Warren strikes deal with solar farm builder

Birchswamp solar array could save town $2.5 million over life of lease

By Ted Hayes
Posted 2/18/19

The Town of Warren is getting into the solar business, and could save as much as $100,000 per year in energy costs through its upcoming alliance with a for-profit energy producer which plans to build …

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Warren strikes deal with solar farm builder

Birchswamp solar array could save town $2.5 million over life of lease

Posted

The Town of Warren is getting into the solar business, and could save as much as $100,000 per year in energy costs through its upcoming alliance with a for-profit energy producer which plans to build a solar farm behind the town yard on Birchswamp Road.

Last Tuesday, the Warren Town Council approved a 25-year lease for nine acres of former town landfill with Green Development, a solar producer based out of North Kingstown. Green plans to build a two megawatt solar station behind the Warren DPW headquarters, on land that was formerly used as a landfill.

According to Warren Town Planner Bob Rulli, the lease arrangement will give the town approximately half of the power the farm will produce. The resultant energy will be used to power Warren Town Hall and government center, including the police station, as well as the Mary V. Quirk School and possibly the wastewater treatment facility on Water Street.

"If all goes according to plan this is a win, win, win for us," Mr. Rulli said. "I think a lot of communities are looking at net metering (the industry term for such solar arrays) but ours is unique; some developers have had some pushback from the community. The advantage for us is that it's town-owned property. It had no other use."

There are still some hurdles to cross. The site on which the farm will be built is a former landfill that was never officially "closed" when its use was discontinued 11 years ago. Though the paperwork to do so had been on file with the town and DEM, "nothing happened" and the technicality of completing the "closure" never happened, Mr. Rulli said. Prior to the commencement of construction, the town and DEM will finalize the landfill's closure, he said.

Warren stands to save substantially once the station is producing electricity. Currently, the town pays 16.83 cents per kilowatt hour, but under the lease arrangement the town will receive electricity based on a 10.4-cent per kilowatt hour rate, which will be locked in for the duration of the lease. Over its 25-year term, Mr. Rulli said the town will likely save approximately $2.5 million in electricity costs.

Mr. Rulli said the hope is that once the closure issue is dealt with, work on permitting and construction will commence rather quickly.

The town "is really happy that this is moving forward," Mr. Rulli said.

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