Stamford planning commission revives community solar push, proposes ad hoc committee

Chair opened the meeting by saying he had “taken this upon myself to kinda rekindle this project,” and outlined talks with a designer (Ralph) and a developer about siting a commercial-scale solar array in Stamford. He said earlier attempts were scaled back because the originally targeted field proved too swampy, and that Ralph — a former Green Lantern Solar designer — is now operating independently and seeking a suitable location.

The commission discussed technical and siting constraints, including three-phase power availability, grid connections across the Vermont–Massachusetts interface and the acreage needed. Chair estimated a 5 MW system could “do every person in Stamford and then some,” and said an ideal ground array would be about 25 south-facing acres, though smaller clustered sites (3–12 acres) or rooftop options could also be considered. He also proposed an outreach seminar where Ralph would present options and answer questions. “Maybe we have a seminar… ask questions and answers,” the Chair said.

Commissioners raised financial and contract concerns. The Chair cited a prior lease contract example that would have paid roughly $37,000 a year and warned that initial contracts sometimes omit host credits; he emphasized exploring ownership models where Stamford would own distribution infrastructure while individual residents or subscribers would own or subscribe to generation. The commission noted a local budget figure — $17,361 budgeted for town electricity in 2025 — as one reference point for potential savings and municipal involvement.

Next steps: commissioners agreed to invite the designer to present at a future meeting or public forum, to seek select board engagement, and to tentatively form an ad hoc group to pursue site identification and preliminary financial options.