Mainebiz

V O L . X X I N O. I V F E B R UA R Y 2 3 , 2 0 1 5 8 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E AT&T gives $200K to school for career prep AT&T's grant-making arm has donated , to Cony High School in Augusta for a career preparation program that seeks to address Maine's so-called "skills gap." Jobs for Maine's Graduates, a Maine-based nonprofit organiza- tion that helps high school students with career preparation, announced on Feb. that it will administer the AT&T Aspire program, which will Newly appointed executive will market ORPC's marine energy expertise Ocean Renewable Power Co.'s track record in developing successful pilot projects involving its marine hydrokinetic technology in Cobscook Bay and in a river next to a remote Alaskan village is proving to be a marketable commodity in and of itself. "The marine energy market is coming to us, asking if we can help them with what they have going on with their projects," said John Ferland, who was recently named as president of ORPC Solutions, the Portland-based company's wholly owned subsidiary offering project development, licensing and strategic services to river and ocean energy projects. In a recent telephone interview during a break on a business trip in Washington, D.C., Ferland elaborated on the company's announcement of his promotion. Ferland acknowledged that as vice president of project development for the par- ent company — a role he will continue to hold — he has been deeply engaged in the subsidiary's activities since its creation 15 months ago. "What's different is that we are formalizing an opportunity we have been experiencing to capitalize on the expertise we've developed," he said, noting that ORPC Solutions will be selling a suite of consulting services ranging from nancial analyses of prospective projects to the technical assessments of potential tidal or river power sites. Ferland said the revenue generated by those consulting services comple- ments the parent company's continuing development of its marine hydrokinetic technology to become a viable clean energy option for producing electricity at competitive prices. The pilot tidal power system deployed in Cobscook Bay in 2012, he said, is now out of water. ORPC is taking the lessons learned from that project to develop a "next-generation" turbine-generating unit that the company expects will be ready for installation off Eastport in 2016. The same is true for the river power system ORPC tested last summer in the Kvichak River at the remote Alaskan village of Igiugig, 275 miles southwest of Anchorage. Ferland said the 25-kilowatt RivGen system will undergo further testing and design improvements, with a goal of eventually installing a full-scale system that can generate electricity at lower cost than the diesel-generated power now used by the off-the-grid village of Igiugig. "It's very much a global market," Ferland said, referring to both ORPC's ocean and river power systems and the expertise the company will continue to gain with the further testing in Maine and Alaska that will lead to scalable and competitive hydrokinetic technology. — P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY John Ferland, Ocean Renewable Power Co. vice president of project development, has been named president of ORPC Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary. MINI-SPLIT HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS FIT THE BILL FOR MAINE BUSINESSES For more information, visit efficiencymaine.com or call 1-866-376-2463 Mini-split heat pump systems are ideal for commercial spaces such as nursing homes, healthcare and assisted living facilities, and dental offices. C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N

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