6/11/2009 ENVIRONMENTAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE Minutes

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i Outline— Mashpee Alternative Energy Progress Mashpee's approach to date. ith regards to alternative energy has been coordinated by the staff level Energy Committee. Much of this effort has not been organized into a formal Alternative Energy Plan in large part because of the rapidly and constantly changing state and federal pr rams available t municipalities. Our alternative energy development status t date can be split into two categories, wind and Solar. Win r� f In August, 2007—the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative,at the Town's request, funded wind site analysis report created by the Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, a subsidiary of Mass mherst's Department ment Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. This report is available for review and is a prerequisite for receiving funding for a fall wind Power Feasibility Study. At the May, 2008 Town Meeting,the Town approved an amended wind by-law(originally approved in October, 2007)outlining the local requirements for developing wind energy. In December, 2008,the Town of lMashpee won a competitive grant in the amount of$40,000 from the Massachusetts'Technology Collaborative to find a'mind Powe-Feasibility Study. This feasibility study is a prerequisite for receiving funding f om the State during the purchase and. implementation stages of developing wind power. The kickoff meeting for this study was held at the beginning ofApril, 2009 and the report is scheduled for delivery in early Octobei, 2009. Volar In December,2006 the Cape Light Compact funded a solar installation at Mashpee High School. This system is rated as a 2.04 law system and, as of June 11, 2009, has generated 6,730 kWh of electricity over it's lifetime. In mid-2007,the Town of Mashpee made the decision to include a Solar array on the new Library. This array is rated as a 20 kWh system. In February,2009,the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources performed a free feasibility study, at the Town's request, detailing the feasibility of installing a Solar Hot water system at the Council on Aging building. This study suggests that there would be a 25 year payback period associated with type of solar system. At the October,2008 Town Meeting, a petition article was passed that allowed the Town t borrow up to$50,000 for the installation of solar panels on the roof of the Mashpee Council on Aging building. During the"due diligence"phase ofthis project,the Energy Committee requested, in February, 2009,that the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources perform a free feasibility study detailing the feasibility of installing a Solar Hot water system at the Council n Aging building. This study suggests that there would be a 25 year payback period associated with type of solar system. After analyzing this report,the Energy Committee turned our attention back to Solar PV solutions and discovered that we may be able to get significantly more solar panels installed on town buildings by proceeding with alternative funding programs that can take advantage of the new state and federal granting opportunities including tax incentives. This option is currently on the agenda for the BOS to review on June 22, 2009.