After two months of harvesting solar energy, the Station on the Green held a belated “flick the switch” ceremony this week, with (left to right) Gravity Sun Power’s Jeff Williams, who installed the panels, Station board member Bill McDougall, Clearview Township deputy director of public works Steve Sage, Station board member Paul Ruppel, Clearview Mayor Ken Ferguson and Clearview treasurer Edward Henley.
The Township gave the Station $59,000 for the project (which they debentured at 2.5 percent interest) and the Station put in $8,000 for a few extra panels and $25,000 for a new roof. In both July and August, the Station sold its power (at 80 cents per kW) for about $1,500. From that they pay $300 a month to the Township to service the debt.
With the 80 cent per kW contract guaranteed for 20 years, the Station figures the solar panels will clear $7,500 to $8,000 a year for the community centre. Hence the smiles in the picture above, we suppose!