Verogy, a major solar energy provider, announced today that a 121 kW solar photovoltaic system in East Hartford, Connecticut, has been built. The rooftop array may be found at 15 Milbrook Drive in East Hartford, which also houses the South End Senior Center and the town’s Senior Services Division. The solar energy system was built as part of a $9.9 million initiative to build the new facility, which opened in September of this year.
The City of East Hartford and Verogy have signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) that permits the town to buy power at a greatly reduced rate. The PPA secures this lower rate, ensuring that even if power prices rise in the future, the town will continue to pay a cheaper rate for electricity for the duration of the agreement, which is 25 years.
The rooftop array will generate 137,517 kilowatt hours of electricity per year. Once operational, the solar energy system is expected to save taxpayers an average of $12,500 each year for the next 25 years.
“Our team was honored to be able to collaborate with the Town of East Hartford on this fantastic project,” stated Will Herchel, CEO of Verogy. “The Town of East Hartford and its forward-thinking officials made a wise decision to embrace sustainable energy, which not only produces emission-free electricity but also saves public funds. It’s a win-win situation for East Hartford folks.”
The East Hartford Senior Center project will not only create electricity, but it will also generate clean electricity with no emissions or pollutants. On a yearly basis, the project will offset the comparable carbon dioxide emissions produced by burning over 107,000 pounds of coal, as well as the same greenhouse gas emissions produced by driving a passenger automobile over 244,000 miles.
“Sustainability is an essential aim in East Hartford, which is why we’ve made steps to implement clean transportation, energy efficiency, and other measures,” Mayor Mike Walsh said. “The Senior Center’s solar array is the town’s tenth solar installation, illustrating our commitment to decreasing our carbon footprint and investing in renewable energy. The solar panels at the Senior Center are the latest example of East Hartford’s efforts to make our city “greener” while saving taxpayers money.”