GrowSmart Maine received $600K+ in funding with half from the USDA: Rural Development and half from the American Farmland Trust for a 3 year program. Trainees from 10 municipalities will learn how to tackle environmental issues such as climate resilience, economic development, farm viability and farmland protection, and affordable housing in their community. Read more here.

Global Secure Shipping began work on a $3.9 million expansion projected to create 80 jobs in Old Town Maine. The company provides "a comprehensive, customizable cargo security solution" with their patented technology.

Some E2Tech members are called upon to help restore old structures while others are active in new construction. Both are being debated as the Portland Museum of Art explores an expansion project, with plans to demolish the old Children's Museum building next door. That building was originally constructed in 1830 as a theater and is classified as a "contributing structure" by the Portland Historic Preservation Board. See more details of the design on the PMA website.

Lastly, a luxury treehouse in Norway, Maine has been listed as one of five in the "Nelson Treehouse Experiences" in the US. The Woods Maine Treehouse is a unique glamping experiences with a full kitchen and fireplace elevated in the canopy. 

Efficiency Maine is reminding Maine firms that they can receive instant rebates of $4,500 on electric cars or pickups or $8,000 on electric commercial vans. The van rebate is for firms of all sizes; the car rebate is for firms owning 5+ vehicles. This is on top of the $7,500 federal tax credit. Details online.

We're pleased to announce that the Baxter Academy of Tech & Sci will be hosting our annual Winter Social on December 6. A Portland-based charter school with about 400 students, they play an important role in building the pipeline of prospective employees for firms in our community.

The Nature Conservancy-Maine was awarded a $605,000 grant from NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service to help restore habitats for endangered Atlantic salmon in Maine. Part of a multi-million dollar initiative, this round of funding is to complete the final engineering designs for the removal of the Guilford Dam and to restore the adjacent floodplain, which will reconnect habitat for Atlantic salmon in the Piscataquis River watershed. 

The Bigelow Lab in East Boothbay broke ground last week on their $30M Center for Ocean Innovation and Innovation which includes research labs, meeting space, and offices. It was designed by Harriman and the contractor is Consigli. Of the $30M, $12M came from the Federal government, $8M came from the Harold Alfond Foundation, and the reminder was individual and institutional philanthropy.

If you missed last week's announcement or the blurb in MaineBiz Daily Report on Oct. 13, E2Tech is pleased to share that Jacqui Baker has joined our team as our new Cleantech Policy and Program Manager and the successor to Rylee Ewald. Jacqui is a recent graduate of St. Lawrence University with a combined major in environmental studies and sociology, and enjoys rock climbing and has been skiing at Sunday River since she was four. Rylee is now managing education-related programming at GMRI.

E2Tech has held some great forums over the past year. Below you can find some of our most influential events, on timely topics affecting Maine renewable energy, environmental & clean technology markets. 

1. Achieving Maine's Climate Policy Goals - Learning from the Clean Energy Transition in Other States 

Maine has ambitious climate policy goals, greenhouse gas reduction targets and clean energy transition plans. There are many action items underway within the State through the Maine Climate Council, the Maine Public Utilities Commission and other efforts. In this forum, E2Tech compared programs throughout the New England region and in New York, to determine how other states are tackling this challenge.

2. 131st Maine Legislature -- Energy & Environmental Preview

We heard from leaders in the 131st Maine Legislature on their priorities for the session. Which direction will energy policy, environmental legislation such as mining and PFAS, and other matters of urgent policy concern, develop through the legislative session? What are the goals of legislative leaders and policymakers on both sides of the aisle, and how do they mesh with industry concerns?

3. Is Storage in Storage?

Construction of battery energy storage is essential to efficiently reach our renewable energy goals.  It is a necessary compliment to capture energy that is otherwise lost due to the variability of renewable energy generation, and would help reduce the use of high carbon emitting peaker plants in the New England energy grid. In this forum we provide a high level understanding of the benefits of BESS, and an overview of latest policy effort updates in Maine. While also discussing the market drivers needed for BESS to operate, and identify the current market/technical impediments, and possible solutions.

4.Securing Northeast Forest Carbon

In this presentation, we cover the role of forests in climate change mitigation, how forests sequester and store carbon as they grow, and the growing financial markets - both regulatory and voluntary - that are now available to forest landowners to "sell" their secured forest carbon.

