The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Solar array saves thousands a year
White Flower Farm gets 80 percent of electricity from panels
MORRIS — A new solar energy array at White Flower Farm produces 80 percent of the nursery’s electricity for its greenhouses, offices and outbuildings.
On a sunny day, the photovoltaic panels can generate 250 kilowatts of electricity, said White Flower Farm Vice President of Marking Eliot Wadsworth.
Employees of the familyowned company, Wadsworth said, decided that the solar industry is stable and successful, so an investment in the technology made sense from both financial and environmental standpoints.
The cost for the array was $650,000, Wadsworth noted, with $121,000 of the total coming from federal funding provided through the USDA Rural Development Grant program.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. visited the renowned nursery Monday to talk about the federal funding that helped pay for the installation of solar panels.
“This is the kind of picture that is worth a thousand words,” he said, while standing in front of the 924-panel array. “It benefits small businesses.”
Blumenthal said he would spread the word in Washington about the successful local and federal partnership.
The grant document notes that the solar energy installation will save White Flower Farms more than $61,000 per year in electrical costs. In addition, the unused electricity will be diverted to the region’s electric grid, the document stated, providing enough kilowatts to power 35 homes.
“This is the best fit for the company,” said Facilities Manager Richard Berger, who has worked for the nursery for 25 years. He said the company is considering installing a geothermal power system. It would also be eligible for a USDA grant, according to federal documents.
The grant program is part of the massive Federal Farm Bill, which passed the Senate in June, but has stalled in the House. Blumenthal said he believes the legislation will pass by the end of the year.