Green energy to fuel local greenhouses
NORTH SMITHFIELD – The monthly electrical bill can be awfully high when you’re operating three greenhouses, three large display coolers, two walk-in storage coolers, and two greenhouse furnaces, according to Josh Goodwin, the farm manager at Goodwin Brothers Farm.
But thanks to a $15,000 grant from Rhode Island taxpayers, through the Department of Environmental Management, the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources and the Rhode Island Resource Conservation & Development Area Council, the Greenville Road stand will soon bring green energy to a farm known for its green thumb. The dollars will be used to install a 10.54 kilowatt solar photovoltaic system mounted on the stand’s south-facing roof.
Goodwin said that he anticipates work to install the solar panels will likely begin this fall and, once fully installed, could very likely zero out their bill. While Goodwin said it’s tough to predict the bill, as the amount of electricity used at Goodwin’s can vary from month to month, he said it could lead to a “dramatic reduction,” as they will save “a lot of electricity.”
He additionally said he was unsure of what the savings from the solar array would go toward.
Originally started next door to their current stand on Greenville Road, Goodwin’s has been in operation since the mid-1960s, offering area residents a variety of seasonally-grown fruits and vegetables including tomatoes, corn, radishes, zucchini, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries.
The grant process for Goodwin Brothers started all the way back in the summer of 2015, Goodwin said, when they were walked through the process of how solar panels could be installed. From there, they began exploring grant opportunities and applied last summer.
Goodwin said that to find out the farm stand would be the recipient of $15,000 for the solar system was a “relief.”
“It’s a long process, a lot of work, and it’s not inexpensive,” he said.
Goodwin Brothers was one of seven farms around the state that received a combined $89,755 in grants to help farmers “green” their operations and save energy and money, DEM officials said on Wednesday.
“I am thrilled to announce these awards, which are a win for our environment and for our farmers,” DEM Director Janet Coit said in a statement issued Wednesday afternoon. “What an excellent example of the role each of us can play in strengthening our climate resilience and promoting healthier communities.”
“Rhode Island is charting a bold course in clean energy, which is exciting and vital. We must continue to invest in our green economy for the benefit of our state, our environment, and our families. Congratulations to our grant recipients and to all partners involved in this effort,” Coit added.
State Energy Commissioner Carol Grant added: “Farmers are in a great position to take advantage of recent advancements solar technology. Solar panels have become cheaper and more powerful, with shorter payback periods, allowing farmers to offset more of the energy they use for their operations and save money in the long-term. It’s good for their business and our environment.”