Newtown is on its way to more solar power.  A solar farm could be added to the transfer station site.  Solar City has submitted a bid on behalf of Newtown for the Zero Emission Renewable Credit program.  The bid includes 4,182 panels with an annual output of more than 1 million kilowatt hours.  First Selectman Pat Llodra told the Legislative Council that there are several hurdles to clear, the next one is getting into this grant award system.

If the bid is accepted, the town will be over its 2 million kilowatt goal.  The final decisions will be made by Friday.

The system at the Transfer Station would be completed by the fall of 2016 if Newtown’s project is selected.  October 1, 2016 is the latest date to come online under the Zero Emission Renewable Credit program.

The state has opened the opportunity for more towns to participate in the virtual net metering program, which allows customers to assign surplus production to other metered accounts that are not physically connected to the solar panels.  Llodra told the Council that the virtual net metering makes the Transfer Station project attractive to the town.

Llodra says Newtown has made a significant dent in the goal to have 20-percent of energy be clean energy

There's a major installation at the middle school and waste water treatment plant, neither of which are really visible.  There's an installation at the Park and Rec Garage, Newtown animal Shelter, and at John Reed Intermediate School.