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Solar Projects Moving Forward in 2015

January 13, 2015

EarlyBird Power has paired with Southern Sky Renewable, a solar power facility developer and operator on the Ravenbrook Farms Landfill Solar Facility.  To learn more about the upcoming 2015 solar projects, please enjoy the following article courtesy of The Carver Wicked Local

CARVER – After the Planning Board approved a modified permit for the Purchase Street solar project in January 2014, neighbors sought answers from town officials about what was going on with the project they had been fighting for three years.

After three years of public objections to the project, they said they were upset that no one from the town thought to notify them the Planning Board was going to discuss approving a modified permit.

In February a building permit was issued to Borrego Solar. While neighbors discussed appealing the permit to the Zoning Board of Appeal, negotiations ensued, and the deadline for appealing passed. It was not the end of the controversy, however.

At Town Meeting in June, voters wary of the solar project unsuccessfully pushed for voters to reject a new tax agreement with the solar corporation. They objected to giving Borrego a tax break as part of the agreement, but the majority voted differently.

Another solar project was moving forward in the meantime. In April, the Board of Selectmen selected Southern Sky Renewable Energy Solar as the most qualified bidder for the town’s North Carver landfill solar project on North Main Street. It was the only bidder.

Southern Sky is the same company that operates the privately-owned, 6-megawatt Ravenbrook Farms Landfill Solar Facility project, also in North Carver.

The Borrego and Southern Sky projects combined are expected to generate about $43,000 in taxes on an annual basis, Town Administrator Michael Milanoski told Town Meeting. Borrego would also give the town $25,000 upfront for new school technology.

Town Meeting approved a 30-year land lease and tax agreement for the landfill project and created a landfill overlay district to allow for solar projects at the North Carver landfill.

The most visible solar project in Carver is supposed to get bigger. The Route 44 solar project developed by Solare America is due to expand with additional panels increasing the array’s power from 99 kilowatts to nearly 300 kilowatts, but there appears to be a roadblock.

Solare America president John Scorsone traveled to Carver from Pennsylvania in October to meet with selectmen to clear up a discrepancy in the plans for the site. It’s not clear when expansion could begin, but Solare has approval from the state and NStar and is putting together a financial package.

– See more at: http://carver.wickedlocal.com/article/20150107/NEWS/150109768/11669/NEWS#sthash.jvPLD0CO.dpuf