Isle au Haut's move to solar keeps money on the island
Photo / James McCarthy
Lobster boats in the harbor of Isle au Haut, which is moving to install solar energy that will provide entirely for the island's electrical needs.
Isle au Haut is planning a move to solar energy that will provide entirely for the island’s electrical needs.
Island Ad-vantages reported the transition will be accomplished in two stages, beginning in 2018. The island is currently supplied with power via an underwater cable from Stonington. The high cost of replacing the aging cable, up to $2 million, prompted the Isle au Haut Electric Power Co. to look at alternative, renewable sources. The company will be looking for investors to make the plan a reality.
Going solar is a way for Isle au Haut to buy all its electricity locally. “That’s money we keep on the island that is otherwise leaving the island,” company president Jim Wilson said.
Isle au Haut, six miles long and two miles wide, is one of 15 year-round island communities in Maine, with a year-round population of just under 40 residents.
Energy costs were identified as one of the economic challenges the island faces, in the "Island Indicators 2015" report published by the Island Institute.
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