An abandoned gravel pit in Hampden has been repurposed as a 14,000-panel community solar farm.
Investor and owner Wishcamper Cos. on Thursday cut the ribbon on the project which will generate an estimated 8.6 million kilowatt hours of electricity.
“Every time we build a clean energy project like this behind me, we keep our energy dollars right here at home in the local economy, creating good jobs,” said Phil Coupe, a founder of Revision Energy, the project developer.
The electricity from the solar farm will power the Bangor Water District, the College of the Atlantic and other local institutions.
Charlie Duprey, vice president of solar development for Wishcamper, said the site was once home to an abandoned gravel pit. And while that was a deterrent for other projects, it works surprisingly well for this one.
“When we think about solar siting, this is probably the best site I’ve ever seen- off the main road, not visible, an old piece of land that wasn’t being used for anything else,” he said.
This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.
