Trustees OK Solar-Power Study

By JIM KEVLIN • The Freeman’s Journal

Edition of Thursday, Dec. 25, 2014

COOPERSTOWN

Within a year, Village Hall, CCS’ three buildings, perhaps Bassett and maybe even homeowners will be enjoying a 25-30 percent reduction in energy bills.

That’s if all goes as hoped, following the Village Board’s unanimous vote Monday, Dec. 22, to contract with Solomon Energy of Westchester County to study solar-energy options.

For the past several months, Trustee Lou Allstadt, the former Mobil executive vice president, has been exploring whether alternative energy makes sense for the village and has been urging residents to try to compare energy packages available to them in order to see what other savings can be made for all village residents.

The stumbling block, said Mayor Jeff Katz, was whether there was enough space available locally for a viable project.
“We’ve been wracking our brains,” said Katz. “Is there enough roof space on village housing? Is there enough land available for the village, the school, the Town of Otsego and anyone else who wants to come in.”

Solomon solved that problem through the concept of “load zones,” the mayor said: As long as village alternative power is generated anywhere in the Mohawk Valley “load zone,” which stretches from Schoharie County to the Canadian border, it can be fed into the grid and the village can be credited with any savings.

In addition to aggregating production — single farm on a large tract in, say, Schoharie County, may serve several municipalities — Solomon can aggregate investors, who can bring land as well as money to help float a project, Katz said.

The remaining question, he said, is “making sure the village makes as good a deal as possible. It can’t be for the village to make a little and everybody else to make a killing.”

But the mayor said Allstadt’s “unparalleled” corporate experience and his own as a trader on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange will help ensure the village’s interests are protected.

While the village is taking the lead, the mayor said he anticipates local schools and the hospital, if it wishes, can participate.

“Can we get to a point where everyone can participate?” Katz asked. “That would certainly be a goal as we get further into the process, particularly if the land is there. I would love to see that happen.”

Monday the 22nd, the trustees approved Solomon’s “phase one,” which is a study to determine what might work. There is no cost at this point, and the village is not committed to moving forward.

CCS Superintendent of Schools C.J. Hebert, who was with Katz and Allstadt when Solomon made the presentation, said he has briefed his school board at its last meeting and there is much interest.

No vote was taken, since “it’s a decision we can make down the road,” Hebert said. “We certainly are going to cooperate and see what the projected savings will be.”

He anticipates the Solomon proposal could save the district another $30,000 a year.