Mook Sea Farm, an aquaculture facility on the Damariscotta River in midcoast Maine, has installed energy efficient pumps as well as a solar array. This effort reflects the company’s commitment to reducing its environmental impact and preparing for the effects of climate change. BACKGROUND Mook Sea Farm was founded in 1985 by Bill Mook, oyster… Read more »
Archives: WW Examples
WW Examples
The Cranberry Isles Fishermen’s Co-op’s Solar Project
Posted by Jack Sullivan & filed under .
The Cranberry Isles Fishermen’s Co-op, located on the island of Islesford off of Mt. Desert Island, Maine, installed a 45.4 kW solar array on their facility in 2019. Funded by grants and investments from the co-op, the system will break even after seven to nine years. BACKGROUND The Cranberry Isles Fishermen’s Co-op was founded in… Read more »
Pendleton Yacht Yard’s Solar and Storage System
Posted by Jack Sullivan & filed under .
Pendleton Yacht Yard, on the island of Islesboro in midcoast Maine, saw huge electric bills due largely to spikes in power use from machinery. As part of installing a 40 kW solar array system at their facilities in 2017, they added batteries to smooth out their power demand. They’ll break even for the project in… Read more »
Improving Digital Literacy – National Digital Equity Center
Posted by Jack Sullivan & filed under .
BACKGROUND Digital Literacy Digital literacy is having the knowledge and competence to use a digital connection to the internet. Improving digital literacy drives support for better connected communities. If residents have familiarity with accessing the internet, it supports the growth of business, workforce development, healthcare access, civic engagement, student education, and all-around quality of life… Read more »
Address Affordability – Islesboro’s Municipal Broadband Service
Posted by Jack Sullivan & filed under .
BACKGROUND High speed internet connectivity comes to your community and to your home at a cost. Monthly (or annual) payments can be expensive for customers, and in many cases, there could also be an increase in taxes for those same customers if their town financed the capital cost of the infrastructure construction. These costs can… Read more »
Consider WiFi hotspots
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under .
Providing public access to the internet for your community’s residents and visitors is a great way to boost the quality of the experience they have, and the economic activity that occurs, in key areas of the community. Setting up WiFi hotspots in downtown or other public areas is a fast and cost-effective way to bring… Read more »
Choose a Financial Model – CI Fiber
Posted by Jack Sullivan & filed under .
BACKGROUND Cliff Island, the last stop on Portland’s Casco Bay Ferry, has historically suffered from slow internet speeds. As the 21st century has progressed, Americans have come to expect high-speed, reliable internet to be as accessible as running water or electricity. Because of this trend, Cliff Islanders began to question whether they could feasibly bring… Read more »
Public Funding Sources – Roque Bluffs & USDA Reconnect
Posted by Jack Sullivan & filed under .
BACKGROUND Providing high-speed and reliable internet to a rural area offers a number of logistical challenges. One of the most pressing issues is finding the money to fund the projects, because most internet service providers (ISPs) do not serve rural areas due the lack of economic incentives. In densely populated areas there is a high… Read more »
Public Funding Sources – Cranberry Isles & USDA Community Connects
Posted by Jack Sullivan & filed under .
BACKGROUND As recent as the mid 2000s, the only way to get internet on the Cranberry Isles was by visiting the school or the library. It wasn’t until 2007, that Redzone brought internet out to the rest of the island, and the service didn’t come anywhere close to achieving broadband speeds. In fact, on Little… Read more »
State infrastructure & planning grants
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under .
To help fund broadband projects, the ConnectME Authority awards grant funding to Maine communities. ConnectME offers planning grants for designing projects and infrastructure grants for construction. The Diamond Cove Association on Great Diamond Island partnered with an internet service provider to obtain an infrastructure grant. Visit the ConnectME website for more information. IMPLEMENTATION STEPS… Read more »