Since Girish Rao had solar panels installed on his Highland Road home in 2006, he's received more and more calls from others considering solar, he says.
"(Solar power) is definitely a trend. The panels are improving, becoming more efficient and the cost is coming down," said Rao, a member of the town's new Green Advisory Board. "It's gathering momentum. Andover is a very progressive town."
Thanks in large part to government grants, solar panels are popping up on Andover homes, schools and businesses, including two of Andover's largest offices. Solar panels have been installed at Raytheon and will soon be added to the Internal Revenue Service building. While it remains to be seen just how deep the movement will grow, the move toward more solar power is not only happening in Andover.
Statewide, a $68 million fund to provide rebates to business and homeowners who install solar-powered systems was depleted this fall, less than two years into a program that was expected to last four years. State officials are scrambling to fund a successor to this Commonwealth Solar program, which was created to stimulate economic development, grow jobs and benefit the environment.
In town, 10 solar panels soon will be installed on the roof of Doherty Middle School, after the town of Andover was awarded a $38,025 Clean Energy Choice grant. Doherty Middle will be the first town-owned building to go solar, but "green" design elements have been included in discussions as the town looks to build a replacement for Bancroft Elementary School.
"I think it's going to be one of the many solutions we will have in the future to help solve our energy crisis, and help provide an alternative to fossil fuels and reduce emissions, as we run out of fossil fuels," said Joe Piantedosi, director of Andover's Plant and Facilities Department. "I'm definitely interested in continuing (with solar). It will be one of the many things we continue to do, long term, to save energy."
This spring, a lecture series on renewable energy was held in Andover houses of worship. State Rep. Barry Finegold and the town's new Green Advisory Board hosted a "Greening Andover" seminar at Memorial Hall Library in October, discussing energy consumption and sustainability.
Residents Frank and Belva Hopkins recently gave their Brady Loop home a "green" makeover and were a featured stop on the historical society's Gates and Gables home tour in September. Besides installing two wind turbines and 42 solar panels on their roof, the Hopkins installed an environmentally friendly geothermal system that takes advantage of the earth's steady 55 degree temperature for both heating and cooling.
Interest in solar has spilled into Andover industry, as well. As part of a major construction and modernization project, the IRS will install solar and geothermal features to its facility off Route 133. Construction began last month and the entire project is slated to be completed in 2012, said Peggy Riley, IRS media relations specialist.
The new building will have a photovoltaic solar roofing system, which will covert sunlight into electricity distributed directly into the building. Among other environmental design features, the building have an ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling system.
The IRS project is being overseen by the U.S. General Services Administration, which is using so-callled stimulus money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Another 528 solar panels went live in the summer of 2008 at Raytheon's Integrated Air Defense System compound on Lowell Street. The company, which makes radar systems used to identify and shoot down military planes and targets, uses the power generated by their solar panels to run a portion of their operations, reducing overhead costs.
The rooftop array was partially paid for by a grant from Massachusetts Technology Collaborative's Renewable Energy Trust.
As Phillips Academy remodels their Addison Gallery of American Art, a green roof design will be part of the renovated museum. Vegetation will be planted in soil-lined trays along the roof of the new addition, saving money and energy because as greenery retains both heat and water, keeping temperatures consistent.
The museum is slated to reopen in fall 2010.
Also, MassHighway is in the middle of a $5.5 million project installing solar-powered message boards along Route 495, stationed along the highway as it passes through Andover and other Merrimack Valley towns. The panels produce a minimum of 220 watts and power a two-sided electronic sign so messages about construction, lane closures, traffic jams and AMBER alerts can be conveyed to people driving in both directions on 495.
Paul Materazzo, director of Andover's planning department, has been working with the Green Advisory Board, overseeing green initiatives in town. He was out of the office and could not be reached by Townsman presstime.
