Westport officials announced a partnership with Windham Solar LLC to buy solar credits from a panel installation located in North Franklin and Lebanon, Connecticut.
Officials estimate the solar facility will produce about 1,627 megawatt hours of clean, renewable energy this year, roughly equivalent to the demands for the Town Hall, Fire Station Headquarters, Police Headquarters and 50 percent of the Sewer Treatment Plant ”“or 29 percent of the annual electricity demand for Westport’s municipal buildings.
Officials said the town will bear no upfront costs in the deal. The Virtual Net Metering credits for electricity production will be sold to Westport at a discounted rate. The new solar installation is intended to move the town closer to the goal of being Net Zero by 2050.
Since 2005, 158 Westport households have chosen to install solar photovoltaic systems on their roofs. In addition, systems can be found on the Longshore golf maintenance building, the Saugatuck train station roof, the Sherwood Island transfer station roof, two fire stations and a small system on a Staples High School roof, roughly equivalent to powering another 100 households.
