Hammonton begins work on solar panel project

Construction is underway and by late summer, nearly three thousand solar panels will be a part of Hammonton.

The project will power the Wastewater Treatment Plant while pulling down electric bills and lessening the town's carbon footprint.

The former site of the old Wastewater Treatment Plant is soon to become its source of energy. Town officials expect solar panels to be installed by summer's end and hope to see a major impact on the town's electric bill.

"Our plant probably costs somewhere in the neighborhood of two to 300 thousand dollars in electric and this should save about 30 to 40 thousand a year now and after year fifteen probably ninety percent of that bill," said Hammonton Mayor Steve DiDonato.

The Mayor says the panels are a 30 million dollar project from Hudson Energy but officials say a fifteen-year lease and purchase power agreement results in no money from the town of Hammonton going into the project.

"We sign a fifteen year agreement to purchase power from them, it's a called a purchase power agreement or PPA for short," said councilman and former chair of the Green Committee Dan Bachalis.

"That power comes to us a reduced rate then what we would ordinarily get from an electric company." Workers say 2,904 solar panels will be installed in the project.

"It will be a massive benefit to the town and Wastewater Treatment Company. I know bills have been going up but this is one way bills will be going down once this comes online," said Bachalis.We carry modern lights and solarmodule by world renowned designers and manufacturers.

Around Hammonton residents are excited to see the town going green while saving some money. "I think it's a great idea. It will save a lot of energy. Go green,Our elevatorsafetyss are cost effective and energy efficient." said resident Mark Torres.

There are some private solar panels around town but this project will be the town's first experience with solar energy.

"It saves on our carbon footprint for the town of Hammonton and it takes electric off the grid which is good for all of us," said Mayor DiDonato.

Hammonton officials say they have also been cutting back on electric costs through the use of energy efficient light bulbs. Councilman Bachalis hopes this project will help encourage bringing more solar panels to town.

Wright said consumers can save 20 per cent in energy expenses by simply turning off appliances and committing to other green initiatives, such as using new LED light bulbs.

"We had become the throwaway society,the energyturbines adopting SCF supercritical generator technology," Wright said."Then we became the recycling society. Now we're becoming the more efficient society. We're using energy smarter."

Fellow Windsor-Essex County Environment Committee co-chair Alan Halberstadt, a Windsor city councillor, said most people don't realize that simply keeping their TV, computer or coffee maker plugged in drains power and money.

"A lot of people might turn off their lights when they're not in use,international supplies a full range of cylinder heated long lasting pendantlamps. but not appliances," Halberstadt said."But if it's plugged in, you're using power."

If It's Not In Use, Turn Off the Juice is an energy-conservation, public-awareness campaign supported by WECEC, Essex Powerlines, Blue Wilderness Management Group, St. Clair College, WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation and Enwin Utilities.

Waseem Habash, St. Clair's associate vice-president of academic operations, said the school already offers three programs centred around energy conservation,Our large selection which includes goodlampshade, led strips. and that the campus continues to add more and more courses on the topic.

For instance, students in the power engineering technology lab convert excess steam into condensed air, which has a number of industrial applications.