Harvard, MA Solar Garden Breaks Ground

(Note - this is the town of Harvard, not Harvard University -- Joy)

PRESS RELEASE: 10/25/13

Community Shared Solar Workshop to be held November 12 at River Valley Coop in Northampton

Harvard Solar Garden, A Community Shared Solar project, announces the opening of new subscriptions for Harvard Solar Garden Phase II to electric customers of National Grid in Central and Western MA;

Harvard, MA – October 25, 2013 - Harvard Solar Garden, LLC, the first wholly member-owned community solar electricity project in Massachusetts has begun to offer subscriptions to new members from communities supplied with electricity from National Grid in Central and Western Massachusetts.  Unlike other solar PV projects, the Harvard Solar Garden offers individuals and small businesses the opportunity to share solar electricity generation through a unique direct ownership model.  Phase One of the Harvard Solar Garden has been fully subscribed by Harvard residents and is expected to begin construction in the next month.  Now, members of the broader community have the opportunity to benefit from solar generated electricity without having to install it on their rooftops.  By purchasing shares in this Community Solar project, members can have the production of solar electricity generated by their share of the solar garden credited to their own meter and utility account as if the panels were mounted on their own roof. In addition to displacing the actual brown energy used from conventional fossil or nuclear based fuel, members receive the benefit of the state’s incentive programs through Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs). Members may also receive the benefits of a grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, along with a Federal credit as a direct grant through the US Treasury's 1603 solar grant program.  No new solar project today can still offer these incentives, grants, and 10 years of SREC I income, now fully subscribed at the State level.  Solar Garden share benefits may be able to be transferred to another location or may be able to be sold or gifted to another party within the National Grid utility load zone.
SREC I status allows the Harvard Solar Garden to obtain more valuable, but very limited, state incentive payments for solar. The Community-shared Solar concept allows members to benefit from solar generated electricity without having to install it on their rooftops.

Shares in the Solar Garden cost $3.85/Watt installed, or less after incentives.

The Harvard Solar Garden is being designed and engineered by Solar Design Associates of Harvard, MA – a firm with 38 years of dedicated experience in renewable energy systems engineering.

There will be a community shared solar workshop open to the public on November 12, 2013 at the River Valley Coop community room. Contact the Customer Service Desk for times, and to pre-register.

For more information about joining the Harvard Solar Garden,  call (978) 456-9815 or go to www.hsgarden.org