Nov 3, 2007
Lindberg's goal: 1,000 Wilton residents signed up for clean energy
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Michael Lindberg, chair of the Energy Commission, has set a new goal for the town: get 1,000 residents to sign up to receive clean energy through the CTCleanEnergyOptions program.
Mr. Lindberg proposed the goal during an event at the Wilton Library on Wednesday, Oct. 17, that featured a panel including representatives from SmartPower, CL&P, Community Energy, and Sterling Planet. There are currently 114 residents signed up for the program, he said.
“I’d like to take that 114 over 1,000 by the end of the year,” he said.
The CTCleanEnergyOptions program allows residents, for an extra fee, to opt to have 50% or 100% of their energy come from clean energy sources rather than fossil fuels. While the power that program participants use does not directly come from clean energy sources, clean energy is put into the power grid that is equal to the energy the participant uses.
Customers of Connecticut Light and Power and United Illuminating may sign up for the program. The extra fee for an average Connecticut resident is $4 more per month for those who choose the 50% option and $8 more per month for those who choose the 100% option, according to the program’s Web site.
There is a benefit to the town if the Board of Selectmen commits to getting 20% of the town’s energy from clean sources by 2010. With every 100 sign-ups and such a resolution, the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund would give the town two solar energy systems worth $10,000 each, according to Keri Enright with SmartPower. The cost of installing the units would be covered by the fund.
The town has not approved the resolution, but Mr. Lindberg said it is being considered as a possible recommendation by the Energy Commission. The Board of Selectmen were presented with the opportunity to approve a resolution at a meeting in March, but said they wanted more information before committing to the program.
The town’s energy contract with its supplier, TransCanada, already has approximately 30% of the town’s energy coming from hydro power. Energy commissioner Rust Muirhead asked at a meeting on Oct. 9 whether that would count toward the 20% goal.
Without that energy counting toward the goal, Commissioner Ron French said, he didn’t believe the town could get to 20%.
“There is no liability because it’s only a pledge,” said Adam Markham, adviser to the commission, on whether the town should make the pledge anyway.
“I don’t think we’re going to make this pledge if we’re not going to get there,” said Commissioner Richard Creeth, who also serves on the Board of Selectmen.
Mr. French said making the pledge might rally the town to try and get to the 20%, and there might be value in that effort.
Carl Leaman, who is chair of Westport’s Green Energy Task Force, said on Tuesday, Oct. 23, that while Westport had tried to get residents to sign up for the program, in the two and a half years the town has been working to get residents to sign up only 225 to 250 have done so.
He also said Westport had made 1,000 sign-ups its initial goal.
“It’s been a very difficult sell,” said Mr. Leaman. He said the difficulty primarily comes in getting people to pay the extra fee per month.
Commissioner James Furnivall said he believed cost was the issue, but that it was important to educate residents that the extra fee was not going to a utility company but was instead supporting clean energy.
“I don’t think it’s the size of the payment. I think it’s the good it does,” he said.
Part of the energy commission’s mission in raising awareness of clean energy and energy conservation will focus on educating Wilton students. To that end, the student group Little People Big Changes has been advocating that Wilton drivers stop idling, and the group’s founders, Alex Scaperotta and Jordan Reichgut, spoke at the library event.
“Who will global warming affect most? You? Or us kids?” said Alex to the crowd of about 40.
Information: ctcleanenergyoptions.com.
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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