Norfolk comes up a winner in the clean energy campaign

By Veronica Burns

The campaign to get Norfolk households to sign up for the clean energy option offered through Connecticut Light and Power (CL&P) has paid off.  By reaching the ten percent goal in signups, Norfolk has just been declared a Clean Energy Community. The town has earned a Leadership Award from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF), which recognizes Norfolk as the first Connecticut municipality with ten percent of its households registered in the Clean Energy Options program. First Selectman Sue Dyer applauds the Energy Task Force (ETF). “All credit for this goes to them,” she says. “They did a great job.”  Bob Wall, a CCEF Director of Energy Market Initiatives agrees. “We should do a case study of the little town that could,” he says, “it is amazing what Norfolk has achieved.”

The prize for this achievement is a 1-kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) solar panel that the town can place on any municipal building and the value of which is $10,000.  In addition, because of the Leadership Award, the town will receive a bonus 4-kilowatt solar PV system, making available a total of 5-kilowatts that can be installed. “As the first municipality with a ten percent penetration rate,” said CCEF president, Lise Dondy, “Norfolk is demonstrating that clean energy works for the smallest towns as well as the largest cities.”

Last August, on the recommendation of the Economic Development Commission, the town of Norfolk made a commitment to promote clean energy by joining the “20 percent by 2010” campaign, sponsored by the CCEF and Smart Power. The town appointed a task force to get things underway. Residents could sign up to support clean, renewable energy through the Clean Energy Options program from one of two suppliers, Community Energy or Sterling Planet.

The response of residents was a positive one. “People were really interested in the project,” says Mary Fanette, chairman of the ETF. “They seemed eager to play their part and I thank them for it. They signed up even though it meant an increase in their electricity bill. Some people signed up several different accounts. I am thrilled that the town has achieved this milestone, and it places us well on our way towards the next ten percent.”

Once the panels are installed and operating, they will reduce the amount of electricity that the town is pulling from the grid. This reduction will count towards fulfilling the town’s 20 percent pledge. Besides the renewable energy option program, the CCEF offers grant money to towns to promote energy awareness. The ETF has just dispensed its first grant to Botelle School.  Students there are working on an energy project that will culminate in an art exhibit at the Norfolk Library in April.

The signup program will continue.  Bob Wall points out that other towns, including Salisbury, have joined in the campaign as a result of Norfolk’s success. The more people sign up, the more kilowatts the town can receive. The ETF are offering free compact fluorescent light bulbs as an incentive, and are planning a Lighting Sale to be held at the Town Hall on March 28 from 10 to 5 p.m.  In the meantime, stay tuned for word on the ribbon-cutting ceremony when the panel arrives.