Jamaica, VT – Cement Plant Solar, a 500 kilowatt group net metered solar array, completed its first two months of commercial operations this month, delivering over 65,000 kilowatt hours to the Green Mountain Power electric grid.
The array is located on the former site of the William E. Dailey Inc. ready-mix concrete facility in Jamaica. Previously, the site had been used for batch mixing jobs, many of which were associated with the construction of buildings at Stratton Mountain and the surrounding area. In recent years, however, the site had become inactive, and the company had been exploring several possible uses when the idea for a net metered solar array was introduced.
“We thought that a solar array was an excellent use for the site. As a company we are excited to support development of local sources of energy” said Matt Lazzari, Land Manager for Peckham Industries, parent company of William E Dailey Inc. “Working with Essex Capital Partners has allowed us to accomplish this while transforming a dormant industrial site into a solar array. The fact that we will continue to benefit from this net metering arrangement for years to come really made it work for us”
Under the terms of a group net metering agreement, production from the array in Jamaica will offset power consumption at Dailey Concrete’s main plant in Shaftsbury, Vermont, a major local employer. Under Vermont’s current net metering program, customer meters located on the same utility grid can be part of a single net metering group, regardless of where they are physically located. “Remote net metering allowed us to do this with a site in Jamaica and have it benefit our main plant operations in Shaftsbury. That was especially critical” said Lazzari.
Siting was also a major consideration for the project developer, Essex Capital Partners, an experienced developer of renewable energy projects in the State of Vermont. Charlie Grant, Project Manager for Essex, said that the company arrived at the property after conducting a state-wide search for suitable candidates. The company weighed visibility to the public, avoiding sensitive environmental resources, and proximity to electrical infrastructure when deciding to move forward with the site.
Up front diligence paid off as the project received several positive reviews from Town and State officials. The project received its Certificate of Public Good from the Public Service Board after gaining positive feedback from the Town of Jamaica’s Planning Commission and Selectboard, as well as the Regional Commission. “We are always looking for ways to promote economic development in the Town of Jamaica”, said David Mink, Chair of the Jamaica Planning Commission. “We were pleased with both the early notice and consultation we received from ECP about the Project, as well as the finished product”.
The Agency of Natural Resources also visited the site prior to development. In an email communication summarizing her review, a wetlands scientist for ANR called the project location a good site for solar, and in particular noted the project’s avoidance of sensitive wetland and wildlife habitat resources.
The project was financed in part with a Commercial Energy Loan from the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA). The project employed several local contractors, including CDP Electric, of Rutland, VT and Hunter Excavating of Londonderry, VT.
About Essex Capital Partners
Essex Capital Partners (ECP) was founded in 1995, and since its inception, has owned, developed and operated a portfolio of commercial properties in the greater New England region. ECP handles all facets of solar development including site selection, design, permitting, construction management, equipment procurement, environmental monitoring, financing, and property management. ECP manages a comprehensive team of related professionals in legal, engineering, construction, environmental, and capital markets as required for each transaction, from inception through project completion.
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