Thanks to all who are a part of this effort and who have contributed to Woodstock in acheiving this goal!!! Woodstock has changed from ‘Blue’ to ‘Green’ signifying a ‘Green Community.’
We are the first community in the Quiet Corner to become a Green Community joining Mansfield and Coventry as the only Green Communities in Eastern CT.
The Cafe would like to encourage Woodstock residents to contact Jim (Green Team link below) and signup for 100% Clean Renenewable Energy. Apparently residents can save $20 or more a month on utility costs.
contact Jim Stratos, Chairman, Woodstock CT Green Energy Team
Does anyone else find the CT Solar Lease program maddening? In order to be eligible you can’t make more that 200% of the areas median income. So the more affluent the area you are in, the higher your income can be to qualify. Put more clearly, the more affluent your community the more likely you will be able to qualify given the same amount of income.
http://www.ctsolarlease.com/info/who.php
I would have gotten into this program months ago but I don’t qualify because the median incomes in our area are so low (only Waterbury is lower). It just drives me crazy and I’m not sure why they have this directly tied to area affluence. Since I’m sure that you have to be have some level of disposable income to make the program workable, most of the systems will be installed in the more affluent areas where there is a broader salary range for people to have enough disposable income and also fall under the area’s 200% median income ceiling. I’ll stop whining now, but come on.
Thanks,
Kevin
This post represents my personal opinions and in no way should be considered an official act of the BOE or that I am speaking on behalf of the BOE in any way.
What does becoming a “Green Community” actually mean?
Kevin,
There are other options out there. I recently did a solar hot water system for a client in mansfield and he looked into the lease program and decided it wasn’t for him.
There are companies that will finance solar PV at an affordable just as there are alternatives to what some of the major companies are installing.
I sell Hot Water and PV systems and will be at the Brooklyn Fair this year, feel free to stop by and we can talk.
Agreed Kevin. The kicker is that many who meet the income requirements cannot qualify for the financing- a backfire on the whole initiative.
I am still surprised that not more people
have signed up for the green energy option.
It is a very low cost way to participate in
the use of alternate energy.
I have noticed almost no increase in my
bill and have 100% of my power provided
by renewable energy.
Sign up people!
Db
Kevin -
I couldn’t agree with you more… this setup it stinks. I assume the reasoning was that if it were based upon a statewide average income, the more affluent parts of the state would qualify for less funds in that the lease cap would be lower for them. In-order to spread the money around more evenly, in theory.
The opposite also applies, less credit worthy persons can’t get it either, thus the poorer parts of the state are squeezed out from both ends. Installers get screwed because the wealthy parts of the state are protecting their own.
I suggest just “buying it”, as I am considering myself. State rebates PLUS Fed rebates PLUS the lower costs of modules due to recession, still makes this a great deal. Not as good as lease, but far less complicated.
If it’s affordable at $75 grand family income, it certainly may be affordable at $105 plus.
If you’re sitting on a proposal over 3 months old, it may be possible, since downward module prices have made it far more attractive. What money is currently in the ‘buy it’ plan won’t last much longer. It’s only estimated to last for 175 more homes.
I’m looking at a $23,000 purchase and with the rebates and tax credits, it will end up costing me $17,000… worth considering.
Because of lower mod pricing if anything gets refunded in future it won’t be as attractive as it is now.
Becoming a ‘Green Community’ means…
1) That a community signs and passes a town resolution to participate in the The 20% by 2010 Campaign. This is a challenge to cities and towns, to obtain at least 20 percent of the electricity for all municipal facilities from clean renewable energy sources by the year 2010.
In order to qualify as a Clean Energy Community, a municipality must make a voluntary clean energy purchase of 5% in 2008, 9% in 2009 and 13% in 2010. Through the 20% by 2010 campaign, we will help to prove to all Connecticut citizens – and to the nation – that we have the power to make a difference.
2) That the community participate in The Community Energy Challenge. This is an opportunity for municipalities across New England to identify simple and cost-effective measures that increase energy efficiency and renewable energy use while reducing air pollution and saving money. The EPA will provide technical assistance to every community that chooses to take the challenge.
A community must agree to assess energy use in its schools, municipal buildings or waste water facilities and set a target for reductions (at least 10% lower than your baseline) in energy use intensity (energy use per square foot). The time frame for reductions is up to participants.
Woodstock has accomplished this and has reduced their energy needs significantly as a result.
3) That at-least 100 points is earned in a community or regional school district (all towns must meet each program requirement). Points are earned as follows:
• Each sign-up to CTCleanEnergyOptions within the community counts as 1 point regardless of whether it is a 50% or 100% customer;
• Each 100 MWh of clean energy purchased by a local commercial and industrial customer through the CTCleanEnergyOptions program counts as 10 points;
• Each clean energy system within the community funded by CCEF (excluding systems earned through this program) or otherwise documentable counts as 3 points (communities with fewer than 1,000 households shall earn 3% of 10% of households for each local clean energy system).
Woodstock has already exceed 100 points.
Woodstock should be proud of achieving this goal and setting an example for all to follow.
Regardless of whatever your views are on Global Warming… reducing pollution is the right course of action. We need to provide a cleaner environment for the generations that follow and protect our most valuable resource – our planet.
Purchasing 100% clean renewable energy is now not only a reality, but you can lower your energy costs at the same time.
Email me to sign-up now to purchase 100% RE through Sterling Planet and Public Power Utility and I’ll show you how you can save money on your utilities at the same time.