Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Renewable Energy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Falmouth advances school solar canopies; North Falmouth array would cover most school usage
Summary
The board voted unanimously to draft positive motions for Select Energy’s solar canopy projects at North Falmouth Elementary (approx. 150 kW AC, behind-the-meter to cover roughly 88% of the school's electricity) and Falmouth High School (approx. 200 kW, estimated to cover ~15% of high‑school use); both are structured as power‑purchase agreements with no upfront town cost.
The Falmouth Planning Board on Feb. 10 directed staff to draft positive motions for two Select Energy‑sponsored carport solar canopy projects at North Falmouth Elementary and Falmouth High School.
Stuart Clark of Green Seal Environmental, representing Select Energy, described the North Falmouth Elementary proposal as a roughly 150 kW (AC) carport system mounted over existing parking stalls with underground electrical runs to the building interconnect. Sustainability specialist Stephanie Madsen said the North Falmouth canopy is "behind the meter" and is estimated to cover about 88 percent of the elementary school's electricity use. The project is being structured as a power purchase agreement with no capital cost to the town and an expected discounted monthly energy charge.
The high‑school canopy is larger (about 200 kW) and is estimated to offset roughly 15 percent of the high school's consumption; it was sited to avoid shading from an adjacent monopole and maintain parking. Madsen told the board the high‑school project is also under a 25‑year fixed‑rate power purchase agreement with no upfront town cost and projected first‑year savings of roughly $13,000–$14,000 for the high school.
Public commenters asked about construction‑period runoff and nighttime lighting. The applicant said the carport foundations will be set on approximately a dozen auger holes with limited land disturbance, that silt control measures will be used during construction and that existing tall parking‑lot lights will be removed and canopy lighting will be timer‑controlled to minimize light spill.
Board members voted unanimously to draft positive decisions for both sites for consideration at the next hearing. The board asked the applicant to upload site drawings and sizing details into the project folder so staff and members can review the full technical package ahead of the Feb. 24 meeting.
