installed a 660 kW (AC) solar array at the City’s capped landfill in 2017. At the time, this was the largest municipal solar project in Maine. The array has 2,944 solar panels and generates roughly 1.2 million kilowatt-hours of clean, renewable energy per year (roughly 12% of the electricity used by South Portland’s municipal and school buildings). Although the installment added cost in the short term, the project was projected to save $3 million over the useful life of the equipment.

Landfill Array at 929 Highland Ave

Landfill Project Extension (2022)

In another collaboration with Revision Energy, the City added new “landfill east” and “landfill west” solar projects to the existing array. Together, these projects added 9,848 panels and generate a total of 4.5 million kWhs of clean, renewable electricity annually. Like our previous solar projects, these arrays are being developed at no capital cost to the City. Through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) — a partnership between the City and the developer in which the developer builds and owns the system in order to capitalize on the federal tax credit and the City pays for the electricity the system generates— the city will buy all electricity generated by the array during the first six years, and expects to buy the system out in year seven when it is most financially advantageous. This results in both immediate and long-term cost savings. Over the life of this project, the City expects to save roughly $20 million.

Landfill Extension at 929 Highland Avenue

Community Center Array (2022)

The South Portland Community Center was identified as a prime location for a municipal solar project, and the installation of this rooftop array was completed in 2023. It generates roughly 233,000 kWhs annually. The City is worked with GreenSun Inc. to develop this project – also through a PPA – and over the life of the array, we expect to save over $1 million. 

Community Center Array (2022)

Gorham Offsite Array (2022)

In 2020, the City released a second RFP for offsite solar projects. The purpose was to save as much money as possible with the City’s remaining capacity for solar. The selection committee identified Nexamp as the best fit for an offsite project and contracted to participate in their solar array in Gorham, ME. Through a net energy bill credit agreement with Nexamp, the City purchases approximately 1.3 million kWhs in NEB credits annually over twenty years. This translates into immediate and cumulative cost savings for the City totaling an estimated $1.6 million.

In Summary

All told, South Portland’s solar projects offset more than 80% of our municipal and school energy use. These projects reduce our City’s greenhouse gas emissions, provide us with reliable, renewable energy, and are estimated to collectively save the City roughly $25 million over the lifespan of the arrays.