Pittsfield, Lenox Solar Programs Select Installer
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Astrum, a full-service residential solar company, will work with Nate Joyner and Susan May, the Solarize Mass Community solar coaches, to implement the program in partnership with MassCEC. A "Solar 201" public meeting will be on July 16 at Lenox Town Hall, and July 23 at Pittsfield City Hall to introduce the installer to the community, and answer questions from residents and business owners in Pittsfield and Lenox. Both meetings begin at 7 p.m.
"Pittsfield is already leading the way in solar photovoltaics in Massachusetts,” said Joyner, solar coach for Pittsfield. "Now our residents have the opportunity to keep the momentum going, and really make Pittsfield a solar and environmentally- onscious community. It's an exciting time."
In April 2012, as part of the effort to reach Gov. Deval Patrick's goal of 250 megawatts of solar power installed by 2017, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr. announced the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. The Department of Energy Resources selected 17 communities to participate in the 2012 Solarize Massachusetts (Solarize Mass) Program, which helps residents and business owners adopt solar photovoltaic technology.
"Under Governor Patrick's leadership, Massachusetts is the nation's leader in clean energy," said Patrick Cloney, chief executive officer of MassCEC. "We are seeing tremendous growth of solar PV throughout the commonwealth and now, with the right policies and programs in place, we at MassCEC are tremendously excited to partner with cities and towns across the commonwealth to bring clean, locally sourced, cost-effective solar electricity generation to individual residences and businesses throughout the commonwealth."
Michelle Waldgeir, vice president of marketing at Astrum, said the program "will be instrumental in helping more Pittsfield and Lenox residents transition from traditional energy consumers to clean energy producers."
Solarize Mass encourages the adoption of small-scale solar PV by deploying a coordinated education, marketing and outreach effort, combined with a tiered pricing structure that provides increased savings as more people in the community go solar. MassCEC provides technical support and hosts free educational meetings in the participating communities to educate people about the benefits of installing solar and to drive interest in implementing the technology.
May, Lenox solar coach, and Ken Fowler, chairman of the Lenox Board of Selectmen, said they are "thrilled" to be working with Pittsfield on the program.
"Being part of this program is a great way to help residents of Lenox utilize the $2,000 Green Community grant dollars we have for PV and solar hot water installations," said May.
MassCEC, in partnership with the DOER's Green Communities Division has selected the cities and towns of Acton, Arlington, Boston, Hopkinton, Melrose, Mendon, Millbury, Montague, Newburyport, Palmer, Pittsfield, Lenox, Shirley, Sutton, Wayland, Sudbury and Lincoln, to participate in Solarize Mass.
For more information: www.SolarizeMass.com or www.MassCEC.com.
Tags: photovoltaic, solar,
