Mt. Pleasant Officials Consider Carport Solar Power Proposal
The Mount Pleasant Town Board continues to weigh a proposal from Con Edison Development to construct carports in parking lots of municipal facilities with solar panels on the roofs.
While no decision was made at the Nov. 20 work session, most board members said the town should consider the project. It is estimated that the project would reduce energy bills for about 400 town homeowners while positioning Mount Pleasant as a leader in pursuing clean energy sources.
Ian Diamond, senior solar developer for Con Edison Development, a separate company owned by Consolidated Edison, said the proposal calls for the company to construct carports on sections of the parking lots at Town Hall, the Community Center and town pool complex and the Department of Public Works garage parking lots.
Diamond said no municipality in Westchester County has constructed solar carports yet on municipally-owned parking lots.
Con Edison Development is looking for a 25-year lease to provide 1.4 million megawatts of power that will produce about 1.8 million kilowatt hours of electricity each year, said Christine Nevin, director of media relations for Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses.
Should the proposal be approved by the Town Board, it would then have to be determined which 400 town customers would have access to the reduced cost of electricity and how they would be selected, Nevin said.
The town would be paid $28,000 annually for the length of the contract and Con Edison Development would be responsible for the construction and maintenance of the carports. The carports would be 10-and-a-half feet high and take about two months to build, Diamond said.
Last week he delivered a PowerPoint presentation to the Town Board, which showed photographs of carport projects Con Edison Development had built around the country.
Aside from providing solar power, the carports protect parked vehicles from the elements, Diamond said.
Councilman Thomas Sialiano said the town should consider the structures because there is a need for innovative and alternative energy sources.
However, Councilwoman Laurie Smalley said she was concerned that residents coming to the community center site might not like the look of the carports. She agreed the board should consider the proposal.
“I like seeing Mount Pleasant in the forefront,” she said.
Councilman Anthony Amiano expressed skepticism about the proposal, saying the lease wouldn’t generate much additional revenue for the town. Also, relatively few residents would be able to benefit from the reduced electricity rates derived from the project.
The project would be a way to potentially generate more power from new sources, said Supervisor Carl Fulgenzi.
“We’re investing in the future direction of electricity,” he said.
Fulgenzi said there needs to be more discussion by the board before it can make a decision.
