Montville Town Council agrees to solar procurement services
Montville — The Town Council authorized Mayor Ron McDaniel in their meeting Monday night to enter an agreement with TitanGen for procurement services on a potential solar project at the town's transfer station.
TitanGen offers consultation services to the town through its partnership with the Connecticut Council of Municipalities. Headquartered in Hartford, parent company Titan Energy is an independent energy consulting firm with a nationwide presence and over 20 years of energy-centric experience.
The company has had a role in the development of similar projects in two dozen other towns throughout Connecticut.
In an agreement with Montville, TitanGen would act as the bid administrator for the solar landfill project, selecting a solar company to build, own and operate the array on the capped landfill at no cost to the town.
A "capped landfill" has a protective barrier between the waste in the landfill and the surrounding area. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, there has been a nearly 80% increase in landfill solar projects built in the United States. Placing solar panels on a capped landfill is a way to repurpose the land, generate renewable energy and it proves beneficial to participating towns.
McDaniel said there is no circumstance under which the town would be liable to pay TitanGen any management or consulting fees. In its informational documents to the town, TitanGen says it is only paid for a successful project delivery, and by the chosen developer, not the customer.
The town also would receive either revenue or energy credits from the array's energy production.
"Connecticut energy legislation allows for virtual net metering for municipalities, meaning that the facilities that would use the power from the solar project need not be directly connected to the project," McDaniel said. "Rather, the power goes to the grid and the credits accrue to the town and then are used at up to five town facilities."
The potential development would be on 1.7 acres at the transfer station. Review bid results would have to get approved by the Town Council and mayor.
If everything goes according to TitanGen's suggested timeline, the project potentially could be completed in 2023.
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