2020:
February 4, 2020: SunPower was selected as the winning bidder by an inter-department municipal evaluation committee to develop two municipal projects: a small (grant-funded) roof-mounted system at the Surfside WWTP and a larger ground-mounted array at the Wannacomet Water Company property, located at 1 Milestone Road. The solar carport concept has since been tabled pending updates to the SMART program.
2019:
In 2019, the Energy Office initiated and managed a municipal solar procurement, which included a prioritized list of municipal sites most feasible for solar development, including the Public Safety Facility, DPW Compound, Schools, Wannacommet Water Co. Milestone Road property, Airport and the Surfside Wastewater Treatment Plant. RFP Documents:
- nantucket_solar_rfp_final.pdf
- appendixa_updated.pdf
- nantucket_solar_rfp_addendum_2.pdf
- addendum_3_corrections_to_addendum2.pdf
2018:
In 2018, the Energy Office secured a $200,000 grant award through MassDEP’s Clean Energy Results Program (CERP), to support a 75kW Solar Photovoltaic (PV) system at the Surfside Wastewater Treatment Plant. The proposed solar project is projected to save the Town approximately 91,200 kWh, or $22,000 in avoided electricity costs, per year.
2016: Airport Solar PV Investigation
In 2016, the Energy Office and the Nantucket Memorial Airport investigating the feasibility of developing 4-Megawatts of solar photovoltaics (PV) on Airport land previously identified by the “Carbon Neutral Airport Program (the CNA Program)” along with the addition of a supplemental battery storage system. The inquiry originated after the CNA Program was terminated by the Airport Commission in August, 2015, with the intent of determining whether development of a solar PV facility at the identified site might still be feasible despite known challenges. Ultimately, it was determined that a solar development could not feasibly support the "Fair Market Value" in $/sq ft, as required by the FAA for land leases.
In 2016, the Energy Office and the Nantucket Memorial Airport investigating the feasibility of developing 4-Megawatts of solar photovoltaics (PV) on Airport land previously identified by the “Carbon Neutral Airport Program (the CNA Program)” along with the addition of a supplemental battery storage system. The inquiry originated after the CNA Program was terminated by the Airport Commission in August, 2015, with the intent of determining whether development of a solar PV facility at the identified site might still be feasible despite known challenges. Ultimately, it was determined that a solar development could not feasibly support the "Fair Market Value" in $/sq ft, as required by the FAA for land leases.
- February 29, 2016: Town of Nantucket issues letter of concern to the Commonwealth's Commissioner of the Department of Energy Resources regarding the recent suspension of the SREC II Program, the state's incentive program for solar energy systems. Read Letter.
Past Press:
- Turer, Matt "Town Interested in Abandoned Airport Solar Project." The Inquirer & Mirror. 25 November 2015.
- Turer, Matt "Financial Questions End Airport Plan to go Carbon-Neutral." The Inquirer & Mirror. 27 August 2015.
- Stanton, Caroline. "Airport's Carbon Neutral Effort Hinges on Solar." The Inquirer & Mirror. 16 April 2015.
Fall 2015
NREL Solar Analysis
In late August 2015, the Energy Office submitted a request to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) seeking assistance to evaluate the technical and economic viability of solar photovoltaics (PV) and battery energy storage to cost-effectively reduce the Island’s peak electrical demand. The request was approved by NREL’s Solar Technical Assistance Team (STAT), who worked with the Town’s Energy Coordinator to:
In late August 2015, the Energy Office submitted a request to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) seeking assistance to evaluate the technical and economic viability of solar photovoltaics (PV) and battery energy storage to cost-effectively reduce the Island’s peak electrical demand. The request was approved by NREL’s Solar Technical Assistance Team (STAT), who worked with the Town’s Energy Coordinator to:
- Review material regarding the issue of the Nantucket peak electric demand as well as a recently terminated PV project proposed by Honeywell for the Nantucket Memorial Airport as part of the externally-funded “Carbon Neutral Airport Program”;
- Conduct an analysis to evaluate the economic viability of PV on Nantucket; and
- Evaluate the technical potential of PV and battery energy storage to reduce the Island’s peak demand.
- The price of electricity from a third-party-owned PV project is expected to be below the current and forecasted price of utility-provided electricity for the Town. Additionally, the analysis shows that the impact of the Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) reduction from 30% to 10% at the end of 2016 equates to an increase of about $0.03/kWh in the price of electricity.
- Large-scale deployment of PV alone will not have a significant impact on Nantucket’s peak electrical demand. However, PV combined with battery energy storage can contribute to a reduction in the peak demand.
- Smaller-scale PV projects could provide the Town of Nantucket with between $1 million and $2 million net present value of avoided utility costs.
Fall 2013
The Nantucket Energy Office has begun a systematic survey of Town properties in order to perform a preliminary screening of potential sites for installation of solar PV panels. The list of properties to be surveyed is based on an inventory of municipal real and personal property. We are excluding from the survey structures having a footprint of less than 1000 square feet, and leased and other buildings and properties for which the Town does not pay the electric bills.
This webpage summarizes the results of the surveys to date accounting only for location, roof orientation and solar access. Buildings that have been surveyed are categorized as a “Good Prospect” or a “Flawed Site”. Buildings that might be Good Prospects, but are located within historic core areas, are listed separately due to concerns with the potential visible impacts.
This webpage summarizes the results of the surveys to date accounting only for location, roof orientation and solar access. Buildings that have been surveyed are categorized as a “Good Prospect” or a “Flawed Site”. Buildings that might be Good Prospects, but are located within historic core areas, are listed separately due to concerns with the potential visible impacts.
This task was undertaken as part of the "Energy Policy Recommendations," which were endorsed by the Nantucket Board of Selectmen on May 1, 2013. Recommendation 2.B charges the Energy Office to "Take Inventory of Town-owned facilities and land for opportunities to develop solar (PV) facilities. Learn more HERE.