Lancaster Solar Town of Lancaster

1. Lancaster SolarLancaster Solar

2. Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview
• Background Information
• Why Solar?
• Site Selection
• Site Details
• Ownership model
• Management
• Next Steps

3. Background InformationBackground Information
• Lancaster – Worcester County; population 7,026
• Lancaster becomes a Green Community in 2010
- Reduce energy consumption by 20%
• Additional Goal: offset 100% non-enterprise
consumption
- 680,000 kWh/year
• Many innovative measures already taken to
improve efficiency

4. Why Solar?Why Solar?
• No wind!
• Incentives Available for Solar
- Net Metering
- SRECs
• Land
Available

5. Site SelectionSite Selection
• Feasibility Study
- All rooftops
- All Municipal land
• Rooftops
- Not enough load capacity
• Landfill was best Municipal Land
- 72 acre parcel
- Abutters are far
- Zoned Appropriately

6. Site DetailsSite Details
• 72 acre parcel
• 10 acre cap
• Capacity: 0.5 MW
- 610,000 kWh/yr (Goal was
680,000 kWh/yr)

7. Ownership ModelOwnership Model
REVENUE: $173,000 /yr (SREC
sales at $285)
- SRECs paying the bond
• Net metering avoided cost is
profit (est. $85,400 /yr)
• Taking advantage of low
hanging fruit
COST: $2.5 Million
• Received Congressional
earmark of $0.5 Million
• Town voted to borrow $2 Million
- Bond Cost: $171,000 /yr
(Principal and Interest)

8. • Renewable Energy Enterprise
(MGL c.44, SS 53F1/2)
• Separate budget & accounting:
• SRECs
• Net Metering
• Isolate debt service from general
fund
• Isolate revenue from Town
operating budget
ManagementManagement
Results: project accountability & simplified success and failure tracking
• Town is authoring guidance on allowable enterprise expenses and
revenues

9. PROCURE
• Equipment
• Installation Services
• Permits
Next StepsNext Steps
BUILD
• Site Preparation
• Panel Install
• Interconnection

10. Questions & DiscussionQuestions & Discussion