Solar Panels On Town Building
The Nov 28 2008 voted funds for a photovoltaic panel on a town building.
Municipal Wind Turbine
The town is exploring the feasibility of a municipal wind turbine at the landfill. The town and the MTC are
planning to put up a MET tower, which will collect data for twelve months. Tower construction is awaiting
a building permit from the town.
The Town of Dennis has voted in the Nov 28 2008 town meeting to join the
Cape & Vineyard Electrical Cooperative.
The town's website is available here.
Dennis has a Alternative Energy Advisory Committee.
Members
|
Alternative Energy Advisory Committee |
|
Thomas DiMauro |
Member |
3/31/2009
|
3-Year |
|
Richard Halvorsen
|
Member
|
3/31/2010 |
3-Year |
|
Denise Atwood |
Chair |
03/31/2009 |
1-Year |
|
James Demetras
|
Member
|
3/31/2011
|
3-Year |
|
Raymond Hall
|
Member |
3/31/2010 |
3-Year |
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NStar provides power delivery services to all Dennis electricity consumers. The table and charts below depict electricity
consumption in (in kWh) in Dennis from 2003 to 2007 and show the types of usage. The information is provided
courtesy of NSTAR.
|
Year |
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
2007
|
|
Residential |
74,033,199 |
73,487,073 |
74,956,537 |
70,532,269 |
72,641,939
|
|
Commercial / Industrial |
59,696,916 |
54,452,005 |
62,829,578 |
62,301,010 |
52,445,375
|
|
Street Lighting |
694,438 |
667,210 |
666,654 |
671,010 |
685,637
|
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The Cape Light Compact (CLC) tracks information on all its energy efficiency programs on a town-by-town basis. For Dennis,
the Cape Light Compact efficiency report shows an annual
kWh savings of 494,001 kWh in 2008 as a result of the various CLC energy efficiency programs.
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The production data below is based on information from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) collected in support
of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). RECs are tradable environmental commodities in the United States and represent proof
that a specified amount of electricity was generated from an eligible renewable energy resource. Photovoltaic and wind energy
producers that do not participate in the RECs program are not represented in the data. The information is valid as of
the end of 2007. The charts below show a growing amount of photovoltaic energy being produced within Dennis from an increasing
number of sites.
The charts below show a growing amount of photovoltaic energy being produced within Orleans from an increasing number of sites.
For an example of a Dennis Port residence that installed a PV system, click
here. Data courtesy
of MTC Renewable Energy Trust.
Click here to review photovoltaic energy production for all towns on the Cape &
Islands.
As part of the Cape Light Compact's "Solarize our Schools!" campaign, a 2kW solar photovoltaic (PV) systems was installed at the Wixon
Middle School. The solar panel at the school shows the daily, weekly, and monthly
solar panel performance.
Solar Power on Town Buildings
The town is working to place solar panels on a town building. The town meeting in the Fall of 2008 voted funds for a photovoltaic
panel. The appropriation was $98,000 of which $60,000 is expected to be reimbursed from a grant by the MTC. The new police
station is one of the sites being considered.
Windmill Village Photovoltaic Arrays
|
A pair of 9.180 KWdc, 8.262
KWac photovoltaic arrays, installed
at the Windmill Village site, is shown at the right (image courtesy of the Renewable Energy Trust of the Massachusetts
Technology Cooperative). Commissioned in Sept 2007, the daily output of these installations are available
here and
here. |
 |
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At the end of 2007, Orleans had no net metered wind energy production, although two systems installed at the end of 2007 at
Windmill Village in West Dennis, with a combined 18 kWdc capacity, are expected to produce energy in 2008
and onward.
Municipal Wind Turbines
In the fall of 2007 the town adopted a wind energy bylaw. The Transfer Station area was been identified as a good site for
the Dennis Wind Power Overlay Zoning District. The town applied to the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative for assistance
in providing a preliminary survey of potential wind project sites. In March 2008, the survey concluded that the Dennis DPW
site has a low wind resource and is likely to result in a marginally economic project, although the new net-metering law in
Massachusetts might improve the economics of the project.
Other issues that needed further study are the proximity to a communications tower, an aeronautical study to determine
the impact on flight navigation and radar systems and to identify possible mitigation strategies.
The report concluded: "Given the low expected capacity factor and high expected installed cost of community-scale projects,
a wind power project at the DPW does not appear to offer sufficiently strong economic benefits to warrant
the investment in a wind monitoring program and a detailed feasibility study at this time. If net-metering laws in Massachusetts
change, if the facility electric load increases, and if turbine prices soften, then a wind power project at the DPW could
be revisited. At that time, aeronautical, communications interference, and preliminary noise studies should be conducted
to determine if further analysis is warranted."
The town is now considering the landfill site, and plans to construct a MET tower at that location.
Aquacultural Research Corporation (ARC)
In May 2008, the Aquacultural Research Corporation (ARC) received an MTC grant to investigate the potential of installing
a utility scale wind turbine (approximately 100 to 250 kW). The turbine will help offset its large electricity demand
and rising energy costs and will provide environmental benefit. ARC is a shellfish cultivator and wholesaler. At the facility
ARC grows clams and oysters from seed with a relatively intense process of heating, lighting and circulation. ARC also
grows its own algae to feed to the growing shellfish. The ARC site consists of 39.7 acres situated adjacent to Cape Cod
Bay. To the north and northwest of the site is shoreline, all of which is public beach. To the west of the site is the
mouth of the Chase Garden Creek which also flows along the southern border of the property. To the east is public beach.
In December 2008 ARC received a design
and construction grant of $400K from the Renewable Energy Trust for a utility scale wind turbine of approximately 600
kW.
Biomass
Ring Bros. Marketplace
Ring Bros. Marketplace, a specialty grocer in Dennis, plans to install a system that turns food waste into electricity
in order to gain control over energy costs . Electricity accounts for about 15 to 20 percent of the store's costs, said
Patrick Ring, the manager and buyer.
The system, which will cost about $280,000, including $195,000 in
grants from the Renewable Energy
Trust, composts spoiled produce, meat, and other organic material to produce methane gas. The gas fuels a turbine,
which, depending on the amount of organic waste available, could generate more electricity than the store needs, Ring said.
"We needed to figure how to cut down on our electrical costs because they're so high," Ring said.
Click here to review wind energy production for all towns on the Cape & Islands.
For an overview of wind energy on the Cape & Islands, click here.
For more information on wind projects in other communities, click here.
For the status of community wind projects in other towns, click here.
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Martha's Vineyard
For information on the energy situation on Martha's Vineyard,
click here
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This page was last updated Saturday February 21, 2009
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