The Greening Of West Hartford

Published Feb. 16, 2009 at 8:27 p.m.
Solar Array on top of Town Hall


Did you know that West Hartford is a "Clean Energy Community"?

West Hartford became Connecticut's 2nd Clean Energy Community in June of 2005. More than 100 town residents and businesses signed up for the CTCleanEnergyOptions program.

There are more details at CT's Clean Energy website:

West Hartford Town Hall received a 3 kW solar photovoltaic system from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund. This system is comprised of three racks of five Sanyo 200-watt solar modules and an SMA 3800U inverter for this grid-connected application. A technology from Fat Spaniel provides the communications gateway to monitor the system's performance (see below). A company called PV Squared, a New Britain Connecticut-based company, performed the design and installation of the system.

According to the chart on their web page we have saved $597.80 in energy costs in a year's time. We also avoided Federally Mandated Congested Charge Costs of $101.30 in a year's time as well.

It may not be much, but it is a start.

Unfortunately, it doesn't cover the losses that we incur for recycling.

Costs for the Town to recycle:
FY06 Cost $ 761,351,...$124.28 Per Ton, for 6,126 Tons
FY07 Cost $ 666,439,...$107.37 Per Ton, for 6,207 Tons
FY08 Cost $1,110,944, $168.15 Per Ton, for 6,607 Tons
(information was from Jim Francis, Former WH Town Manager)

CRRA gave us back $10 a Ton last year so the net cost to us was $158.15 Per Ton. They gave us a rebate check for $66,068.10.

It's a cost to the town for sure - and it is being said that it may get more expensive as it becomes more difficult to find buyers for recyclable materials in difficult economic times.

But on a positive note - we have this to show (from an excerpt of Council Briefs)

Public schools saved $20K in less than three weeks: Throughout November, all West Hartford Public Schools are competing in an effort to conserve electricity with a goal of reducing electricity use by 10%. Seven schools have already well surpassed their goals for the month, with Whiting Lane crushing the competition, Conard way ahead of Hall, and Sedgwick and King Phillip neck and neck. As of November 19, all West Hartford schools combined saved 120,544 kilowatt hours on their electric bills. That translates to a savings of $20,492. You can track each school’s daily progress toward the goal at this website

Hey, that doesn't even cover Dr. List's raise in salary when she becomes superintendent!
Kid's - keep on shutting off your lights and conserving; Dr. List's raise and teacher salary increases depend on it! (Maybe they can read by candlelight! Noah Webster would be proud indeed)

Some people have suggested installing small wind generators on Avon Mountain to provide energy for the Town. Since West Hartford was settled because of the energy created on Trout Brook and other waterways, some also say that maybe it is time we looked at water power again as well.

In the meantime, we will also replace lighting with more efficient LED lights too.

The again, we all know there is (and has been) a wealth of hot air already being created in various parts of town - especially in Town Hall.


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