Switch is flipped on solar energy project

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 (Host) Governor Jim Douglas threw the switch today on the state’s largest solar energy project.

Just over 400 solar panels have been installed on the roof of the National Life Insurance Company in Montpelier. The project has the potential of producing 72 kilowatts of electricity or roughly the amount of energy used by 15 homes.

The overall cost of the project was half a million dollars. It was financed, in part, using a 200 thousand dollar grant from the state of Vermont.

National Life CEO Thomas MacLeay says it’s important for other businesses to know that solar power is an important source of energy for a variety of reasons:

(MacLeay) "We are doing these projects in a way that makes economic sense for our business but more than that they make environmental sense…we also feel that the project represents not just a step forward for us but also a demonstration or an example for others that people can see that these projects can in fact make a great deal of sense."

(Host) The development of solar power has the strong support from Vermont’s second largest utility – the Green Mountain Power Company. GMP president Mary Powell says this project is part of her company’s goal of installing 10,000 solar panels over the next 3 years.

Powell says solar power can play a critical part of Vermont’s energy future:

(Powell) "I think as most people know the sun’s not shining a lot today but actually when we need the most is in the summer because that is when Vermont’s system is under the greatest strain and that is when the utilities are going out and purchasing expensive power in the summer not only are we purchasing expensive power we’re purchasing pretty dirty power from a carbon perspective."

(Host) Another big solar project is planned for central Vermont. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters of Waterbury hopes to install a 100 kilowatt operation by the end of next year.

 

 

 

 

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