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Selectboard reviews solar options for wastewater plant; Solect cites 11–15 year payback scenarios
Summary
Solect presented two options for solar at the wastewater treatment plant: a front-meter system with higher upfront cost and an estimated 11-year payback, and a behind-the-meter option with lower initial cost and a roughly 15-year payback; staff noted application deadlines early and mid-2026.
Town Manager Derik Goodine introduced Scott Howe of Solect, who presented two engineering and financing options for installing solar at Castine’s wastewater treatment plant and urged a prompt site visit to firm up numbers.
Howe described the "in front" meter configuration as requiring transformer equipment and higher capital cost but delivering the better payback — roughly 11 years in Solect’s preliminary estimate. A "behind the meter" option would avoid transformer equipment and lower upfront cost, but Solect estimated a longer payback of about 15 years. Howe told the board that decision timing matters because of application and program deadlines on Jan. 1 and July 4, 2026.
Derik and Chair Boczkiewicz said town staff planned to meet with a potential financing vendor the following day; Solect offered to perform a site visit and to assist with applications and federal considerations. No final decision or motion was taken at the meeting; the board moved the discussion into follow-up work with staff and potential vendors.
Next steps: Solect will schedule a site visit to the WWTP to produce final cost estimates and payback analysis for the Selectboard and staff to consider during upcoming financing discussions.
