Selectmen agreed Monday to move forward with negotiations to build a 2.9-megawatt solar farm on the Maple Street landfill,signing a good will agreement with the firm proposing the$9 million project.
The town would lease the 30-acre landfill to a contractor picked by Energy in the Bank,a Pennsylvania-based firm acting to broker the deal,for 20 years at about$20,000 per year.
The School Department has been in talks with the firm to develop a solar energy project for the district since early this summer.Energy in the Bank has said it can line up investors willing to fund the project at no cost to the district or the town.
The district would receive a$500,000 capital investment through the project,representatives of Energy in the Bank have said.
What both parties have not decided on is whether they will enter a power purchase agreement with the contractor to earn net-metering credits to offset energy costs or simply reap the yearly payments from the lease.
Energy in the Bank,which analyzed the district's energy bill,has said the school system could save up to$2 million in energy costs over the next 20 years.The firm has not analyzed how much the town could save through the net-metering program,but plans to.
Energy from the 8,000-farm—each panel produces roughly 250 watts—would be routed back to the grid.
National Grid,the town's primary energy provider,would pay the town back in net metering credits for the energy it receives.
Net metering allows customers of an electric distribution company to generate their own electricity through green energy resources.The company bills them for their net consumption,so essentially they are buying their electricity at a lower rate.
Selectmen are excited about the project but expressed concern as to what would happen to the farm after 20 years.Energy in the Bank has said the farm would be upgraded or removed at no cost to the town.
Also on the agenda,selectmen discussed developing an article for annual Town Meeting that would restrict door-to-door solicitation.
The proposed bylaw would function much like a so-called"do not call"list for residents,with the purpose of preventing solicitors from knocking at their door.
They considered possible exemptions to the article,including Girl Scouts,Boy Scouts and religious groups.
In order to solicit in town now,businesses or individuals have to register at the police department.
"I'm ex-military,so it's just me and Smith&Wesson,"said Jerald Mayhew."Not that I would do anything to threaten anyone.But you're absolutely right it does get aggravating if you have company and are forced to go to the door—the more that we can do to keep these unwanted people from our yards,the better."
Selectmen said they would continue examining the issue in hopes of drafting an article before May.
