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Select Board approves 20-year solar lease for Gus Kanty Community Center
Summary
The Select Board approved a 20-year lease and power purchase agreement with Sunwealth Power for rooftop solar at the Gus Kanty Community Center; the 29 kW DC system (approx. 73 panels) is expected to supply ~78% of the building's electricity and an estimated $117,000 in savings over the lease term.
The Falmouth Select Board voted Jan. 5 to approve a notice of lease and lease agreement with Sunwealth Power Inc. for a rooftop solar installation at the Gus Kanty Community Center, under a 20‑year power purchase agreement (PPA) executed by the town manager.
Stephanie Madison, the town’s sustainability specialist, told the board the system would be owned and maintained by the vendor with no upfront capital cost to the town. The PPA fixes the price the town will pay for the electricity produced for 20 years; staff estimate roughly $117,000 in savings over the life of the lease. The system is designed to supply about 78% of the building’s kilowatt‑hour usage; the proposed installation is about 29 kW DC, using roughly 73 panels, compared with the building’s current small 7 kW system.
Board members asked about roof structural reviews, the decommissioning plan, and the potential for future panel upgrades as technology improves. Staff said engineers had inspected the roof and found it adequate for the proposed system; the contract requires the vendor to remove and decommission the panels at the end of the lease if the town chooses not to accept ownership.
After discussion, the board moved and approved the lease and PPA with Sunwealth Power. The vote was recorded by voice; the meeting transcript does not include a roll‑call tally.
What’s next: With board approval, staff will finalize the lease documents and coordinate installation timing and any on‑site logistics to minimize disruption to rec center operations.
