To the Editor:
On July 12, the 3 kW, the solar system installed on the West Hartford Town Hall concluded six years of operation. It produced about 23,000 kWh to date, or about 0.44 kW, enough to keep four 100 W and one 40 W light bulbs lit.
The web site (http://view2.fatspaniel.net/CCEF/townhall/index.html) lists the saving to be $3,450. Annually, this amounts to $400 at 10 cents/kWh.
Any such amount isn’t detectable on the $3.5 million bill for electricity the town pays yearly.
Judging by similar plants in the sunnier West, the installed cost is above $60 per kW, or $26,000. In the plant’s 20-year life, the town will “save” $8,000, and waste a staggering $18,000 (plus interest).
Some argue that even the tiny output is desirable, since the systems are paid for from the clean/renewable energy funds, thus “free” to towns. But somebody had to pay for this energy folly, and it was all of us — in higher electricity rates and in state and federal taxes that nourish the various funds. Of particular concern is the fact that while Connecticut is cutting in essential services, personnel are hired to promote and oversee these wasteful programs.
Stan Jakuba West Hartford
