PV Progress in Pittsfield

Philip Giudice

Commissioner, Department of Energy Resources

PV progress is happening everywhere across the Commonwealth. In 2007, a few handfuls of photovoltaic (PV) projects had a peak capacity of about 3.5 megawatts (MW). At the end of 2010, we will have over 2,600 projects completed or under construction totaling 70 MW of capacity. This phenomenal growth didn’t happen by accident. The private sector’s new appetite for solar power is a direct response to the clean energy leadership demonstrated by Governor Patrick and the Legislature in passing the Green Communities Act, and new regulations written by the Departments of Energy Resources and Public Utilities since the bill became law in 2008.

One example of the new solar activity in the Commonwealth is Western Massachusetts Electric Company’s (WMECO) 1.8 MW project at the former GE manufacturing site in Pittsfield. Utilizing a provision of the Green Communities Act that allows electric distribution utilities to install its own solar generating capacity, with DPU approval, WMECO developed this project on Superfund clean-up site, which has now been put to its highest and best use. The site is producing electricity with no impact on the environment, and the solar installation is mounted on top of the site with no disturbance of the ground. Long-term residents say this is the first time in their lives that anything positive has been associated with this site. What’s more, WMECO was able to complete this project at one of the lowest costs of any PV project in the state, and in the process has learned how to bring the cost down on future projects.

I recently attended the ribbon-cutting for this new project. Here is a link to a cool time-lapse photo depiction of its construction.

Written By:

lcapone

As Deputy Director of DOER's Green Communities Division, Lisa helps lead a team devoted to working with Massachusetts cities and towns to realize environmental and cost benefits of municipal energy efficiency and renewable energy. Prior to joining DOER, Lisa worked in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs from 2007 to 2012, first as Press Secretary and then as Assistant Secretary for Communications and Public Affairs. Her previous communications and public relations experience includes both government and the private sector, where, as principal of upWrite Communications, she served clients such as The Trustees of Reservations, The Nature Conservancy, and Partners Health Care/North Shore Medical Center. She began her career as a journalist, covering Beacon Hill for the State House News Service, and later wrote for a variety of other publications including The Boston Globe, Teacher Magazine, Animals Magazine, and The Gulf of Maine Times. The author of two books, Lisa serves on the board of the Saugus River Watershed Council and resides with her family in Melrose.