Doing the right thing for the right reason is rewarding in itself, of course. But it sure is sweeter when it pays for itself, as well.
That is the situation being enjoyed by the Green Chimneys in Brewster, a campus for children with special needs that installed a 25 kilowatt photovoltaic system that will provide 90 percent of the power for new dormitories and after six years or less, start paying for itself.
The system costs $149,500, but with the help of Hudson Valley Clean Energy that helped land a NYSERDA grant, Green Chimneys paid only $25,300 of that total and ended up with a state-of-the-art solar system installed.
“It was a deal we couldn”™t pass up,” said Joseph Whalen, executive director of Green Chimneys.
He said the helped Green Chimneys arrange the financial incentives from NYSERDA but also designed and installed the array on the roof of the campus”™ maintenance facility.
Whalen said Green Chimneys wanted to show its students, faculty and the public what can be done right now to reduce dependence on fossil fuels to power facilities. “We wanted to make sure we are doing all we can to work for the environment and show others this can be done.”
He said the lesson resonates with children at the facility, a nonprofit founded in 1947 with a mission to help troubled children grow and develop through positive interactions with nature and the environment. Installing solar and using green-designed buildings for the new dormitory reinforces the message Green Chimneys wants children to receive about a better future.
“Their motivation for the system is, they want to lead by example,” said John Wright, vice president of Hudson Valley Clean Energy. “They are working with children at risk and are trying to educate them about solutions for several problems in the world, about how clean energy creates jobs and reduces global climate change and helps our energy independence. They wanted to make a statement that people are not powerless, they can act now and do something.”
All that, and it pays for itself, Wright said, adding that the NYSERDA grants used by Green Chimneys are still available for other companies and nonprofits and municipalities to take advantage of. He said as demand is growing the terms are, at least temporarily growing less favorable than enjoyed by Green Chimneys, but he said the result would perhaps extend payback time before the system paid for itself.
