More solar power for Cornwall

CORNWALL — A multi-step application process for a free solar voltaic system installation has narrowed the field to four town-owned buildings. The Board of Selectmen applied to DCS Energy for what would amount to reduced cost or even free power for those buildings.The South Glastonbury-based company is offering free equipment and installation of 9kW systems for municipal and nonprofit buildings, and minimal leases for commercial properties. In exchange, DCS keeps the energy credits.DCS approved the choice of five sites: Cornwall Consolidated School, Cornwall Town Hall, the West Cornwall Firehouse, the highway department garage and the transfer station, with some conditions.Criteria include sufficient southerly exposure and hours of sunlight, space to mount a system on a roof or the ground and whether a roof is strong enough to handle added weight.The Cornwall Bridge Firehouse was rejected because it is in shade most of the day. The highway department replacement storage shed was also rejected, because it has not been built yet.The selectmen removed Town Hall from consideration after initial approval because a system already in place exceeds electricity needs at both buildings there. Concern was also for the space that would be taken up on the lawn with another panel array. Roof mounting is not do-able there.The school already has a ground-mounted 9kW system, which supplies only a small portion of its power needs. An addition to the system there could go on a roof, possibly the gym’s, which has the space and exposure. Two large, dying trees that would have blocked much of the sunlight there were recently removed. The school board has yet to address the issue of a potential solar voltaic expansion.Across the road, at the West Cornwall Firehouse, eight relatively small trees will have to be removed to open up the rooftop to needed light. Roof shingles will also have to be replaced. First Selectman Gordon Ridgway said the roof is about 20 years old and would need replacing soon anyway.The highway department installation would be mounted on the salt shed, which is also due for a new roof. At the transfer station, a meter would need to be installed. Power used for the trash compactor is fed from the highway garage. Part of the deal is that the systems need to be individually tied into the power grid.The town will have to meet the various criteria for all four buildings to be accepted into the program. If forced to choose, the goal is to put systems where they will not produce more power that can be used on site. Installations do not include high maintenance battery storage systems. Excess produced at any given time is fed back to the grid.The board discussed how much power might be used at each location. At the transfer station, the compactor is not energy efficient, but it is only turned on for short spurts. The firehouse will likely produce an excess, as will the town garage. The school will definitely use all that is produced at any given time.

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