5. Inflation Reduction Act: Identifying Opportunities for Maine

The Inflation Reduction Act offers unprecedented opportunities for everything from municipalities selling tax credits for cash to incentives for clean hydrogen, and new ways to access solar incentives. Hear from two leading national players in this market on what plans Maine companies & municipalities should be making now to make the most of the new programs.

6. And a bonus sixth forum, Sludge: A Spreading Concern. Following the detection of PFAS in farmland soil, agricultural products, and groundwater, attention in Maine has focused increasingly on the once common practice of land spreading industrial and wastewater sludge as a soil amendment. This forum discussed implications of banning sludge spreading on landfills (and many of the predictions from this forum have turned out to be correct).

Many of these forums were recorded and can be accessed by members. You can find them here. And our program committee is always working on the next idea that will solve problems, inform policymakers, and help set the future and advance Maine’s environmental & energy economy. 

Any E2Tech member can join the program committee, and your suggestions are always welcome.

E2Tech is pleased to welcome our newest Sustaining Partner, the Consulate General of Canada in Boston! 

The Consulate General of Canada in Boston covers the New England states of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The Consulate provides services for Canadians abroad in New England. Andrew Maker, Trade Commissioner for the Consulate, says that New England is a great opportunity for investors, and the market is fairly easy to transition into due to cultural similarities. Andrew focuses mostly on climate and cleantech companies looking to get more exposure throughout New England. 

The Consulate has a robust team of Trade Commissioners, including Andrew, helping Canadian businesses explore opportunities in the region, as well assisting American companies with expansion in Canada. These are free and confidential services. Aligned with Canada’s Climate Plan, the Trade Commissioner Service has dedicated programs and events throughout the region working to reduce climate change and introduce Canadian innovation. 

The Consulate in Boston is also host to a variety of Canadian Technology Accelerator programs, encouraging Canadian start-up business development through business introductions and local market intelligence in the region. These are often four to six month mentorship programs, with the overarching goal of solving the climate issue, while also creating economic wealth. These programs have successfully transitioned companies into the US market, while also supporting their long term growth. If you have general questions about the CTA program, you can email: cta-atc@international.gc.ca, or contact your regional TCS office. Check out the 2022 ClimateTech Dealbook here for last year's cohort. 

Updates from the Consulate can also be found on their Twitter. 

by Peregrine Turbine Technologies

Wiscasset, ME– November 16, 2022 – Peregrine Turbine Technologies (PTT) announces the World’s First start and run of a sCO2 Brayton Cycle Turbine powered from phase change thermal energy storage.  This breakthrough enables greater penetration of renewable energy sources and accelerates the transition to clean energy.

Successful Motorless / Black Start

The November 17, 2022, successful test run was a motorless/black start of the Peregrine II 5.5:1 pressure ratio Turbopump using stored energy from PTT’s Thermal Energy Storage System. PTT’s first of kind Turbopump is the key component in Peregrine’s patented modular, high efficiency, high power density, energy conversion cycle.

PTT’s breakthrough energy technology has applications to nuclear, concentrated solar thermal, biomass, and fossil energy conversion systems.

The November 16 successful test run achieved these notable breakthroughs:

• Successful Operation of Gen. II Peregrine sCO2 Turbopump. (PTT’s Gen I has over 500 hours of operation and testing at Sandia National Laboratories)
• Successful quick-stop (2 seconds) shutdown of sCO2 system. Prior shutdown testing was 1 minute 50 seconds.
• Successful demonstration of early-stage control and data collection system.
• Commencement of the Company’s Proof of Concept (POC) Testing Campaign validating its commercial level components and system

PTT test system is the highest performance sCO2 engine loop currently existing in the world.

The testing campaign is the final step in preparing the Company’s advanced technology for Commercial demonstration in an active operating environment. This follows more than 3 years and 500 hours of successful testing of it sCO2 engine at Sandia National Laboratories’ Brayton Test Laboratory in Albuquerque, NM.

The test was also the WORLD’S FIRST start and run of a sCO2 Brayton Cycle Turbine powered from Miscibility Gap Alloy (phase change) thermal energy storage. PTT has received awards from the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), the Office of Naval Research (ONR), and the Maine Technology Institute (MTI) in support of its leading development of Brayton cycle sCO2 gas turbine development for energy conversion.

The Company has developed strong collaborations and working relationships with key suppliers that supplement the Company’s own resources.

About Peregrine Turbine Technologies:

PTT’s senior leadership team collectively has over 250 years of successful, demonstrated management of complex technologies, systems, products, and operations with Companies ranging from GE, Rolls Royce, Pratt and Whitney, Sundstrand, and Solar Turbines to Allied Signal, General Signal, Great Northern Paper Company, and American Capital.

