By Kim Siebert MacPhail
The Selectmen voted unanimously to approve Bedford’s application to participate in the second round of a grant program called Solarize Massachusetts. Partnering with Lexington, Bedford hopes to be chosen by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) as one of eight community groups to use the power of volume buying that will allow residents to purchase or lease solar photovoltaic systems at lower-than-market prices. Successful grant applicants also receive program marketing materials and a $2,500 grant (given to each community, even if in a partnership with another town).
The Town’s participation is the result of a citizens’ request, submitted by members of a group called Transition Towns. The petition was accompanied by signatures of a number of supporters that were gathered at Bedford Day, local churches, and at the two Bedford residences that participated in this year’s Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) energy efficiency open house initiative.
Resident Suzy Enos, one of the citizens behind the effort, said that following presentations that have been made about the program, there has been a considerable level of interest in learning how to save money on solar power installation.
“There have been a lot of people knocking on doors saying, ‘Hey, would you like solar installed in your house?’ This program gives you a chance to use an installer that’s been vetted by the State and chosen by the citizens and municipal representatives that will make up the Solarize Bedford team,” Enos said.
If the Bedford-Lexington application to participate in Solarize Massachusetts is successful, three main benefits will be realized, Enos said. “One, is that the program is a group purchasing program by the fact that the two towns are getting together to buy. There are six tiers and the more people that join in, the bigger discount we get because we’re going together with one installer. The highest percentage discount we can get is 34% and if enough people buy in, the Town gets a free solar system for a Town building. So, it’s really a benefit to the Town as well as to the citizens.
“Another benefit is that you’re going with an installer that’s been approved by the State,” Enos continued. “And finally, we get to give particular requirements to the vendor that we choose so [for example] if we say ‘you must offer a power purchase agreement and a purchase option’ the vendors applying for our business will have to provide those things.”
“So, the likely outcome for those who those who join in the program is that they wouldn’t have to do the comparison shopping and they would be getting a bulk discount deal,” summarized Selectman Margot Fleischman. “Presumably, if they went out and did this on their own, they would not get as good a price.”
Town Manager Rick Reed said that in his discussions with Town administrators from Lexington, it has been determined that each town will need 110 hours of additional staff time to oversee program implementation. If Bedford and Lexington are successful in being chosen, the Selectmen agreed to allocate $3,400 for part-time Recycling Coordinator Gretchen Carey to serve in the role of Bedford’s program administrator. Dave Enos, also a member of Transition Towns, has agreed to serve as the program’s “solar coach,” another requirement of the grant.
Selectman Mike Rosenberg thanked the citizen petitioners for their initiative, saying that the grassroots effort is a “great modeling for citizen action.”
The communities selected in Round 2 of the Solarize Massachusetts competitive grant will be announced next month, according to the MassCEC program literature. https://images.masscec.com/uploads/programdocs/Create%20Offerings/2013%20Solarize%20Mass%20Round%201_Community%20RFP.pdf
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