7/2/2009 PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE Minutes

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Mashpee Alternative Energy progress Mashpee's approach to date with regards to alternative energy has been coordinated by the staff level Energy Committee. Much of this effort has riot been organized into a formal Alternative Energy Plan in large part because of the rapidly and constantly changing state and federal programs available to municipalities. Our alternative energy development status to date can be split into two categories,Wind and Solar. r X ind In August,2007—the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative,at the Town's request,funded a wind site analysis report created by the Renewable Energy Research Laboratory,a subsidiary of UMass herst's Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. This report is available for review and is a prerequisite for receiving funding.for a full Find Power Feasibility Study. At the May, 2008Town 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 Mashpee won a competitive grant in the amount of$40,000 from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative to fund a Wind Power Feasibility Study. This feasibility study is a prerequisite for recei*vmng funding from the Mate during the purchase and implementation stages of developing wind power. The kick6ff meeting for this study was held at the beginning of April,2009 and the report is scheduled for delivery in early October,2009.- Solar 009:Solar In December,2006 the Cape Light Compact funded a solar installation at Mashpee ee i School. This � system is rated as a 2.04 kw 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 t include a.Solar army on the new Library. This army is rated as an approximately 20 kWh system. At the October,2008 Town Meeting,a petition article-was passu that allowed the Torun to borrow up to 0,000 for the installation of solar panels on the roof of the Mashpee Council on Aging building, During the`due diligence"phase of this.project,the Energy Committee requested, in February, 2009,#hat the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources perform a free feasibility study 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 this type of solar system. Amer 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 was presented to the BS on Jund 22,2009. The BS was supportive. Two articles will be presented to the October ATM for approval. The first article will seek authorization to expand the use of the 0K to other Town buildings. The second article will seek authorization for the Town to enter into a 5-year power-purchase agreement a -year agreement is allowed without ATM approval). with the approval of these two articles,the Town will be able to install 2-3 times the size array, allowed by the original article. More information on this option will be.presented t6 the BS in.Ful . In July,the Town will also be meeting with DBP and DOER to discuss the feasibility of installing solar panels on the capped landfill. If feasible,this project could be funded through the Cape&Vineyard Electric Cooperative. The agreement to join the Cooperative is being finalized this month.