Peregrine’s  breakthrough technologies are changing the landscape of power generation and long duration energy storage. The Company is uniquely positioned to meet the demands of future platforms for advances in clean energy storage and conversion with a total energy management system.

Peregrine’s  novel closed-cycle turbine engine and energy storage technology will demonstrate the world’s first economically viable alternative to grid-scale energy storage using Lithium Ion batteries. Its’ long duration energy storage (LDES) has 2X the life and is 1/3 the annualized cost of equivalent, current technology, Li-ion battery storage systems and without the toxic materials and associated reprocessing costs..

Peregrine is bringing clean, affordable, sustainable energy solutions to the energy disadvantaged and emerging societies as well as  making way for net-zero carbon goals to become reality for larger scale grids.

SEE FULL PRESS RELEASE HERE

Learn more at  www.peregrineturbine.com

Scott Libby, owner of Royal River Heat Pumps in Freeport, ME, said that he and his team are always dedicated to installing the highest quality heat pump possible. Royal River also looks to help Maine reach its electrification and carbon reduction goals. Libby, who has over 35 years of experience in the industry, founded the company in 2013, and is focused on ensuring the highest quality and integrity in heat pump installation.

Royal River focuses on residential, commercial, and new construction installations. A residential heat pump gives customers an option to save money in comparison to heating options like oil and propane. Royal River is now a Efficiency Maine Qualified Partner, meaning residential and commercial customers can take advantage of Efficiency Maine’s rebate program. In June, Royal River Heat Pumps was recognized at the Efficiency Maine event for being a top performing contractor. You can read more about rebates for residential and commercial customers here.

Last October, Scott Libby was a part of the E2Tech forum “What Works: Building a Clean Energy Workforce”, alongside other Maine employers and workforce development experts. This forum looked to explore employers' workforce struggles, and point them to resources. Royal River Heat Pumps is dedicated to reaching Maine’s climate goals, while also building Maine’s workforce. Royal River has plans to build a training center to move these goals further along, and send more people through training programs.

To any of our E2Tech members looking to install heat pumps, consider learning more about Royal River Heat Pumps!

Information Technology Exchange dba give IT. get IT., a nonprofit organization based out of Waterville, Maine that helps low-income people obtain computers, training and support to achieve their education and employment goals, just celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this year (same as E2Tech!). What makes this digital inclusion program special is the way they acquire computers.

give IT. get IT. picks up surplus technology from businesses all over New England (ideally, 3-5 years old), recycles all components, and certifies the secure destruction of company data. For busy IT directors, not having to waste internal resources to manually wipe hard drives is a real time saver that eliminates the threat of reputational risk in the form of company records becoming public information. The auditable report give IT. get IT. delivers at the conclusion of every recycling projects details whether the device was reused or recycled and verifies the destruction of the hard drive for total peace of mind.

How did give IT. get IT. get its start? Cofounders Chris and Jodi Martin moved to Stockton Springs, ME in 1998. Chris began an IT and graphic design job, where he quickly recognized a technical knowledge gap between his coworkers. He soon gathered the company's old tech, and with the help of the production team, built new systems. After that, he organized a 3 week training program to help solidify his team's computer skills. “Graduates” of Chris’ training program moved up in the company’s ranks, and some even started their own businesses.

Watching people get ahead in life after becoming computer literate inspired, Chris and Jodi to found Information Technology Exchange, the non-profit organization they’ve steadily grown and rebranded to give IT. get IT. in 2019.

Jim Darroch, communications consultant for  give IT. get IT. said his message to the E2Tech network would be, “If your company is recycling its outdated tech with anyone but give IT. get IT, you're missing out on an opportunity to help people in need acquire the skills to land better jobs and contribute to Maine's economy. Best of all, you’re keeping all hazardous materials within your company’s surplus technology out of landfills. It truly is the ultimate win/win/win.”

give IT. get IT. knows that without access to a personal computer, and the skills to use it, people become limited in their employment opportunities. To help foster digital inclusion, the organization provides thousands of individuals and families with refurbished, low cost computers, along with user support.

To power their digital inclusion program, give IT. get IT relies on companies & organizations to donate retired corporate laptops and PC’s, as well as help with operating costs in the form of sponsorships. When your company works with give IT. get IT., you’ll not only benefit from their Zero Landfill Policy, you’ll be advancing their mission of technology access and literacy. You can learn more about give IT. get IT on their website. And if you’re interested in scheduling a pick up for your old computers and other tech devices and having them put to  good use, you can email Allen Cornwall at allen@itec3.org to get started!

