Troy McBride is the chief technology officer at Norwich Solar Technologies, whose effort to build a community solar array on land it intends to buy from the current owner, who’s seeking to sell it, has run into some opposition from nearby homeowners. This is from a letter he sent to Norwich’s acting town manager.

I must admit I am a bit surprised at the negativity.  This project is a true win-win-win (financial, environmental, and local).

I hope that people can look at the big picture.  This property represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to expand the land open to the public in that neighborhood from about 20 acres (Town of Norwich property) to nearly 50 acres.  And to do so at no cost to the neighbors or town.  In fact, the Town will see an increase in property tax revenue with no coincidental cost increases.

The alternative is almost assuredly a permanent residence and the little yellow signs that are neatly posted along the boundary when properties change hands in our area.  Solar is a temporary installation, taking up around 10% of the property, with state-mandated decommissioning required at the end of the project.  New residential installations are almost exclusively permanent in Vermont and particularly in towns like Norwich.

One only needs to look along Maple Hill, Upper Pasture, and almost any other road in Norwich to see what is typically built on large acreage parcels (large clearing, large house) and the “no trespassing” posted along the boundary.  This solar project represents an opportunity to keep the land open to the public with a temporary solar installation that helps Norwich move towards its clean local energy goals – at no upfront cost to the Town and with ongoing increased tax revenue totaling approximately $75,000 over the next 25 years.