PUTNEY, V.T. – (March 25, 2014) Putney based SunFarm Community Solar in conjunction with Vermont’s largest utility, Green Mountain Power (GMP), and the nation’s leading community solar developer, Clean Energy Collective (CEC), are brining a community-owned solar array to residents in the Brattleboro area. It is the second in a progression of community solar facilities planned for Vermont, making community solar available to some 70 percent of the state’s electricity customers.
Dubbed the Brattleboro Area Community Solar Array, the 150 kW, 500-panel array located in Putney, Vt. will have the capacity to serve about 50 residential and business customers in GMP’s territory, including former CVPS customers. Expected to be completed by Summer 2014, the shared array is forecast to produce nearly $40,000 in collective savings for its customers in just the first year.
The community-owned solar project allows any customer in the GMP territory to participate. This includes renters, those with shaded property, non-profits, and households with modest incomes. Customers are afforded all of the same incentives as rooftop system owners and receive credit for the power produced directly on their monthly GMP bills. Panels in the array are 300 watts and cost $1,125 each. With financing set up through the Vermont State Employee’s Credit Union, ratepayers can own panels for about the same monthly cost as their average GMP bill.
SunFarm and CEC developed Vermont’s first community-owned solar facility with GMP in 2013, a 144 kW facility also located in Putney, and CEC has another facility under construction in Alburgh to serve Vermont Electric Coop customers. At least two additional community-owned solar projects are coming to the state early in 2014.
For more information on how to participate in the Brattleboro Area Community Solar Array visit www.sunfarmvt.com, call 802.536.4471, or email info@sunfarmvt.com.
-Nick Ziter of SunFarm Community Solar
