Going Green!
Historic Pittston Farm's Journey Towards A Cleaner Tomorrow!
November 12, 2011 - It was been a while since our last update. Would you believe after all the issues with this system, the first few days of August brought a strong thunder shower, with lots of lightening at our location and damaged our new system!!! My husband Bob, was in the building (metal - bulter type), when it hit. The lightening hit our main electrical service system and damaged some of our electrical panels, generator, and electrical modules (part of out master inverter) that operates and senses it's operation. To date, we've been working with our engineer and insurance adjuster to get everything opearting smoothly again, but it's not done yet. We want to check completedly all the compotents before making the system fully operational! I'll update you again soon, I hope, as our enginerr is here today working on the issues! Keep checking us out and we'll keep you posted on the progress.
July 14, 2011 - It is now time to update our guests to our website with more information about our Renewable Energy System. I apologize for the lengthly absence from informing you of our progress. But, now after many false starts, steps backward and forward, equipment that needed to be sent back or replaaced and other unanticipated costly delays, we are finally complete! That's Right, we are up and operational, complete with our automatic transfer switch and other new equipment to make it as efficient as possible at this time. Even though it is complete, as of Sunday July 10th, we are still working monitoring each transfer from generator to wind/solar renewable energy closely and will continue to do so. Our system was finally completed by SGC Engineering LLC, a Maine Company from the Bangor/Orono area. We can not thank to people enough. Our job engineer, Sean St. Jean and Electrician Charlie Squires, these two people been our light at the end of this long tunnel. Both of these professionals have worked through this project and have learned much more about Renewable energy systems, that will be useful in the future. Though it will be a while for us to tell exactly what we will get for percentages of energy saved, right now it is about 35 percent. I will keep folks informed in the future with improved changes. We hope you will take the time to come and see this unique system, the first in the North Maine Woods!
Mar 12, 2010 - Finally we are producing renewable power from our new system! The system still isn't finished yet, however, all equipment except the automatic transfer switch is in place and working well. We're currently just tranfering the system manually, all the time monitoring the many digital readouts on our computerized equipment in the mantenance building. The inverter is the "Brain" of the system. It monitors all the equipment maintaining appropriate operating settings and accurate readings of our Wind Generators and Solar Panels. Currently we are getting about 8 hours of operating time each 24 hrs. Our generator usually gets shut-down around 9 pm at night and runs off our battery banks till around 6am in the morning. We expect that usage to increase in the future after finishing some equipment changes in our complex. It will take us about a year of monitoring the system and tweaking it to tell exactly what our savings will be, but conditions look good for 70-80%. Our electrical engineer, Shawn St. Jean, is monitoring closely the system's operation and checks in with us regularly. His attention and assistance is very much appreciated. I'll update our blog when the transfer switch is installed.
February 4, 2010 - Happy New Year! I hestitate in writing this blog report knowing we have reported several delays to you. But, as of this wiring at are now 95% completed! All our equipment is intalled and most of the electrical connections have been completed. The Electrical Engineer, State Electrical Inspector, Electricians, and Contractor were here this week and worked out some kinks in the system. Only a couple of electrical connections are still needed and have not arrived, but hopefully they'll be here next week and they anticipate installing them next week as well. I'd like to think it might be ready to start the system at that time. We'll just need to wait and see. As soon as it's ready to go we'll let you know. WE CAN'T WAIT!!!
November 13, 2009 - Hello Everyone! We have had quite a delay in the completion of our system, through no fault of our own. There has been some contractor issues with equipment and this has put us behind in our completion date. We were informed by our contractor on Tues. the all important inverter would be shipped this week, after it had been shipped back to be retooled to work correctly with the rest of our electrical equipment. Delivery should take between 3 and 5 days to arrive from Texas. They'll scheudle a visit to finish the electrical connections after the inverter arrives and then test the system. I don't dare give a date, but to say we are anxious would be an under statement at this point! Please stay tuned to our site for the next update.
June 29, 2009 - Hello Everyone! It has been a while since our last update on our Wind & Solar Powered System. We are about 90% complete. The only two items left toarrive on premises is the "all important inverter and the large main electrical panel. All the remainder of our system, including the batteries, wiring of panels and windtowers has been completed. Our contractor has ordered the inverter, finally, and we are now awaiting the arrival. The electrical panel will be a Square D panel and will also be delivered soon as well. We anticipate, if the equipment arrives in a timely manner, our system will be completed within just a few short weeks. That's the only items leftti be completed before we are 85% Green. This project has taken far longer than anticipated but when all is completed and we are generating our own electricy, all the waiting will seem small..we hope! We feel like a bride waiting for a bridegroom. We will keep you updated when completed. Thanks for all your support with your emails, phone calls, visits and best wishes, all are appreciated.
March 27, 2009 - Our project is still making progress. The batteries are now all installed and connected. More electrical equipment has been delivered and interconnected to our existing generator system to accommodate the inverters. The "all-important" inverters are being costum designed and more electrical readings, needed to be taken for accuracy purposes, check, check and recheck. When the system is finished it needs to live up to what it is being designed to do, produce 75-80% of energy from Wind & Solar Power. They tell us this type of commercial inverter is what is needed to properly power our system for years to come. The solar panels as you can see from the photos are now being installed. There is still one pole that needs to have the panels installed, that will happen this coming week. The wind towers have needed some adjustment so they are currently down, but will be put into place again this week. The electricians will continue to work on the electrical connections in the coming weeks. After a visit from the Bergy Wind Tower engineer this week, he now has in hand all the needed information for the all important inverter to be produced. When completed the inverter will be delivered and will be the last piece of the puzzle to be installed and connected prior to the system going on line. I will continue to update our site with photos and info as we progress. Our new completion date: Middle to end of April.....It really is going to become a reality!! We are getting extremely anxious...but all good things come to those who wait!
