Oakhurst goes solar

"Oakhurst Dairy will install solar hot water panels on the roof of its Forest Avenue facility to cut down on energy use and reduce carbon emissions.

The panels represent a step toward the Portland company's goal of reducing carbon emissions 20 percent by 2010. By using the panels to pre-heat water used in the dairy plant, the company said it expects to save 5,000 gallons of heating oil a year. Recovering waste heat from the system will save an estimated 2,500 additional gallons of oil.

Work on the project will begin April 14, Oakhurst said. The project is expected to be done by the end of May.

The company said that, when complete, the panel project will be one of the largest commercial solar energy systems in Maine, with 2,700 square feet of solar panels.

Oakhurst has also converted its fleet of trucks to use biodiesel fuel and improved effiency in refrigeration to cut down on energy use and reduce emissions."

- MaineToday.com