Early next week, crews will begin installing solar panels on the roof of the Library!

As reported in April in the Chelmsford Independent, the Town chose to install solar panels on the Library not only to save money, but also to help inform the public on the benefits of solar energy. The article quoted Chelmsford Director of Public Facilities Gary Persichetti saying,

“We decided to go with the library because [panels] will also be a teaching tool. People will go there and look at them. It’s also the perfect building because the library is currently doing seminars on energy conservation.”

And thanks to grants and rebates from National Grid, state and federal sources, the cost for the Town is exceptionally low. Usually, solar panels take at least 5 years to pay for themselves. However, the Library’s 47 solar panels will start providing a cost savings during the very first year.

Installation is scheduled to being on October 13th, and expected to last a few weeks (depending on weather). The panels themselves are designed to last 30 years, but the Library is getting started right away with educational programming. The Clean and Green program series continues on November 7th with a Home Energy Savings Seminar, and more events will follow.

After the solar panels are installed, the Library will have a public kiosk with energy-related information, featuring real-time information on how the solar panels are doing. The display will indicate how much energy the panels are producing, the temperature on the roof, and other statistics.

For more information on the solar panels or energy conservation, please contact the Library’s Reference Desk at askus@mvlc.org or 978-256-5521 x211.

UPDATE 1/10/09: Check out photos and specifications of our system at https://www.chelmsfordlibrary.org/library_info/solar.html