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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 13 S E P T E M B E R 4 , 2 0 1 7 YOU'VE GOT JOBS. We've got qualified candidates. goodwillnne.org/workforce Let us find your next great employee. Monhegan completes multi-year project to reduce energy costs B y J a m e s M c C a r t h y Monhegan Island, which has some of the highest electricity costs in the nation, com- pleted a comprehensive upgrade of its power-generating system that includes the addition of a solar array and installation of a new, cleaner-burning diesel generator. At roughly 70 cents per kilowatt hour, the island's electricity costs are approxi- mately fi ve times higher than the average residential cost in Maine, according to an analysis conducted by the Maine Public Utilities Commission based on rates that were current on Dec. 31, 2015. The Island Institute reported that Monhegan residents celebrated completion of the project on Aug. 21 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by represen- tatives of the congressional offi ces of U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Angus King, I-Maine and 1st District U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, as well as island leaders and community partners. A signifi cant source of funding for the project came from a $420,000 grant awarded to the community-owned Monhegan Plantation Power District in late 2012 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's High Energy Cost Grant program to replace its aging switchgear system, adding a smaller 40-kilowatt-hour diesel- fi red microturbine system and a 13kW solar array that are designed to more effi ciently cover the island's electricity needs. Besides improving reliability and safety of service, the new system is expected to reduce generator emissions. The nearby Monhegan Museum of Art and History will use waste heat from the microturbines to provide dehumidifi cation and heat for its world-class art and historic artifact collection. The museum also implemented other energy effi ciency measures as part of its efforts to lower energy costs, reduce its environmental impact and improve conditions for preserving its collections. Its upgrades were funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Located about 12 miles offshore, Monhegan had just 69 year-round residents counted in the 2010 U.S. Census and its population, like most of Maine's year- round islands, faces signifi cant challenges to remain sustainable. Energy costs, along with jobs and affordable housing, are at the top of the list — with the Island Institute reporting in its 2017 Waypoints analysis of island and coastal communities that Maine's offshore island residents spend 16% to 18% of their median household income on home heating and electricity, compared to 8.8% for Maine and 3% for the United States. Chris Smith, operations manager of the Monhegan Plantation Power District, described the new system as "a huge step forward as we try to provide cleaner, more reliable and affordable power to our customers.... While we are still dependent on diesel, we are using it smarter through the use of the advanced Capstone Microturbine System as well as recapturing the waste heat that is otherwise thrown away." Jenn Pye, director of the Monhegan Museum of Art and History, said the system should temper the effects of the island's humidity and extreme weather. "These improved conditions will help preserve the museum's tremendous col- lection of artwork, photographs and all things Monhegan," she said. B R I E F State and federal representatives, island leaders, community partners, and Monhegan residents celebrated the completion of a comprehensive upgrade to the island's energy systems on Aug. 21 P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y I S L A N D I N S T I T U T E

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