Granby’s Solar Plan Is Taking A Different Turn

GRANBY, CT — Granby is backing away from the solar-canopy option and turning its attention to energy-efficiency upgrades at 10 municipal and school facilities.

A Sept. 28 memo from Town Manager Mike Walsh says the town has determined that solar canopies do not offer enough of a financial benefit to pursue right now.

The memo says the canopies “do not produce a financial return suitable to pursue it at this time.” Officials will continue watching the market in case the numbers become more favorable.

The decision follows a review showing that a solar-canopy project would take about 16 years to break even. As Patch previously reported, the financial model projected that Granby would lose nearly $31,000 during the first eight years before beginning to save money in year nine. The estimated savings over 20 years totaled about $41,800.

Instead, the town plans to seek bids for upgrades identified during energy assessments of five municipal buildings: the Granby Public Library, Senior Center, EMS building, Transfer Station and Holcomb Farm workshop.

The recommendations vary by building but include insulation, replacement windows and exterior doors, weatherstripping and sealing gaps around electrical equipment. The work is intended to reduce energy use while addressing equipment and building systems that will eventually need replacement.

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CHA Consulting completed the municipal building assessments at no cost to the town through Eversource. The Conservation Commission and Granby resident Jim Szipszky also helped with the review.

Granby plans to use Titan Energy, a preferred vendor of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, to prepare a request for proposals and oversee the bidding process. Walsh described the company’s role as the town’s “clerk of the works.”

Titan will also look for grants and help Granby pursue up to $1 million in zero-interest financing from Eversource for what Walsh called “inevitable” work, including the replacement of heating and cooling equipment nearing the end of its useful life.

A separate review will cover four school buildings and the Board of Education’s central office. Those facilities could qualify for another pool of up to $1 million in zero-interest financing, bringing the potential total to $2 million.

The Intra-Board Advisory Committee recommended moving forward with the plan. According to Walsh's memo, completing some of the work now could also stretch money included in a proposed middle school bond and reduce the need for future borrowing.

No final project cost or construction schedule has been released. Those details are expected to become clearer after Titan completes the school assessments and the town receives bids.

The Board of Selectmen is scheduled to discuss the energy plan Monday at 7 p.m. at Town Hall. No vote is required because the town already followed its procurement process to hire Titan through the CCM program.

For more Northern Connecticut news, follow Patch editor Jay Kenney.