The roof top solar installation at Bartlett Woods consists of 350 panels and meet 50% of the facility’s needs and 100% of the electric requirements for the heat pumps. (Sundog Solar)

Janis Petzel, MD 

Bartlett Woods, a retirement community in Rockland, Maine, celebrated the installation of approximately 350 solar panels on its roofs at a ribbon cutting ceremony on October 16, 2024. Sundog Solar installed the solar panels. SolarLogix of Belfast, Maine is currently installing heat pumps in Bartlett Woods’ 58 one- or two-bedroom apartments. They are expected to be in by March 2025.  This solar installation is the second largest in Rockland, a city of 7000 people in midcoastal Maine.

The solar panels will eliminate the generation of 230,000 pounds of carbon dioxide annually, the equivalent of planting 1,700 trees each year. The panels will meet approximately 50% of the housing’s electrical requirements, including 100% of the electricity for the heat pumps. .

“The panels will reduce Bartlett’s electric bill by about $30,000 annually,” said J. Michael Lane, President, Board of Directors at Bartlett Woods. “The federal government will reimburse us for 30% of the cost due to recent changes made by the Inflation Reduction Act. Overall, the project will offer a return on investment of over 10%.”

Bartlett Woods Retirement Community, a 501(c)3 non-profit age 55+ apartment house was founded in 1998. Led by Executive Director Kelly Osborn and a staff of forty, Bartlett Woods is one of the smallest retirement communities in Maine but one of the first to actively pursue making its own renewable energy on its roof.

Osborn said “The residents at Bartlett Wood are excited to be part of this endeavor. Several of the residents have experience with solar panels at their homes and are proud that Bartlett Woods has committed to clean, green energy.”

Board Chair Lane gave a realistic overview of the complex decision-making and installation processes from start to finish. He said, “I had the idea after I had installed solar panels on the roof of my house, and it had proven to be a good investment. We are always looking for ways to reduce costs at Bartlett Woods.

“The economics appeared good. Proposals from several companies were evaluated by a three-person subcommittee, including the maintenance manager from Bartlett Woods. Sundog was selected because they had the highest return on investment. Their proposal was the most expensive, but they generated the most electricity by using a smaller panel, which allowed more panels on the roof.

“A key factor in our decision was the congressional approval of the Inflation Reduction Act. Previously, we could earn a 26% tax credit, but as a non-profit we didn’t pay taxes, and the credit couldn’t be used. This change opened the solar opportunity to non-profits as well as state and local governmental entities.

“Bartlett Woods’ board approved awarding the contract to Sundog nine months after the initial approval. The vote was 5-1. One of the board members was not pro-solar, but generally the project had the support of the Board and the staff. We signed the contract in May 2023. Sundog began installing the roof racks in December 2023, but supply chain issues and shipping delays meant that the panels didn’t arrive until March 2024. The project was completed in June 2024. We connected to the grid on Aug 27 and generation was recognized by CMP in September after metering issues were resolved.”

The cost of the solar panels was $400,000 including about $26,000 in CMP costs. Total cost of the heat pumps was $989,000. Bartlett Woods has been approved for $673,932 in funding from Efficiency Maine, but will need to match the award with $315,968. so they recently launched Bartlett Green Fund to accept donations for the green energy improvements.

Executive Director Osborn said “As one of very few retirement communities in Rockland and surrounding towns for the past 26 years, Bartlett Woods is looking to the future, with a goal of ensuring sustainability for many years to come. Bartlett Woods is dedicated to providing affordable housing options for seniors in the Mid Coast area of Maine. As the cost of living continues to rise…it is imperative that Bartlett Woods take the necessary steps to reduce the cost of providing housing. [The] reduction in energy cost will reduce the percentage of rental increases that Bartlett Woods would need to enact to cover the rising costs of living.”

Matt Waldron, Maintenance Director said, “The master plan was to go forward with green energy, to be self-sustaining when the heat pumps are in. It’s nice to not have the protrusion of the AC units on the outside of the building. The solar will cover 100% of the electricity for the heat pumps and 50% of our total electric use. The current heating system (propane and heating oil) will now be used only for back up heat, which I don’t think we will need much. Heat pumps have come a long way. Our residents will be more comfortable with the immediate heat from the heat pumps. Baseboard heat can’t compare.”

Waldron said the installation of solar and heat pumps was technically “interesting” due to the different ages of wings of the three-story buildings, necessitating two separate systems of inverters. The panels were delayed by the conflict in the Suez Canal, so the panels had to travel around the Horn of Africa.

He added, “It’s awesome to be part of this project. Our residents feel part of something good, something bigger than themselves.”