Town of Somers Receives Grant

The town of Somers has been selected to receive a Quickspend Energy Efficiency and Conservation Program award totaling $27,793.49 for the lighting retrofit and photovoltaic extension project.

First Selectwoman Lisa Pellegrini said that energy efficient lighting will be installed in the town hall at no additional cost to the taxpayer. 

“Although some energy efficient lighting was previously installed this grant enables us to complete the building,” she said. “It’s been on my list of things to do, however the cost was always prohibitive. The Quickspend Grant Program was the perfect solution.”

Pellegrini said that it was a tight time frame for the application, but it helped that the town had a wish list of projects ready to go.

Estimated savings are for the lighting retrofit are over $30,000 over a 15-year period. 

“In addition, there will be a reduction of over 9.2 tons of green house gas per year,” Pellegrini said.

She said that the solar panels at the firehouse are a resounding success, so much so that the town had an expansion project on the wish list and have been looking for funding sources during the last year. 

“This Quickspend Grant allows construction of solar photovoltaic panels that will produce an additional 2600 kWH/year of power,” she said. “They will also be constructed at no additional cost to the taxpayer.” 

The future savings will result in an additional $520 worth of savings per year and there will be a reduction of two tons of green house gas per year. 

Pellegrini said that the cost of constructing solar panel systems still remains cost prohibitive and the only feasible way to do so is through grants. 

“Somers has been very successful in achieving grants for solar power systems,” she said.

All work must be completed by June 30, 2012. Pellegrini said that the town will start with the lighting at town hall as soon as she gets the signed contract back. The first DEEP site visit will be on April 3.