Weston Solar Array Proposal Walks & Talks

Weston’s Board of Selectmen has created a committee to evaluate town properties as sites for Solar Photovoltaic (PV) arrays to generate electricity for the town. You can read more about the committee and its charter on the town website here and about the solar panel project itself here. The following information is from the recent News & Events posting on the Weston town site.

Satellite image of the Weston closed landfill with the proposed array superimposed on the site.
The array image shown is approximate in size, shape and location.

The Warrant for Town Meeting starting on May 13th includes Article 39 relating to a Solar Photovoltaic array on the Town’s closed landfill. Two informational meetings at Town Hall and three site visits to the Town’s closed landfill have been planned to help explain Article 39 to residents. Further information on renewable energy from a Solar Photovoltaic Array is available under Town Projects.

Site Visit starting at Weston Transfer Station -- Saturday, May 4 -- 10:00 AM

Informational Meeting at Town Hall -- Tuesday, May 7 -- 7:30 PM

Informational Meeting at Town Hall -- Thursday, May 9 -- 7:30 PM

Site Visit starting at Weston Transfer Station -- Friday, May 10 -- 10:00 AM -- Note: State Representative Alice H. Peisch will participate in this visit

Site Visit starting at Weston Transfer Station -- Saturday, May 11 -- 3:00 PM

The Transfer Station is located at 195 Church Street, near the Kendall Green Train Station. Please bring comfortable shoes. We will walk 100 yards on an unpaved road and then 400 yards across open grass.

The meetings and site visits are offered by the Weston Solar Photovoltaic Panels Exploratory Committee.

Article 39 is asking for the authority to lease the closed landfill over a long period to a developer. The electricity generated would be renewable energy equal to 20% of the demand from the Town’s municipal and schools. The Town would buy the energy at a lower price than available on the electrical grid, saving $85,000 the first year, and $2.3 million over a 20-year contract. No Town capital funds would be used, and there would no effect on its credit rating. Please visit the Solar PV Panels under Town Projects for more information.

Qualifying as a Green Community

Join us at the Weston Town Hall on the morning of Wed., April 7 at 8:30 AM if you are interested in finding out what it takes for a town to be certified as a Green Community. Joanne Bissetta, Regional Green Communities Coordinator, is meeting with Selectman Michael Harrity and others to describe how the state is supporting towns going through the Green Community certification process. The meeting is open to the public.

The Mass. Dept. of Energy and Environmental Affairs established the Green Communities program to support Commonwealth cities and towns reducing their carbon footprint. There are specific criteria that need to be satisfied to be certified a Green Community and to be eligible for $10,000,000 in related state grants and other benefits.

Joanne Bissetta is our Regional Green Community Coordinator. There are four Regional Coordinators throughout the state offering technical assistance and support to public officials and local energy committees. This is to help communites understand all the opportunities and tools available.

For more information on the Green Communities go to http://www.mass.gov/energy/greencommunities

A major focus for the WCG this year is on supporting Weston’s certification as a Green Community. Currently, the idea is under review by various affected boards as we learn more about the costs and benefits of the certification process. We can use all the help we can get in supporting this effort. Thanks to Jane Bindley for arranging this meeting.