To benefit the rate-payers and member-towns of the Cape Light Compact, the Cape & Vineyard Electric Cooperative (CVEC) was created in 2009. Since its creation, CVEC has been successful in its mission to bring forward price-stabilizing Renewable Energy installation to the Cape and Martha’s Vineyard through two Rounds of Photovoltaic development. A third Round is in development.
Initial Round:
In 2010 CVEC, with its project partner ConEdison Solutions in the role of Power Purchase Agreement provider, completed installations totaling approximately 750KW of photovoltaic power at 7 CVEC member sites across Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard. This is enough clean, renewable electricity to power over 125 homes and offset .517 metric tons of CO².
The amount of electricity these installations are now providing and the CO2 being offset can be viewed on-line:
To see the Barnstable High School photovoltaic production record, click here
To see the Bourne Middle School photovoltaic production record, click here
To see the Eastham Department of Public Works photovoltaic production record, click here
To see the Eastham Elementary School photovoltaic production record, click here
To see the Eddy School photovoltaic production record, click here
To see the Harwich Elementary School photovoltaic production record, click here
To see the Stony Brook Elementary School photovoltaic production record, click here
Round I:
In 2010 CVEC contracted with American Capital Energy for 10 Power Purchase Agreements which were to bring approximately 18.3 megawatts of photovoltaics to the Cape and Martha’s Vineyard, largely through PV installations on capped landfills. (To see Press Release, click here. To see Press Event Presentation, click here.) The 18.3 MW PV project was expected to produce 22,552,200 kWh per year; enough energy to power 3,132 Cape and Vineyard homes.
In spring of 2010 Eastham voters declined the photovoltaic opportunity in Eastham’s abandoned gravel-pit known as Sandy Meadows, bringing the total of Round I PV projects to 16 MW.
Permitting is underway for the remaining 9 installations and construction should begin in early 2012. Once completed, CVEC’s Round I PV initiative, totaling 16MW, will provide a national example of a regional renewable energy initiative able to bring tremendous end benefits both in electricity price stabilization and carbon reduction.
Round II:
On September 21, 2011 CVEC released a “Request for Proposals” (RFP) to further expand the Cape and Martha’s Vineyard Renewable Energy portfolio through the addition of a possible 30 MW of photovoltaics. Approximately 60 Cape & Martha’s Vineyard municipal buildings were included in Round II. Also, in keeping with a policy paper issued by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection in 2011, properties in various Water Districts from Sandwich to Provincetown are in review for possible installation.
