To fulfill their vision of responsibly-produced organic spirits, and to attract new clients while inspiring existing fans, Split Rock Distilling is harnessing Maine's abundant solar resource to power their gorgeous Newcastle tasting room and craft distillery.
Co-founders Matt Page and Topher Mallory named their passion project based on a fond aspect of their lifelong friendship - Split Rock is named for the shortcut between their nearby homes, and they decided it would be the only shortcut taken in their endeavor.
Housed in an updated barn outfitted with heat pumps and LEDs, their distillery and tasting room are aesthetically beautiful and a great place to enjoy their diverse selection of spirits.
Matt and Topher are very satisfied with the year-round comfort they feel in both the upstairs office space and on the production floor. "Our two heat pumps are ridiculously efficient," Matt remarked. "They heat and cool this entire building without burning a drop of fuel."
Topher, who is also the CEO of Maine-based Mexicali Blues , had seen firsthand the success of adding solar power to a business, and so he and Matt quickly moved forward with their own solar project. Aided by a REAP grant, they now have a rooftop solar array that is outperforming expectations - and they have plans to add more solar panels to an upcoming expansion. As it is, their solar array will save them more than $50,000 over the life of the system.
Split Rock is proof that not taking shortcuts pays dividends. With the economic benefit and response from their customers, the decision was easy. "We have an EV charging station, as well, and seeing our visitors engage with our car charger and ask about the solar is great," Matt attested. "We're attempting to create something extremely responsible, not only regarding our footprint and waste stream, but also by generating our own power here."
