Salem Historic Lighthouse Shines Bright With Solar Energy Grant

SALEM, MA — A historic lighthouse in Salem is using new green technology to light the way on the ocean.

The 200-year-old Bakers Island Lighthouse is now running on solar power with battery storage with the help of a $45,000 grant from the Green Mountain Energy Sun Club.

The grant was funded by Essex Heritage in 2020 with a ceremony completing the installation that occurred during the COVID-19 health crisis.

The Light Station, located several miles offshore, previously operated completely off the grid with reliance on gasoline-powered generators. The new solar and battery system provides enough renewable energy for 110-volt lights, electric appliances, and power tools to keep the lighthouse and two houses powered year-round.

Since its founding in 2002, Sun Club has donated more than $14 million to projects that have helped nonprofits avoid 8,500 gallons of fuel, capture 20 million gallons of rainwater, grow 369,000 pounds of produce, and generate 25 million kWh of solar electricity in communities across the nation.

"We were honored to collaborate with Essex Heritage and fund the installation of their solar panel system and battery storage for Bakers Island Light Station," said Johnny Richardson, program manager for Green Mountain Energy Sun Club. "Our grants are made possible thanks to a one-of-a-kind model that links communities and Green Mountain Energy together to support sustainability solutions with renewable energy at the heart of the program."

Essex Heritage took over stewardship of the station in 2014 when the deed was transferred from the U.S. Coast Guard to Essex Heritage. Since then, the lighthouse has been restored, the property is maintained, and the public has access to visit the light station.

"The $45,000 Sun Club grant we received has made an incredible difference in our ability to repair and maintain this historic light station with clean solar power energy," said Annie C. Harris, chief executive officer for Essex Heritage. "It has not only enabled us to make the property much more comfortable for our visitors, but our volunteer keepers, who live at the lighthouse all summer, can run power tools and read by lamp light at night.

"Best of all they have refrigeration and a washing machine so they don't need to return to the mainland every few days for food and laundry."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)