Adams Sees Power Promise in Photovoltaics
ADAMS, Mass. — The Selectmen on Wednesday night formalized a 15-year contract that puts the town in the forefront of green energy in North Berkshire.While there are few more permitting hurdles to get through, a 1.1-megawatt solar array at the former landfill could be producing energy as soon as December. The privately funded project is expected to save Adams some $3.3 million over the next two decades.
"I think it's important to Adams because it's symbolic of a town that often gets the reputation of being stuck in the past, taking a step forward," said Town Administrator Jonathan Butler on Thursday, noting that green and alternative energies are a statewide effort. "It's exciting for Adams to be part of that."
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Powering 200 homesButler, Community Development Director Donna Cesan and other town officials have spent more than a year researching its applicability and developing a request for proposals. Butler, a former staffer for state Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, D-Pittsfield, was aware of the potential for solar because of the senator's involvement in the state's green inititatives. There was also support in the initial stages from then Selectmen Chairman Donald Sommer, who was interested in introducing solar to Adams. "It was kind of a pet project of his that came to our attention," said Butler.
Initial savings are estimated at $135,000 for the first full year. The installation and operation won't cost the town a penny.
"The financial benefit will make writing our budget a lot easier the next few years," said Butler. "And take away a lot of the tough decisions we'd otherwise have to make."
The array will be constructed on the capped landfill on East Road. Tecta will use a ballast system to set the panels to prevent puncturing the cap. The installation will be smaller than Western Massachusetts Electric Co.'s 1.8MW array on Silver Lake in Pittsfield that has 6,500 photovoltaic panels.
A meter will installed at the landfill to track energy production; National Grid will credit the appropriate town accounts to cover the power used in town buildings. As Adams becomes more energy efficient, Butler envisions having excess energy that could be used toward the Registry of Deeds, the visitors center or the school system.
Adams isn't the first to capture solar in the county. In addition to WMECo's array, the Berkshire "Bundle" and Country Curtains have installed solar and a number of schools and businesses have or are planning to install them. Pittsfield put in a 1.5MW array to power its wastewater treatment plant. The town will also be surpassed sometime next year as North Adams moves foward with a 2MW-plus system on its landfill.
Until then, the former mill town is on the leading edge for powering small communities and willing to share what it's learned.
"Hopefully, setting a precedent for other communities to do the same thing," said Butler.
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