FARMINGTON — Participants in the Model Neighborhood Wood Heat Initiative gathered Thursday night to celebrate the program’s accomplishments.

Twenty-three homes and eight nonresidential buildings received assistance in installing state-of-the-art, high-efficiency wood pellet boilers. As a result, $523,985 has entered the economy in Farmington and Wilton through money saved on oil; spending on local pellets; and new or retained jobs, including $187,257 in fuel-cost savings in the two towns.

Arleen Masselli of Farmington read about the program. She applied but never thought she would get approved. Masselli was funded and received a system that heats her farmhouse and her commercial kitchen.

“They did a good job,” she said.

Richard Marble, first in the area to install a wood pellet boiler in an apartment complex he owns, did so before this program was available. He had to clean the system weekly. Through the program, Marble was able to install an upgrade that is much easier to maintain.

The program helped reduce net carbon dioxide emissions by 756 tons in Farmington and Wilton.

“We’re championing modern wood heat as a strategy for creating jobs in the forest economy while reducing carbon dioxide emissions,” Program Director Maura Adams of the Northern Forest Center said.

Adams said we need to continue to create new markets for low-grade wood that has been going into the pulp and paper industry.

“Oil prices are down now, but they will go up again,” Adams said. “Using wood pellets supports the local economy.”

Bill Crandall of Western Maine Community Action said, “I am the biggest cheerleader for pellets and biomass in the state.”

In 2004, he worked with Quentin Clark, then superintendent of School Administrative District 58, to install a wood pellet boiler in the Mt. Abram school.

Crandall encouraged everyone to get comfortable with pellets as a heat source.

“We’re the pioneers that took this on. It’s the way Maine and New England needs to go,” he said.

Dutch Dresser, co-founder of Maine Energy Systems, came up with the idea of the Model Neighborhood project. Getting a critical mass of pellet users in a region is a key factor. Without enough demand for the pellets, there are fewer suppliers and costs are higher.

“The model is working; we’re making it happen,” Dresser said.

Dana Fischer, residential program manager for Efficiency Maine, said 520 pellet boiler systems have been installed in Maine in the past two years. That is more than in New York and the rest of New England combined.

There are still funds available through the initiative, but time is running out. Funding is available for two homeowners in Farmington or Wilton. Subsidies for 15 percent of the installation costs, up to a total of $3,000 each, are available through Nov. 30, 2015. In addition, Efficiency Maine offers rebates of up to $5,000 for homeowners anywhere in the state.

Subsidies of up to $12,000 are also available for three other building types in Franklin or Oxford counties. Businesses, nonprofits and municipalities may apply for those funds.

For more information, contact Western Maine Community Action at 207-645-3764 or go to the Northern Forest Center’s website, www.northernforest.org/programs/modern-wood-heat/model-neighborhood-initiative.

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