January 28, 2009 - We are still making progress, but a little slower than we had hoped. Yesterday however, there was movement in the right direction. Our 144 batteries have been delivered and are now in their own room. More electrical equipment has been delivered and interconnected to our existing generator system to accommodate the three inverters, which we hope will be delivered shortly. The rooms for the electrical equipment and the batteries are completed. Once the inverters are in place the system can be connected and our wind generators should be producing power. The equipment for the Solar portion of our system is on its way. The 2'X4' PV panels are coming from NY, the racks (5) of them are almost completed and are being made in Kingfield, ME and transported to our location shortly. Our next step, which will be completed shortly is the delivery of the inverters. Time frame for completion estimated by end of February at this point.
The photo attached shows the room where 144 - 2 volt batteries are now stored for our storage supply of DC power, prior to being inverted back into AC and transported throughout our entire complex via our existing 3 phase electrical system. The room now built is directly vented to the outside and was enlarged from original plans to accommodate more batteries. There is another room adjacent to this one where all our electrical boxes and other monitoring devices for the system will be stored. It is located behind the battery room. The wiring for the towers outside has now been brought into our maintenance building and is now awaiting the electrical panels and other equipment to connect. The all important system inverters, have not arrived as yet, but are expected in the near future. These inverters, are especially designed for this system. The racks for the 60 2'X4' solar panels are also being custom designed by a Maine Engineering firm.
December 15, 2008 - We are making progress, but there have been some equipment ordering issues, and so we are a little behind, but we are in hopes to have our 2 Wind Tower Berge Generators producing power by the end of this month or the first of January.
The photo attached shows the room where 96 (189 pounds each) 2 amp batteries will be stored for our storage supply of DC power, prior to being inverted back into AC and transported throughout our entire complex via our existing 3 phase electrical system. The room being built will be directly vented to the outside. There is another room adjacent where all our electrical boxes and other monitoring devices for the system will be stored. It will be located behind the battery room. The wiring for the towers outside has now been brought into our maintenance building and is now awaiting the electrical panels and other equipment to connect. The all important system inverters, have not arrived as yet, but are expected in the near future. These inverters, are especially designed for this system. The racks for the 60 2'X4' solar panels are also being custom designed by a Maine Engineering firm.
We are getting extremely excited!!! Kind of like kids in a candy store waiting for the taffy to be done so we can taste it!!
November 7, 2008 - The two towers are up! Yesterday about 8:30 am the first one seen in the photo was erected by a large bulldozer owned by H.O. Bouchard, Comstook operations, operated Ralph Oulette, Supervisor. It was an exciting experience to watch.
The "Gin Pole" about 42' was hoisted in place first and anchored, then adjustments and cable connections made and following that operation the first 100' wind tower and generator hoisted in place and anchored.
Everything went well including the weather, it was warm with very little wind, which assisted the smooth operation of this equipment. The second one went up in the same fashion.
They will be working to connect the electrical portion of the towers this week and continuing to work on the solar panel portion of this project. this was a GREAT day! Truly a footstep into the 21st Century here at Historic Pittston Farm. Please stop by and see the project grow.
October 27, 2008 - Our Ribbon Cutting Event Photos! The people in the Ribbon Cutting; our Banker Jerry Jarrell, Machias Savings Bank, and Bob and Jenny Mills, owners. Saturday was a great day. The event was well attended with a free luncheon for all. Bob and I sincerely appreciated the represention from the Governor's Office John Kerry and Senator Peter Mills from Maine State Legislature. Officially we are off and running!
Both towers are nearly completed and we hope to have them standing within the next week. A reporter from Moosehead Messenger Newspaper in Greenville attended and more press will be forthcoming soon. If you have any questions or would like to see this project up close during construction please come and visit. Keep watching us grow!
October 16, 2008 - As you can see from our photos, we are progressing with our foundations. All foundations are currently in the ground. Two center foundations for the two 100 foot towers, and each tower will have four wind braces supporting it. The foundations for the supporting poles for the 60 solar panals have now been erected as well.
A lot of the work cannot be seen which is all the wiring that has taken place to supply our electricy to this "one of a kind" system in the state of Maine. The foundations all contain re-bar embeded in the cement and into the tower themseleves to strengthen the towers in case of severe weather.
The next step is the wind towers themselves. These have been shipped and are due to arrive any day. Upon arrivel these will be erected on site one section at time. More to come in our next update. Please stay tuned for our next update. !
September 30th, 2008 - Our system construction continues with the installation of the foundations for the wind towers and guide wires..
Press Releases have been send out with the dates of our Ribbon-Cutting
Ceremony happening on October 25, 2008 at 1PM.
September 9th, 2008 - The materials for our system are beginning to arrive! The picture below shows some of the foundation work for our towers.
More equipment is arriving daily. The foundations for the two wind towers have arrived and have been installed. There are five round cement pieces for each tower. Each will be filled with rebar and will be filled with cement. The other four foundations will be the anchors for the guide wires. Electrical wiring underground has already been changed and updated to accmmmodate the new system in some places. Press releases have been sent with the date of our Ribbon-Cutting Cereomny set for October 25th at 1PM. Please put the date on your calander and we'll look forward to seeing you then! Please keep checking back for more progress updates!
September 2nd, 2008 - It's official! We have just placed our order for 2 wind turbine generators and an array of solar panels. Read all about it and our decision to go green in our article "Wind & Solar Power". For those familiar with our location, we thought you might like to see where things are going.
As you can see, the turbine towers will be located just behind our current generator barn, next to the snowmobile trail.
You can read some media coverage about our green endeavors at the Morning Sentinal.
Check this page often as we plan to provide updates as the equipment arrives and gets installed, and we eventually throw the switch!
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