The city of Belfast wants to generate more solar power to offset its rising municipal electricity consumption, driven by a transition from heating oil to heat pumps.
“As we’ve increased the amount we use, the solar doesn’t cover as much,” City Manager Erin Herbig said.
The City Council on Tuesday authorized putting out a request for proposals for projects that will increase municipal solar production.
Since 2014, Belfast has built three solar arrays. The largest, located near the Public Works Department on Crocker Road, went into service in 2019. For a period of time, the three arrays offset nearly all of the city’s electricity consumption and delivery costs, said Thomas Kittredge, the city’s economic development director.
But in recent years, the city’s electricity consumption, and its electricity bill, has increased. Between April 2025 and March 2026 the city’s arrays only offset about 69% of municipal electrical consumption.
The city expects its electricity costs will rise by more than $36,000 in the next fiscal year.
The new project would likely take advantage of the federal solar investment tax credit, which can total up to 40% of the project’s total cost, Kittredge said. Under the terms of the tax credit program, the project would need to be up and running by the end of 2030, the city says.
Proposals are due by May 20 and the city aims to recommend a firm by the council’s meeting on June 2.