Nautilus completes 7-MW Community Solar on former Maine Sand Quarry

July 5, 2023
The community solar farm provides clean energy to 66 commercial off-takers within the Central Maine Power utility territory with an annual production of 10 million kWh

Nautilus Solar Energy has built a 7 MW community solar farm, constructed on the Quarry sand pit, in North Berwick, Maine.

The community solar farm provides clean energy to 66 commercial off-takers within the Central Maine Power utility territory with an annual production of 10 million kWh. The farm can offset 7 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions similar to removing 1500 cars from the roads.

The project, qualified under the Maine Net Energy Billing Commercial program, will help subscribers reduce their monthly utility bills by 15 percent as well as their carbon footprint.

While 35 percent of the development of the solar farm was provided by local construction, engineering, and electrical workers, another 20-25 opportunities were created for ongoing electrical and site vegetation management crews. The project has contributed to both income and economic growth for the community. 

"By repurposing a former sand quarry, we have achieved much more than clean energy generation," said Eric LaMora, Executive Director of Community Solar at Nautilus Solar Energy. "This project serves as a shining example of the potential to unlock local job opportunities and stimulate economic growth."

Nautilus, responsible for asset management, maintenance services and subscriber acquisition of the project, had acquired the Quarry community solar farm along with three other projects totaling 25.4 MW  from Endurance in 2021. 

“Our team worked diligently with the quarry owner-operator, town, and state to properly manage the land use transition from sand to solar," said Michael Lucini, President of Endurance Clean Energy. "We are excited to see those efforts realized today. Previously, this site contributed to building Maine for many years. Now, it will contribute to sustainably powering Maine for many more years.”

About the Author

EnergyTech Staff

Rod Walton is senior editor for EnergyTech.com. He has spent 14 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist.

Walton formerly was energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World. Later, he spent six years covering the electricity power sector for Pennwell and Clarion Events. He joined Endeavor and EnergyTech in November 2021.

He can be reached at [email protected]

EnergyTech is focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids.

Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.