Does Your Town Hall Have Solar Panels?

Ours does! This Saturday, May 13, 2006, the Town of Greenburgh, NY (in Westchester County), will have an Energy Conservation Fair when, among other things, they will celebrate the Town Hall's new solar photovoltaic (PV) system.

The PV system is the product of several key decisions demonstrating the best in state and local government. First, several years ago the State of New York won a law suit against a Virginia utility for acid rain from coal plants, and NY Attorney General (and gubernatorial candidate) Elliot Spitzer negotiated that $2.1 million of the settlement would go to New York to install solar energy equipment on government-owned buildings in the state. The fund is administered by the New York Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), which made the money available by grant to local governments.

Paul Feiner, the Greenburgh Town Supervisor pushed the Town to apply for a grant, and after some opposition and wrangling, he succeeded in getting the project funded and completed. Greenburgh is one of twelve municipalities from New York State that are using this fund to develop solar projects. One of the goals of the NYSERDA funding was to create high visibility projects, and the Town hopes that as a result "businesses and residents will be motivated to pursue solar panels and other energy alternatives at their homes/businesses."

Greenburgh is a clean energy leader for other reasons as well: it has appointed one of the country's few local energy conservation coordinators, Nikki Coddington; and several years ago Greenburgh became the first locality in New York to require new dwellings to comply with New York Energy Star guidelines, ensuring considerably less energy use.

Coddington has organized this weekend's energy fair that will feature exhibitors and speakers to help residents learn about saving energy, energy audits, solar energy, biodiesell, hybrid vehicles, ride-sharing programs, green construction, and buying green power from wind and hydro. The Greenburgh Library is planning to take advantage of geothermal (earth energy) technology when they expand the library.

For more info on the Energy Fair, see the press release.

Comments

[Eric]

That is excellent. I have been wanting to convert my town house to solar for years, but now it might be time to get serious. It seems the tax breaks in Virginia are not of great benefit, so I need to save up some more money.

[thebizofknowledge]

Having traveled rather extensively during my lifetime, I can attest to the fact that the vast majority of town halls I've visited do not, in fact, boast solar technology. Think at how much money would be saved for the taxpayers if they did!