One of the goals of the Sippican Community Solar Garden® effort is to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels in our region. Petroleum, coal, and natural gas are all imported to Southeastern Massachusetts and they all represent a significant economic drain to our local economy.
Every kilowatt hour of electricity the Sippican Community Solar Garden® project will generate represents another step in the departure from fossil fuels. Imagine a future where: our cars are powered by electricity; our homes and businesses are lighted, heated and cooled entirely by electricity; and all that electricity is sourced from solar energy. It’s not that far away. Some of us are almost there, and we’re living normally in modern society.
Currently, about 50% of the electricity we in Southeastern Massachusetts consume is generated from natural gas. This relatively recent build-out of natural gas fired facilities and the corresponding dependence on that infrastructure has directly caused the recent spike in electrical rates. Further investment in natural gas as a means to fuel our homes and businesses will only serve to continue this trend in increasing the cost of retail electricity.
Might the Sippican Community Solar Garden® principles and goals be seen as a threat to those who make a living or are otherwise tied to fossil fuel sources of energy? Perhaps. But change can sometimes be a disturbance to some, even when it is a benefit to all.
For additional info on this exciting development for Southeastern Massachusetts click the following links:
Who can join the Sippican Community Solar Garden® Cooperative?
