Five Things You Need to Know Today

Will Solar Panels Be Installed at Two Melrose Schools?

A look at what is happening in Melrose Monday, March 18.

Here is the Melrose Patch 5 Things column for Monday, March 18:  1. Solar panel proposal: Mayor Rob Dolan will be seeking the Melrose Board of Aldermen's approval to execute a power purchase agreement for the installation of solar voltaic panels on the roofs of the Veterans Memorial Middle and High Schools during the board's meeting at 7:45 p.m. Monday at City Hall in the Aldermanic Chamber, according to the city website. 2. Cloudy day: It is expected to be increasingly cloudy Monday, with temperatures peaking around 35 and lows in the upper 20s, according to the National Weather Service's forecast for Melrose. Snow is expected overnight. 3. Historical Commission session: The Melrose Historical Commission is slated to meet at 7 p.m. Monday…

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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.

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 …

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LETTER: Solarize Massachusetts a 'Resounding Success'

The following is a Letter to the Editor submitted by Alicia Barton McDevitt, CEO and executive director of Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.

[Editor's note: The following is a Letter to the Editor submitted by Alicia Barton McDevitt, CEO and executive director of Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.] To the Editor: Thanks to the people of Melrose, Solarize Massachusetts was a resounding success this year. The group purchasing program, which helps to make solar more affordable, is a joint venture of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources launched in 17 communities across the state this year. The program generated 803 solar contracts signed statewide representing 5.1 megawatts of clean, renewable energy. In Melrose, residents and businesses have contracted 425.6 kilowatts of new solar, saving hundreds of dollars annually on their …

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Melrose Businesses, Residents Qualify For Lower Solar Energy Rates

Melrosians have until Sept. 30 to participate in the bulk buying program, which would secure further price reductions as more participants sign up, according to the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC).

Melrose businesses and residents qualify for lower solar energy rates than rates for traditional sources of energy under the Solarize Massachusetts Program (Solarize Mass), announced Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) CEO Alicia Barton McDevitt in a press statement. The average Melrose participant who enters into a bulk buying systems contract to buy solar electricity will pay an average of 11 cents per kilowatt hour compared to the average statewide price of 15 cents per kilowatt hour for traditional energy sources, which are a mix of coal-fired, nuclear or natural gas generation, according to the statement. "Consumers are getting solar panels for the roofs of their homes or businesses through the program. There are two ways to (…

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