The Town of Derry activated its new solar installation at the Public Works location, 43 Transfer Lane, on Tuesday May 15th. This installation showcases a new 86.4 kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) tracking system that is expected to produce over 156 megawatt-hours of electrical power per year, representing about 4% of the Town’s total annual electricity usage. Coupled with the sourcing of renewable energy from its regional electrical buying consortium, the Town will be obtaining 49% of its electricity from renewable sources.

Visible from nearby Interstate 93, the array of ten ground-mounted tracking devices was assembled by Granite State Solar (Bow, NH) at the town’s waste and recycling transfer station. Each tracking device holds twenty-four 360-watt solar panels. The array will power the transfer station, as well as providing partial power for the nearby town wastewater facility. “We all want to see our taxes reduced, so going solar was a non-partisan decision,” said Town Councilor and Vice Chairman of Derry’s Net Zero Task Force, Joshua Bourdon. “These trackers are going to save Derry residents hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

According to Mike Fowler, PE, Director of Public Works, “This solar project utilizes a state-of the-art dual-axis solar tracking system from Granite State Solar that provides up to 45% more usable energy than fixed solar panels. It’s estimated that this system will provide three times lower energy costs than conventional power over the expected 25-year life of the system.”

Derry Town Manager David Caron added, “This project was initiated by the Derry Net Zero Task Force, which is a volunteer organization promoting energy conservation and renewable energy. The Task Force consists of members from the public, Derry Schools, Pinkerton Academy, Town of Derry Department of Public Works, Engineering & Economic Development, Conservation Committee, Planning Board and Town Council.

After an anticipated $58,000 rebate, the transfer station solar project will have a gross cost of approximately $220,000. Over its twenty-five year warranty, the trackers will help the town of Derry save about $25,000 in electricity costs per year, equaling $500,000 over the course of the solar farm’s lifespan. These savings will be passed on to Derry taxpayers.

Granite State Solar is a local Bow NH company and one of the leading solar companies in the state. The $300k project was awarded by competitive bid in 2017, and funded through NH CDFA (Community Development Finance Authority) state tax credits. For more information visit http://www.granitestatesolar.com/.

As one of New Hampshire’s leading communities, Derry is nestled in the Southeast corner of the state next to Beaver Lake in Rockingham County. The Town of Derry is a municipal corporation governed by an elected seven-member Town Council. American Revolutionary War hero Major General John Stark, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Robert Frost, and Alan Shepard, the first American in space, have called the Derry region home. For more information, visit https://www.derrynh.org/.

Further Resources: Green Energy Times Aug 2018 http://www.greenenergytimes.org/2018/06/22/derry-and-londonderry-new-hampshire/

Derry News May 17, 2018 http://www.derrynews.com/news/derry-dedicates-new-solar-farm-to-longtime-supporter/article_bc8e53e1-b38e-514e-a7d4-07f67b8cfc27.html