To the editor: 

Don Keenan’s questions about the proposed solar installation at the Bay Springs Community center resilience hub “Is this solar deal just a sales pitch” is a welcomed talking point to advance the conversation about renewable solutions. 

Don’s questions are undoubtedly shared by many in town fatigued by solar sales pitches. 

Significant planning and research has gone into the proposed resilience hub, and I am pleased to shed light on the motivations and intended benefits of the project.   

Resilience hubs are community-serving facilities augmented to: support residents and coordinate resource distribution and services before, during, or after a natural or manmade disruption. The proposal that Solect Energy is involved in is for installation of equipment aimed at advancing Barrington’s ratified resilience & energy goals. The system includes solar panels to generate energy to run the resilience-hub from day to day and send any excess energy generated to the grid to offset use in other town facilities via virtual net metering. The system will include a bank of batteries enabling the resilience hub to operate behind-the-meter independently in case of a grid failure. The resilience hub is designed to provide lifesaving energy for residents’ relying on medical equipment, cooling or warmth in case of a sustained grid failure. All the systems and equipment will be installed above historic flood levels.  

Resilience hub, is intended to serve as a community education center where Barrington residents can come and get clear, unbiased information on resilience and renewable energy. The photovoltaic solar energy system and all major components of the system will be explained in clear language with illustrative posters, creating an opportunity for community engagement. Among the objectives of the resilience hub is to host open forums to discuss questions residents may have about renewable energy and resilience issues such as sea level rise. Information sessions, with expert speakers, are intended to empower local communities to build social resilience to better prepare for the impact of disasters. 

Don rightly points out that energy prices are historically high and are not expected to recede anytime soon. Cost of fossil fuel generated electricity will only continue to increase as mining and resource extraction efforts grow in complexity. On the other hand, renewable energy reached a point in 2022 where solar and wind generated electricity is less expensive than any other form of generated and distributed energy. The efficiency and performance of renewable energy technology follows a similar learning curve of innovation as computers have done. Think of your first computer, the cost and performance of the PC from the 90’s to today are in step with the technological advances of renewable energy performance and cost. 

One of the goals of the resilience hub pilot was to install a solar array and to demonstrate the actual performance. The proposal was evaluated by the members of the Resilience & Energy Committee and unanimously supported on its merits. We are fortunate in Barrington to have a great team of subject matter experts who reviewed the academic literature and evaluated best industry practices before recommending the project to the Town Council. The proposal serves as a test of renewable, grid-independent energy system that will provide significant financial savings.

Barrington has already pledged to meet the goals of the 2021 RI Act on Climate by 2033. To meet those goals we need to facilitate the acceleration to renewable energy installations with transparent and trustworthy information on the costs and benefits of renewable technology. Homeowners deserve access to reliable information on renewable energy which is less costly than any other form of energy used for home heating, cooking, and daily energy uses. Furthermore, we need to demonstrate to our children that we take the threat of a changing climate seriously and are adopting technological advances to improve the future they are going to inherit.

To achieve the set goals we must work collaboratively to encourage and facilitate the energy transition for those residents that opt to pay less for electricity and demand a healthier Barrington. 

Magnus Thorsson PhD

Barrington

Magnus Thorsson is chairman of the Barrington Resilience and Energy Committee.