Danville solar homeowner Gary Ducott holds his first negative electric bill since installing a SunCommon solar system over the winter. Community members gathered at the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium in St. Johnsbury on Tuesday May 12, 2015 to celebrate the arrival of SunCommon to the Northeast Kingdom.
Taylor Reed, Staff Writer | May 13, 2015
ST. JOHNSBURY — Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium just tapped the sun like a maple tree.
The museum joined a “community solar array” through Waterbury-based SunCommon. It was announced Tuesday morning during a ceremony at the museum.
“[Solar] is just a smart economic decision because it saves us some money on our electricity bill and it’s doing the right thing,” said Adam Kane, the museum’s executive director. “We have a staggering electric bill.”
The array will fulfill 24 percent of museum power needs.
Kane furthermore plans to incorporate solar into museum curriculum, which benefits 12,000 students annually. A solar array will be installed on-site for teaching purposes, he said.
“We’re so excited to roll out an education program over the next year,” Kane said.
The museum worked with SunCommon for 6 months before penning a deal.
Despite tapping the Jericho solar array, the museum is not actually connected to it. A SunCommon brochure explains the arrangement.
“Members of the CSA use solar credits produced by the array to reduce or eliminate their utility bill,” it states. “Since it’s not wires but the utility’s billing system that connects you to the community solar array, CSA members can live anywhere within the same utility as the solar system.”
SunCommon guarantees power production. Members make monthly payments.
The company also finances solar systems.
Tara Robinson Holt from the St. Johnsbury Chamber of Commerce cheered the museum Tuesday. Solar sends the message that St. Johnsbury is proactive, she said.
“When I see solar panels, I see progress,” Holt said.
To continue reading Fairbanks Museum Going Solar with SunCommon click here.
Story correction: The Fairbanks Museum has a 24% share of a SunCommon Community Solar Array to offset 100% of the museum’s electrical use.
