Residents listen to an explanation of the Solarize Mass program at Volunteers Hall on May 31. (Photos by Tom Aciukewicz)
Harvard could see its next residential or small business solar photovoltaic (PV) systems completed as early as August, said Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) Executive Director Patrick Cloney, who addressed a well-attended Solarize Mass presentation Tuesday.
The Solar 101 presentation was part of a fast-moving schedule for the MassCEC renewable energy pilot program that will offer reduced-cost small-scale solar PV systems to homeowners and businesses. Harvard is one of four Massachusetts towns selected last month for the pilot project that MassCEC hopes will become a state and national model for expanding solar electricity generation.
According to Cloney, MassCEC is the first state agency in the nation dedicated solely to facilitating development of the clean energy industry. Next week, MassCEC will select the solar integration company, or companies, that will handle each residential and commercial installation from site evaluation through installation completion, including help with federal and state incentive programs. Another presentation in mid-June, Solar 102, will give more detailed financial information, including tiered pricing based on the overall number of Harvard installations in the program. Homeowners will have their first opportunity to sign up for a free solar site evaluation at the Solar 102 meeting. Harvard residents will have until the end of September to participate in the program and a year after that to complete installations.
Locally, Solarize Harvard will offer a walk-through to see two already-installed solar projects this Saturday.
State Senator Jamie Eldridge, along with state Representative Jen Benson, came to the event to thank MassCEC for the program and to congratulate Harvard on its participation.
Andy Brydges, MassCEC Renewable Energy Program Director, speaks to residents at the Solar 101 presentation.
Cloney gave several reasons why the time is right for renewable energy, especially solar PV. A Mass Maritime Academy graduate with five years as a merchant marine, Cloney seemed particularly disturbed by the magnitude of the Deepwater Horizon spill last summer, which he used as an example of the growing environmental consequences of fossil fuel extraction.
Massachusetts asthma rates are among the highest in the country, Cloney said, attributing the rise in asthma cases in the state to its location downwind of massive energy generation plants in the upper Midwest, especially coal-fired plants. Along with health and environmental risks, Cloney added the price volatility of fossil fuels to a list of reasons to move to renewable energy sources.
Fortunately, while fossil fuel prices are going up, solar PV costs having been coming down, from an average of just under $0.12 per watt in 2002 to less than $0.06 per watt today. Cloney attributed the cost drop to typical characteristics of an emerging market.
After the solar integrators are chosen from responses to MassCEC’s RFP process, “we’ll have a better idea of the actual costs,” said MassCEC Renewable Energy Program Director Andy Brydges.
But is Massachusetts a good site for solar? Surprisingly, although Massachusetts isn’t Phoenix when it comes to available sunlight, the state has almost 50 percent more photovoltaic potential than Germany, which is the world’s largest per capita user of solar electricity.
For those many Harvard homeowners with more shade than sunlight on their houses, two options emerged from the evening’s question-and-answer period. Brydges showed a slide of his own pole-mounted system that “cost a little more” than a roof-top system, but allowed him to keep a beautiful shade tree.
Worth Robbins, Solarize Harvard’s volunteer community coordinator, described a “community solar garden” concept that was intriguing to many, judging from the audience’s interest. Electricity from a multi-owner array would go to the utility company, but be credited to each owner’s utility bill depending on their share of ownership. According to Robbins, U.S. Senator Mark Udall from Colorado has introduced a federal bill to provide owners of shared systems the same federal incentives that are available for individually installed systems. Robbins hopes to have more information by the Solar 102 meeting.
Sixteen Harvard homes already have solar PV systems and two of them will be open to visitors this Saturday. Mike Mintz, at 45 Westcott Road, will be available from 9:30 to 11 a.m. to answer questions about his 5 kilowatt system, and Steve Nigzus will be on hand at his home, 26 Madigan Lane, from 11 a.m. to noon.
More information about Solarize Mass and MassCEC is available at www.MassCEC.com and www.massCEC.com/SolarizeMass. There is a “Solarize Harvard” group available for Harvard Facebook users, and a Google group, groups.google.com/group/solarizeharvard. Both are open to all Harvard residents. A page on the town website, harvard.ma.us/Pages/Solarize%20Mass, contains other links, as well as the MassCEC Solar101 presentation.
