Maine island will get solar-driven microgrid to ensure power

Ensio map; click to enlarge it.

The residents of Isle au Haut, off the Maine coast, are used to being creative in meeting daily needs when going to the mainland seven miles away can be a chore. The 2-by-6-mile island, population 73, gets electricity via an underwater cable, but the cable is old and could fail anytime, Stephanie Bouchard reports for Ensia, a nonprofit news outlet focusing on climate change and the environment.

"If the cable fails, the island can run its backup diesel generator, but that would triple the cost of electricity for residents, says Jim Wilson, the president of Isle au Haut Electric Power Co. ," Bouchard reports. "Five years ago, knowing the islanders were living on borrowed time, the electricity company board began researching options. Among them: creating a microgrid for the island . . . independent from the mainland power utility company."

They studied how to generate power, and installing a solar grid turned out to be much cheaper than any other option, including replacing the underwater cable. "With the support of islanders, the power company is getting ready to install a renewable microgrid energy system this summer, which includes a 300-kilowatt solar array of 900 panels," Bouchard reports.

The islanders have run into some challenges, including energy storage and paying for the initial costs; other communities seeking to convert to renewable energy could face some of the same issues. Click here to read more about those challenges and how the community aims to meet them.