Portland, Maine, August 11, 2020 – ORPC, Inc., a global energy solutions company with expertise in microgrid development and marine renewable energy systems that generate power from free-flowing rivers and tidal currents, has selected Downeast Machine & Engineering of Mechanic Falls, Maine,­ to build the structural components for its second commercial RivGen® Power System device.­

ORPC will install the device in Igiugig, Alaska, in 2021, as part of a multi-year project supported in part by funding to the Village of Igiugig from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technology Office and Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs, as well as private investment.

ORPC installed the first RivGen device, also constructed and assembled by Downeast Machine, in the local Kvichak River in 2019. When completed the Igiugig project will feature two RivGen devices, smart grid controls and electronics, and an energy storage system, resulting in baseload power supplied from renewable river energy and a 90% reduction in the community’s use of diesel fuel. 

“The Igiugig-ORPC partnership is the model marine renewable energy project in the United States today and exemplifies a long-term and predictable renewable energy solution available to remote communities around the world,” said ORPC CEO, Stuart Davies.

“We are very excited to, again, have the opportunity to work with ORPC in the manufacture, fabrication and assembly of a second RivGen device,” said Michael Bertrand, Project Manager for Downeast Machine. “These large-scale, fabricated assemblies are uniquely suited to our highly skilled fabricators and industrial-sized fabrication facility.”

ORPC is Maine-based, with headquarters in Portland, an operations center in Eastport, and an engineering laboratory in Brunswick, where the Downeast Machine team will assist ORPC engineers with final system integration of the RivGen device. ORPC has a project office in Alaska, operates subsidiaries in in Montreal (ORPC Canada) and Dublin (ORPC Ireland), and is working with project partners in Patagonia, Chile. For more information, visit www.orpc.co.

Downeast Machine’s headquarters is in Mechanic Falls and its fabrication facility is in Leeds, Maine. The company provides quality design, machining, fabrication, and industrial maintenance services throughout Maine and northern New England. The company was formed in 1979, and purchased its Leeds facility in 2011, retrofitting it using a Maine Rural Development Authority loan. In 2016 Downeast Machine became 100% employee owned. Its Leeds facility specializes in large fabricated drums, vats, tanks, and other products in stainless steel, high end stainless alloys and carbon steel, transforming plates of steel into fabricated, machined and painted fully finished and customer-ready products. For more information, visit https://www.downeastmachine.com.

• The demonstration project will consist of a single semi-submersible concrete floating platform that will support a commercial wind turbine (10-12 MW).

• • The floating hull technology (VolturnUS) was developed by UMaine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center.

  • After winning funds from the US DOE and creating a successful prototype, UMaine and NEAV will move forward with this commercial scale project

  • • UMaine will license its VolturnUS floating hull technology to NEAV

• Positioned 14 miles off the coast of Maine

• Objectives:

• • Further evaluate the floating technology;

  • Monitor environmental factors and;

  • Develop best practices for offshore wind to coexist with traditional marine activities. 

• Construction is expected to be completed in 2023
  
• The full press release can be found here: FINAL NEAV release not embargoed PDF Aug 5 2020.pdf
  

More than 13,000 Megawatts of solar power were installed last year in the United States, and ReVision Energy has been recognized by Solar Power World magazine for its contributions to the industry.

ReVision, who has moved steadily up the national rankings since first appearing in 2011, achieved a rank of #15 of all residential solar installers, #14 of all rooftop solar installers, and emerged as #1 among rooftop solar installers serving Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont.

In Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont, ReVision ranks as the #1 residential solar + battery storage installer, as well as one of the top solar + storage installers in the nation.

The Top Solar Contractors list is developed by Solar Power World to recognize the work completed by solar contractors across the United States. Produced annually, the Top Solar Contractors list celebrates the achievements of U.S. solar developers, subcontractors and installers within the utility, commercial and residential markets, and ranks contractors by kilowatts installed in the previous year. The 2020 list was released on July 21st.

