Zingler has reached out to SunEdison, a well renowned solar company, to determine the logistics of installing and maintaining the panels. According to Zingler, the panels are expected to last 10 years.
Some notable article excerpts:
Zingler also indicated a desire to put the contract out to bid to "seek input from other companies" and wishes this project to be completed with the input of the Board of Education. Perhaps even more important, however, is that Zingler noted his preference to have a public hearing on the matter to hear the opinions and thoughts on this issue from Manchester residents.What SunEdison would do, he [Zingler] explained, is install and maintain solar panels on one or more town buildings, charging Manchester only for the amount of electricity created by the panels. The rate would be based on current electricity costs, and would be locked in for the life of the panels, which span at least a decade.
"Locking in some of our electrical costs now, through green energy, is a way to save the town hundreds of thousands of dollars in the face of double-digit, spiraling energy costs over the long term," he said.
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Using solar energy would move the town closer to fulfilling its promise to obtain 20 percent of its energy from clean sources by 2010, Zingler said. This participation in the so-called 20/10 program already has netted the town three solar panels based on the number of residents who have signed up for clean energy.