Efficiency Maine held its Annual Event at the Hilton Garden Inn in Freeport last month. This was the first time the event was held in the past three years due to Covid, and this year hosted over 200 people. The day consisted of morning awards honoring top-performing contractors, and an afternoon of workshops to dive into Efficiency Maine’s goals.

E2Tech was honored to receive the Philip C. Hastings Award this year, which “recognizes an individual or organization whose exemplary efforts have furthered Maine’s goals of achieving maximum energy efficiency”. The Award was named after the original director of the state energy programs that were once administered by the Maine PUC. This award is meant to celebrate his legacy.

“E2Tech fulfills a vital role in Maine, fostering robust discussion about issues that impact Maine’s businesses and environment,” said Michael Stoddard, Executive Director of Efficiency Maine, and long time E2Tech board member. Stoddard also complimented E2Tech forums that he considered “...indispensable in our efforts to raise awareness about new energy efficiency technologies and programs”.

E2Tech is proud of its 325 member companies that are all dedicated to the same goal of advancing energy efficiency, sustainability, and the Maine economy.

Sebago Technics is an employee-owned creative engineering collective, headquartered in South Portland, Maine, with additional offices located throughout Southern & Western Maine. Everything they do is shaping. From land and relationships to careers and communities, Sebago Technics exists to do this work together, with their team, clients, and community.

For over 40 years, Sebago Technics has provided all site and permitting services for projects from existing conditions and design to permitting and construction. Some of their well-known clients in Maine include:

• L.L. Bean
• Maine Medical Center
• Martin’s Point Healthcare
• Colby College
• Bowdoin College
• The Portland Jetport
• MaineDOT
• and numerous municipalities.

Sebago Technics has received notable awards over the years such as the ENR New England Top Bridge Award, 2022 Best Places to Work in Maine, 2020 New England Chapter Employee-Owned Company of the Year, the ACEC National Grand Award, and multiple AGC Build Maine Awards, to name a few.

Starting with a deep respect for people and process, Sebago Technics prides itself on forming a uniquely collaborative team around a client’s specific challenge. Each team member is encouraged to share ideas, solutions, and opportunities with the entire design team, along the way. They draw on their experience and expertise to create unseen opportunities together.

According to Kylie Mason, Chief Operations Officer and Landscape Architect “The most rewarding part of the job is watching people enjoy the space you have designed, sometimes in new and unexpected ways.”

What could it mean for you when an entire creative engineering collective is committed to your success? You’ll recognize it immediately when you engage with their team, and it is called the “Sebago Way”.

E2Tech looks forward to welcoming Sebago Technics to our membership! 

https://www.sebagotechnics.com/

7.45MW of Community Solar is Now Online in China, Maine

E2Tech Sustaining Leader, PowerMarket, has been busy partnering with SunRaise on a community solar project in China, Maine that just went live. This project will support around 1,000 subscribers, and has begun to supply energy to the Central Maine Power utility grid. Subscribers will earn savings on the community solar credits they get from this project. 

This will be the fourth project that SunRaise and PowerMarket have partnered on. PowerMarket is an employee owned community solar management company, with some of their employees living and working in Maine. SunRaise is a New England solar energy developer, owner, and operator. SunRaise manages 22 MW of community solar in the state of Maine currently. 

“There has been a lot of discussion about reduction targets that we need to hit in order to reduce the impacts of climate change,” Patrick Jackson, Co-Founder of SunRaise Investments said. “Community solar will continue to play a large role in our ability to meet these goals nationally and right here in Maine. This project brings us another step closer to where we need to be.”

News item from PowerMarket

What is community solar? 

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, “.... community solar (is) any solar project or purchasing program, within a geographic area, in which the benefits of a solar project flow to multiple customers such as individuals, businesses, nonprofits, and other groups” (www.energy.gov). Community solar customers, or subscribers, receive credits from the electricity generated from these projects. Community solar is often a great alternative to installing your own panels at home.

How does it help Maine reach reduction targets? 

The energy created by these community solar projects doesn’t go directly to customers homes, but instead are fed through a power grid (www.nrcm.org). This stops the need for fossil fuels, and reduces harmful emissions. The electric power sector is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases in the U.S., and solar gives people a renewable and emission free resource (www.seia.org).