The Town of Norwich, Vt., says the municipal government's electricity load is now 100% supplied by solar energy.
Solaflect Energy, which is based in Norwich, developed and installed a 150 kW solar park in Lunenburg, Vt. The community solar park is one of two sources of solar energy dedicated to Norwich's municipal use. Each Solaflect 4 kW Suspension PV Tracker in the park contains 16 of Canadian Solar's 250 W modules. The project also incorporates SolarEdge inverters. Solaflect is also providing operations and maintenance services.
The town hall, police and fire station, public works facilities, and the speed limit signs throughout the town are now all covered by the solar project. If the renewable energy certificates (RECs) are sold to third parties, the municipality cannot legally claim to be renewable. In the case of Norwich, the RECs are retired.
‘The Town of Norwich's success in becoming Vermont's first 100 percent solar-powered municipality exemplifies the many benefits of local, renewable energy,’ says Gabrielle Stebbins, executive director of Renewable Energy Vermont, a nonprofit organization. ‘Projects like these require collaboration and coordination – from smart energy legislation and regulation to local community support and local business know-how.’