“The Solar Power World team is so pleased to highlight more than 400 companies on the 2020 Top Solar Contractors list, especially during this unprecedented time,” said Kelsey Misbrener, senior editor of Solar Power World. “All contractors featured on the 2020 list reported strong 2019 installation numbers and are continuing to stand tall this year.”

This year’s Top Solar Contractors class is facing obstacles unseen in this industry before. The first quarter of 2020 was the country’s largest ever, with 3.6 GW of new solar capacity added. But COVID-19 will show its impact before the year’s end. Wood Mackenzie is forecasting the residential and non-residential markets will decrease 25% and 38%, respectively, in year-over-year installation volumes this year.

“Throughout the data gathering process for the 2020 Top Solar Contractors list, we talked to many companies reporting busier schedules than before the coronavirus epidemic,” Misbrener said. “Coupled with an increased customer desire to add storage, we believe the installation market will continue to stay busy all year. Companies may be working remotely and a bit leaner, but the solar industry will push through.”

ReVision Energy installed 22.7 megawatts of solar power in 2019, and has installed over 76.5 megawatts of solar since its founding. ReVision started as two guys in a garage, and now has over 250 employee-owners working out of 5 locations across Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.

https://www.revisionenergy.com/blogs/revision-energy-ranks-1-in-new-england/

It's great to see two innovative Maine companies get this unique opportunity!!

Check out the coverage by Mainebiz: https://www.mainebiz.biz/article/two-maine-startups-get-into-national-cleantech-accelerator-program

Take advantage of Efficiency Maine's instant rebates for qualifying electric vehicles!

Efficiency Maine is also a great resource if you looking for more information about electric vehicles and charging. Their website provides easy to understanding information about finding a charging station, which vehicles are eligible for their rebate, additional incentives for EV and charging, and more. Find out how to receive a tax credit on both your EV and home charging station, in addition to the instant rebate!!

For more details go to: https://www.efficiencymaine.com/ev/electric-vehicles-and-charging-solutions/

Follow Efficiency Maine on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on EV news and financial incentives!!

Applications are now being accepted through June 30, 2020 for up to $60,000 in student loan debt relief for professionals who live in or relocate to Maine and are employed by a Maine-based business in the STEM-related fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

For more information: https://www.famemaine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/AlfondLeadersHandout_wDisclaimer.pdf

Cleantech Open Northeast is the region's oldest and largest cleantech business accelerator program. On June 19, 2020, Cleantech announced this year's class, 47 startups will participate. E2Tech is pleased to have recruited the two Maine companies who were selected to take advantage of this cleantech growth opportunity. We are excited to see the success of BaselineES and Foothill Fuels.

https://www.necec.org/news-details/amidst-global-pandemic-cleantech-open-northeast-welcomes-47-startups-to-participate-in-the-2020-cleantech-business-accelerator

Mainebiz coverage of E2Tech's June 10, 2020 Webinar, Blueprint for a Zero Carbon Economy: Achieving Maine's Climate Goals, can be found HERE

Joe Brown, a student at the University of Maine School of Law, will be working at E2Tech this summer as an intern. The opportunity was provided in conjunction with the University of Maine Graduate and Professional Center, part of the University of Maine System.

Upon graduation, he plans on using his law degree in an interdisciplinary setting, pursuing a career in either energy and environmental law, land use, or business law.

Joe’s prior experience includes working in the City of Portland Treasury Department, and the City of South Portland Planning and Development office. Joe also has a B.S. in Economics from the University of New Hampshire. E2Tech members may hear from him as he reaches out to our membership to update contact information as well as learn about key member initiatives where we may be of service.

If he is not working or studying you can find him camping, skiing, or traveling.

Great coverage of E2Tech's STEM Careers for Students Series

https://energynews.us/2020/05/27/northeast/maine-clean-energy-program-introduces-kids-to-big-concepts-and-possibilities/