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Willington committee weighs $403,000 library solar, battery and heat‑pump package, eyes grant funding
Summary
Committee members discussed a town library project combining solar panels, batteries and dual‑fuel heat pumps; an installer quoted $185,000 for heat pumps and committee estimates combined system costs at $403,000, with potential rebates of about $20,000 and several grant avenues to pursue.
At the April 8 meeting of the Willington Sustainability and Energy Committee, Commissioner John Teehan described a proposed library energy retrofit that combines rooftop solar, battery backup and dual‑fuel heat pumps to replace the building’s propane boilers.
Teehan said the town secured a heat‑pump quote from an Eversource‑certified installer for about $185,000 and that, with solar and battery additions, the total project estimate is $403,000. He also said the roof could fit about 83 panels at 440 watts each (roughly 36 kW of nameplate capacity) and estimated annual generation of about 42,000 kilowatt‑hours. Teehan added that rebate amounts in the heat‑pump quote totaled roughly $20,000.
The committee discussed prior attempts to apply for congressional directed spending (CDS) to fund the work but said the town missed the application window this round. Teehan said First Selectman Mike did not have time to complete the CDS application before the deadline. The committee agreed the project would yield long‑term savings and should be advanced through grant channels rather than burdening taxpayers with full up‑front costs.
Don Berg raised technical‑assistance needs and suggested the committee gather multiple installer quotes before action; he noted Earthlight had the insurance information necessary for interconnection with Eversource and that the PV project for senior housing (a separate 183 kW project) is in the queue for interconnection.
Committee members also discussed funding routes: Sustainable CT certification points and Climate Leader incentives, CT Green Bank loans and available rebates, and the potential for state development or Urban Act grants aimed at distressed municipalities. No formal commitment of town funds was made; Teehan said he will prepare a revised letter and a package to present to the Board of Selectmen and to explore grant opportunities and technical assistance.
The committee asked staff to draft a letter describing the library project and to place the item on the Board of Selectmen agenda for future consideration.
