Bowdoinham Select Board members discuss the solar project during the board meeting Tuesday night. Screenshot

The Bowdoinham Select Board backed away from a proposed solar project that would have used solar arrays to cover the electric needs for the town’s municipal buildings and streetlights.

In a 3-2 vote Tuesday, the board rejected a proposed agreement that would allow a private company to install a solar array on the public works garage, stating the savings would be minimal and the risk too high for the town to back the project.

“I am not against solar power, I think in the right place and the right system it can work,” said board member Mark Favreau. “This particular system is too large for us for when we do purchase it. Credits we only have a year to use them or lose them. If we change our streetlights, we are going to be way over. This should be only sized for 70% of our power right now, but it is sized at 90-95%, so we are going to lose kilowatts that we cannot purchase or make use of later down the road.” 

The agreement with ReVision Energy would have saved the town approximately $1,000-$2,000 in the first year. However, based on the current net energy billing credit value, the first-year savings were estimated to be roughly $8,000, and over 20 years, the saving was estimated to be $20,000-$40,000.

“These savings would only be seen in the first year considering the gas generation plants are being taken offline and going back to diesel because they are cheaper to run,” said Favreau. “What we are getting for 19 cents a kilowatt is going to go back to the 12 cents, probably next year.” 

Last year, the Select Board was authorized to enter into an agreement with ReVision Energy. 

Chairperson David Engler said there are several types of risks associated with the project – one possibility is that they could get their pricing inverted and pay more to the ReVision than they could be buying from the Central Maine Power.

The town spends about $15,000 a year on power for its municipal buildings and streetlights.

Community Development Advisory Committee Chair Wendy Rose expressed disappointment that the Select Board turned down a recommendation from a town committee that was unanimous.  

“What the Select Board turned down last night was an opportunity to save over $35,000 over 20 years,” said Rose. “The agreement with the ReVision meant that the town would not have to put up any money to get the solar array, nor would they have to use any town money over the 20 years that it would operate, so we would be getting savings without having to spend anything.”

Rose said the board members had all expressed support of solar energy and yet did not accept this proposal. 

“The lawyers had negotiated the agreement, and that is the best deal that they could get. If they are turning this down, they will have to go a different route,” said Rose. “I am watching to see how quickly they will find another way to source our town’s energy through a solar source and how quickly they will move to do that.”