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Weathersfield is latest town to consider solar energy

By JEFF EPSTEIN
[email protected]
WEATHERSFIELD, Vt. — At the select board meeting April 1, Town Manager Ed Morris introduced a new proposal for up to three municipal solar energy installations. With this proposal, the towns of Weathersfield, Windsor, West Windsor and Springfield all now have some form of possible solar project either under active consideration or possible consideration this year.

The state of Vermont has set a goal that 90 percent of its energy will come from renewable sources by the year 2050. To that end, the Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission, of which all four towns are members, has provided technical support for member towns to create “enhanced energy plans” which may include solar energy.

Springfield just had a public hearing about a new energy plan that may include solar projects. Windsor is not actively considering a solar plan right now, but the school district, encouraged in part by a recent student proposal to place solar cells on the roof of the Windsor School, may do so. West Windsor does not have an energy plan yet, but the planning commission is working on updates to the town master plan, and may soon consider an energy plan including solar energy. In addition, earlier this year, at least one solar company was investigating an old commercial site in West Windsor, town officials said.

The state and regional interest in municipalities creating an enhanced energy plan may be what is driving this interest in solar energy. In addition, all the solar contractors as well as the towns are aware that federal tax credits for solar projects are expected to be reduced next year.

Weathersfield’s planning commission has already dealt with at least one private solar installation, in a location on U.S. 5 that was visible enough that the town required some screening for it. This new proposal, however, would be for the town itself.

For that reason, however, it does not come under zoning regulation, said land use administrator Sven Federow, who may not have been aware of the proposal before Monday night.

Morris introduced Victor Veve, a representative of Green Lantern Solar, one of several solar contractors in the area. Veve and Morris presented a slideshow that pictorially displayed how solar cells could be installed in three separate town parcels. Green Lantern did not offer a formal proposal yet, however, as Morris said he expected other solar companies to also bid for the project.

Federow and Veve did not appear to know each other, and had not discussed the project prior to the select board meeting. Their first conversation seems to have taken place when both men went upstairs at the conclusion of the presentation.

Selectman Boyer told Morris that he wanted time to consider the three proposed sites.  “I want to talk about the sites themselves …. We are working on this over at the planning commission and have been for months.”

Morris said he had brought in Green Lantern for a presentation “just to introduce it” so the select board would not be surprised by his proposal after the planning commission or other bodies heard it.

The reaction of most select board members was to seek additional information. Morris indicated this was simply the beginning of a process in which the town would flesh out requirements and multiples companies would offers bids.

Correction: In the original version of this article, Selectman Boyer was incorrectly identified as a member of the Weathersfield Planning Commission. He is not.

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