In The News

Maine’s unique geography is creating opportunities for microgrid developers. The state’s coast is dotted with thousands of islands, many inhabited with populations ranging from a few dozen to more than 10,000.  These island communities have long had to be creative and resourceful to obtain electricity, but power is often costly. Several are now looking to microgrids as a way to cut costs and rely less on outside sources for power. 

“Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success,” according to Henry Ford. This sentiment could be the motto for a group of Roque Bluffs residents who saw a need and did something about it.

Two competing trends make the economies of Maine’s year-round islands precarious, says Rob Snyder, president of the nonprofit Island Institute. “The lobster industry is suffering from international trade tariffs and…

Every January, Mainebiz looks at the coming year and asks a range of experts, “Where is the economy headed?” This year, we asked CEOs, business owners and nonprofit leaders what 2020 will look like. A year ago, many were expecting a recession. That didn’t materialize and this year many are expecting to stay strong throughout the year. Yet, even though some sectors are strong, there are concerns out there. Construction costs continue to skyrocket, consumer goods are getting more expensive, health care costs are rising.

OWLS HEAD — The lack of broadband service is leaving some residents out in the digital cold and they are asking the town for help. Several people turned out Monday afternoon Jan. 6 to an Owls Head Selectmen's meeting to discuss the impact of not having access to the internet. In the end, a town committee and the Rockland-based Island Institute, which has worked on the issues for island and other coastal communities, will look at options.

For business, 2019 has been a mix of good and bad. With the approach of the new year, Mainebiz has taken a look at 10 of 2019’s most “positive” stories — ones that carry an encouraging message about Maine’s economy and companies. Some of these articles are taken from “The Week in Review” section of each Friday’s Mainebiz Daily Report. Others are simply favorites of the editorial team. On Monday, we’ll present 10 of the year’s most “negative” stories.

ROCKLAND — The City of Rockland announced that the Energy Committee has been awarded a $2,000 Spark! Grant by the Island Institute. This effort is in conjunction with the recently adopted Rockland Climate Action Plan to move the city to carbon neutrality by 2045. The Island Institute is a community development non-profit based in Rockland.

Stonington, the state of Maine’s top fishing port in landed value, is facing seismic change. By mid-century, its lobster fishery could drop by 15 to 20 percent due to warming ocean waters, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute predicts. Tethered to the mainland by a thin thread of causeway and an 80-year-old bridge, this small town also faces rising seas that threaten infrastructure — including the town pier and a waterfront fire station.

ISLESBORO — Marshall Cove Mussel Farm, owned by island residents Josh and Shey Conover, was the subject of a video released by the Maine Aquaculture Association Dec. 5, the second in a series of videos about its members the MAA is producing. According to an MAA press release, "the videos tell the stories of aquatic farmers in Maine, underscoring how aquaculture complements existing marine industries and works to diversity and strengthen our coastal economy."

The Island Institute is excited to be partnering with the nonprofit Rural Aspirations Project to bring together three small, isolated, rural Maine high schools and take an in-depth look at the unique role and purpose of rural education and its connection to rural community, vitality, and sustainability. The schools involved are: Islesboro Central School and Vinalhaven School in Penobscot Bay and East Grand School located in Northern Maine near the Canadian border. Learn more about the "Portrait of a Graduate" project and other grantees in this announcement from the Barr Foundation.