We’re celebrating 40 years of impact on Maine’s islands and coast, thanks to the ongoing support of our members. Learn more and join us!
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under Blog.
Islands are often the first to feel negative effects of climate change. But we can also look to islands to find inspiration for lowering emissions on a community scale.
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under Blog.
Since the first Weatherization Week on Vinalhaven in 2012, we have held a Weatherization Week on 13 of 15 year-round Maine islands and reached more than 350 homes. This work saves Maine island homeowners $122,500 per year, reducing energy bills by about $350 per home every year. With your support we hope to raise funds to support two Weatherization Weeks and surpass 400 homes weatherized on Maine islands.
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under Blog.
“I decided, after reading about the 15 Maine Islands, that we’re most similar to Matinicus,” said AlexAnna Salmon, Village Council President of Igiugig, Alaska and speaker at the Island Energy Conference. “We are not an island, but we are like an island in that you can only get there by air charter.”
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.
And at the Island Institute’s annual energy conference last week, participants also heard from their counterparts from as far away as Alaska, who are generating electricity using hydrokinetic river power.
“We’ve looked at some wind power, some solar thermal and have made the most progress with hydrokinetic power,” says AlexAnna Salmon, the council president of Igiugig, Alaska, a small, remote village accessible only by air.
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under In the news.
The Island Institute runs programs to support sustainability on Maine’s 14 year-round, offshore communities. Changing out power-hungry bulbs on Monhegan and Matinicus is a first step to reduce dependence on diesel and help make island living more affordable.
The 2,326 LEDs sent this year to Monhegan are expected to save utility customers a total of $15,000 a year. The 600 bulbs now on Matinicus could cut bills by a toal of $5,000. A second shipment planned for this winter of 400 bulbs could trim another $3,000 for the island.
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under Press Release.
SOUTH PORTLAND, ME—The Island Institute presented the Island Energy Innovation Award to the Block Island community and Deepwater Wind today at the organization’s sixth annual Island Energy Conference. The award recognizes their leadership in community-developer relations in the creation of America’s first offshore wind farm.
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under Blog.
How to translate lessons from an island in Denmark back to Maine? After a year spent implementing energy efficiency efforts here on Peaks, five learnings have helped Sam Saltonstall stay focused on island energy work.
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under Blog.
Peaks is one of a number of Maine islands to have formed Community Energy Action Teams with financial support from the EPA through the Island Institute. Our team has named itself the Peaks Energy Action Club (PEAC), and looks forward to addressing some of the energy challenges identified here on Peaks Island. Our mission is to provide informational resources to our community about energy efficiency and renewable energy options. The Island Institute has provided us with educational materials and state-of-the-art tools to help us investigate local energy projects of our own choosing.
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under Blog.
The Vinalhaven Energy Club seeks to improve energy and resource efficiency for residents of the Fox Islands. Energy education and awareness are essential if we are to maintain affordable, warm, and well lit homes and buildings. We have helped promote energy efficient projects such as utilizing smart grid technology, encouraging use of electrical thermal storage units, weatherizing, and installing interior storm windows. Our members are Bill Alcorn, Patrick Trainor, Naill Conlan, Karol Kucinski, and Del Webster.
Posted by Neil Arnold & filed under Blog.
The Monhegan Community Energy Action Team (CEAT) was created to serve a simple purpose: help people in the community lower the cost and environmental impact of their energy use through education about energy efficiency and conservation, and renewable energy.