Danvers unveils energy plan progress; landfill and school solar projects plus a 5MW battery planned

Town staff reported progress on the Casper (Climate Action, Sustainability, Preservation and Resiliency) plan and on local renewable energy initiatives during the Select Board meeting.

Tanya Jenkins, the town's safety and sustainability coordinator, summarized the plan's six focus areas and introduced Jeff Ealy, Danvers Electric's energy resource manager, who presented the energy team's work.

Ealy said the energy objective is to "drive the transition to a 100% carbon free energy use" through three avenues: local renewable generation, grid and infrastructure resilience, and a decarbonized supply consistent with the Massachusetts decarbonization roadmap. He described a recent Schools Go Solar effort that installed rooftop arrays at Smith Elementary, Highland Elementary and Danvers High School under a power-purchase agreement; the town pays a fixed rate to the installer for energy produced.

The electric division currently reports roughly 5.63 megawatts of installed solar across 70 residential rooftop systems, six direct-connect PV projects (including the schools) and ten commercial behind-the-meter systems. Ealy said a 2-megawatt alternating-current landfill solar project has preliminary design complete, will require permitting (including Department of Environmental Protection approvals) and will go to public RFP and hearings in the spring; he estimated the full permitting and procurement cycle will take multiple years.

On storage, Ealy said a privately owned 5MW battery installation at the former Ferncroft substation is nearing completion; the private operator, Milton CAT, will own and operate the system under a shared-savings contract with the town. The battery is designed for peak-shaving to reduce transmission and capacity charges, he said.

Board members asked about rates, procurement and ownership models. Ealy said Danvers Electric is well hedged with long-term contracts and that municipal group purchasing gives Danvers relatively stable and competitive supply prices; he said the utility is 'headed toward 85'90% carbon-free supply over the next two years through contract strategy. He said ownership models (PPA vs. town ownership) for the landfill site will be evaluated in the RFP to determine what best serves ratepayers.

Ealy also described a residential rebate program (capped at $4,500 per system) and noted the federal residential tax credit remains available for many homeowners. Residents asked about battery fire risks, lifecycle waste and the long-term outlook for the Seabrook nuclear contract; Ealy addressed fire-safety mitigation measures for battery sites and said Seabrook contracts currently extend until 2050.

Ealy said the electric division will continue public engagement as the landfill solar project advances and will coordinate permitting, design and public hearings with the Select Board and other town boards.