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V O L . X X I V N O. I I JA N UA R Y 2 2 , 2 0 1 8 6 SBA names regional administrator for New England e U.S. Small Business Administration appointed Connecticut lawyer Wendell G. Davis as regional administra- tor for SBA Region 1, which covers Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Davis, who started on Jan. 8, replaces Seth Goodall, a former Maine state senator from Richmond, as the regional administrator. Davis was a managing partner at DCB Law Group LLC, where he established the fi rm's commercial transactions practice group. AARP Maine to expand presence at State House AARP Maine will be at the State House every Tuesday during the cur- rent legislative session to support its agenda, which includes a focus on support for family caregivers, aff ord- able housing, protection of home and community-based services and equi- table utility rates, the organization said. Volunteers will attend hearings, greet legislators and deliver testimony before select committees during the session, which ends April 18. e organization will track bills that aff ect Mainers 50 and over, and share updates with its 230,000 members statewide. Islanders worried about proposed hike on ferry tickets Year-round island residents are con- cerned the Maine State Ferry Service's proposed increase in ferry ticket prices would widen the social divide. e Free Press reported that, if approved, the increases would be the fi rst in almost a decade and bring in more than $800,000 in additional revenue annually. Maine B U S I N E S S M A I N E Business news from around the state S T A T E W I D E R EGI ONAL S PONS OR S PR ES ENTI NG S PONS OR PORTLAND March 15 | 5–7pm | Ocean Gateway FOLLOW US @MBEVENTS #OTRPortland18 Join us at our first stop in the 2018 On the Road with Mainebiz event series at the Ocean Gateway in Portland. Don't miss the largest networking reception of the year! AT TENDANCE IS FREE BUT SPACE IS LIMITED! Please be sure to register ahead. For more information or to register: www.mainebiz.biz/OTRPortland Brunswick Landing eyes energy self-reliance with solar array B y M a u r e e n M i l l i k e n Brunswick — The 1.5 megawatt solar array at Brunswick Landing that came on line recently is another step in the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority's move to gen- erate 100% of its power onsite. The 4,500-panel array was introduced to the public Jan. 9 by offi cials from MRRA, as well as ReVision Energy, which installed it, and Diversifi ed Communications, which owns the array and will sell the power to MRRA. The array will produce about 13% of the power used by Brunswick Landing's business and technology campus. Combined with the Village Green Ventures anaerobic digester biogas plant on site, about 75% of the energy on the 3,200- acre, 105-business site is now generated there. "This is a great goal of what we're trying to achieve on campus," Steve Levesque, MRRA executive director, said. "Our goal is that 100% of our power needs will be gener- ated on campus." MRRA Public Works and Utility Manager Tom Brubaker said Brunswick Landing has room for more solar, but could also add other power-generators, such as wind turbines. MRRA operates what amounts to its own utility com- pany — the power generated at Brunswick Landing isn't net metered, meaning it won't be exported to Central Maine Power Co. Fortunat Mueller, cofounder of ReVision, said the 1.5-megawatt system was designed to meet energy needs without having to store power. He said businesses can also adjust their needs and functions to meet load availability. "What's really cool is that Brunswick Landing is kind of a model for what people should be doing on the larger grid," he said. The array is the largest ReVision has installed. The 2,944-panel, 34-acre array that recently powered up in South Portland was the largest up until Brunswick Landing. The Brunswick array went online Dec. 27, in time to take advantage of tax credits due to expire at the end of 2017. Investing in the solar project is part of Portland-based Diversifi ed Communications "deep commitment" to sustain- ability said Daniel Hildreth, chairman of Diversifi ed's board of directors. He told those gathered in the terminal that employees of the company have been enthusiastic about it. Diversified CEO and President Theodore Wirth, who attended Tuesday's event, said the investment is some- thing new for the publishing company, which also recently invested in a wind farm on Vinalhaven. Diversifi ed Communications will sell the electricity to MRRA for up to 25 years or until MRRA exercises an option to purchase the solar system. B R I E F P H O T O / M A U R E E N M I L L I K E N Fortunat Mueller, cofounder of ReVision Energy, on Jan. 9 discusses the 4,500-plus solar panels the company installed at Brunswick Landing. The array, which went online Dec. 27, is the company's largest installation.

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