MAPC Selects Regional Solar Developer

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) recently announced the selection of Broadway Electrical Company, Inc. as the regional solar developer for 17 communities, including Melrose, in Greater Boston, according to a press statement.

The municipalities are eligible to enter into solar energy management services with Broadway to guarantee they receive low-cost solar energy for up to 20 years without needing to own and maintain solar photovoltaic systems of their own, according to the statement.

According to the statement, the participating municipalities include Belmont, Beverly, Boxborough, Brookline, Chelsea, Hudson, Lincoln, Marlborough, Medford, Medway, Melrose, Reading, Sherborn, Wayland, Weston, Weymouth and Winthrop. 

“We are very excited to announce the selection of Broadway as our regional solar partner,” said Helen Aki, MAPC clean energy program coordinator, in the statement. “These cities and towns stand to achieve serious savings on energy costs by working in collaboration through this program, and we look forward to helping our member municipalities to develop solar projects and generate local renewable energy.”

“We are honored that Broadway Electrical has been selected by MAPC and the 17 participating cities and towns for this very important and innovative project,” said Jonathan Wienslaw, president of Broadway Electrical Co. Inc., in the statement. “The commitment from these municipalities to incorporate solar photovoltaic energy into their electrical supply as a renewable energy source will be paying environmental and financial dividends for years to come. Not only do the solar projects provide great learning opportunities for students, they also open the door for other energy projects to develop within the overall community.”

Representatives from participating cities and towns reviewed responses and held in-person interviews before unanimously deciding on Broadway as their first choice for the regional solar provider, reads the statement. MAPC assisted with the selection process, as did consulting firm Cadmus Group, according to the statement.

Solar energy management agreements are long-term service agreements that the developer designs, finances, installs, owns, maintains and eventually removes a PV system, according to the statement. The community agrees to host the system in a publically-owned space and purchase the renewable electricity generated by the system, reads the statement.

The MAPC Regional Solar acquisition was made possible with support from the 2012 District Local Technical Assistance (DLTA) program, which are state funds distributed among the 13 Regional Planning Agencies (RPAs) in Massachusetts to provide technical assistance to cities and towns on regional collaboration, economic development, zoning, and protecting the environment, according to the statement. The Barr Foundation also provides support for MAPC’s clean energy work, adds the statement.