The Southold Town Board will explore a new attempt at harnessing solar power at the town landfill.
Councilman Bob Ghosio brought up the idea at Tuesday’s work session. A previous proposal about three years ago failed to materialize. READ
Tag: solar energy
One of the cool things about Greenport schools switching to solar this past year is that any resident can now track the district’s power usage at any time. (more…)
CYNDI MURRAY PHOTO | Solar panels are being installed at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Greenport.
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church on Route 25 in Greenport is going green by adding 100 solar panels to its roof.
Church officials began exploring alternative energy last year in an effort to reduce electricity expenses and the building’s carbon footprint.
“We felt that making a change to solar would allow us to be good stewards of the Earth,” the Rev. Garret Johnson said.
“We use a lot of electricity,” he added. “We hope to have positive impact on the community by going green.”
The reverend said wind and geothermal were also considered as sources of alternative power, but solar panels were chosen because of the position of the building, which gets a lot of sunlight throughout the day.
The project hit a snag in October when superstorm Sandy damaged the church, and the congregation was forced to replace the roof without federal assistance. The Rev. Johnson credits rebates made available by LIPA for enabling the church to move forward with the $80,000 solar project. The rebates covered half the project’s total cost, he said.
The solar panels will generate 26,000 watts of electricity, enough power to provide all the electricity the church needs and leave it with a minuscule LIPA bill , the Rev. Johnson said. The installation is expected to be complete by the end of the week.
“It was by the grace of God that we will enjoy being 100 percent powered by the sun and the Son,” he said.
JENNIFER GUSTAVSON FILE PHOTO | The Greenport Village Board gave a verbal go-ahead to pursue an eco-friendly park at Clark’s Beach.
Clark’s Beach on Long Island Sound is a tiny step closer to becoming an eco-friendly energy park.
Although it did not take a vote, the Greenport Village Board on Monday gave Mayor David Nyce a verbal go-ahead to pursue transforming the 8.7 Soundfront acres from an off-the-beaten-path beach to the site of a two- to four-megawatt electric generating facility using solar and wind energy.
The mayor’s first task is to generate public support before seeking grant funds for the project he suggested last year.
During its regular meeting the board heard a 45-minute presentation from the Riverhead-based Studio A/B Architects, which started designing a concept for the eco-park in September. At that time the board authorized funds to prepare a mock-up.
The preliminary proposal suggests the project could make the village energy independent and even help stabilize residents’ electric bills.
To meet those energy goals, alternative power sources would be established at both Clark’s Beach and the village sewage treatment plant on Moore’s Lane. The plan calls for a wind turbine of about one-megawatt capacity at each site and solar arrays generating roughly 2 to 3 megawatts of solar power. Most of the solar energy — two megawatts — would be generated at the sewage plant.
In addition to providing alternative energy, Clark’s Beach could also be developed as a public park with trails, camping facilities, an educational facility and a conference center.
The buildings’ themes would revolve around concepts related to the sun, earth, wind and water. A community garden and composting area, solar charging station for electric vehicles and a boardwalk are all included in the concept, as well as up to twenty cabins or campsites that would be available to the public for overnight accommodations. Studio AB Architects depicted the cabins with sundials, green roofs and natural ventilation.
Southold resident Lillian Ball, who assisted Studio A/B in presenting the design concept, said education would be the driving force behind the project.
“We’re talking about making something an energy park, but there’s other elements that make people care about it and want to maintain it,” she said.
“It adds yet another aspect of coming out here,” said Glynis Berry, a partner in Studio A/B and an Orient resident. “We already have agritourism, and adding ecotourism to this mix is a natural combination. We think this will benefit businesses and showcase what people can do.”
For the eco-park to become a reality, the site would need to undergo a host of improvements. Previous farming, sand mining and illegal dumping has damaged much of the area. Removing debris and invasive species are among the initial hurdles.
Upfront costs for the project were not addressed during the meeting, but the mayor said construction would depend on grant availability and financing scenarios.
“Either the funds will work or they won’t,” he said. “We have to wait for the grant process. I think the numbers will work out.”
Mr. Nyce emphasized that the project is in its very early stages. The next step, he said, is soliciting support from the public and county, state and federal officials before applying for grants.
“This can’t be done with one entity,” Ms. Berry said. “There need to be partners.”
See below for the full Clark’s Beach proposal.
Greenport Village’s Eco Energy Park presentation, March 25, 2013