On Thursday Oyster Harbors Marine celebrated the completion and formal ribbon cutting of the largest solar panel system on Cape Cod... The panels will generate approximately 30% of the marina's electricity needs.

Sunny days ahead for Osterville Marina
By Doug Fraser
dfraser@capecodonline.com
August 14, 2009 2:00 AM

OSTERVILLE — The largest solar power grid on Cape Cod blankets the south-facing roof of a new 20,000-square-foot building at Oyster Harbors Marine with 276 photovoltaic panels. With federal and state rebates, the project is expected to pay for itself within five years and enjoy 20 to 25 more years of "free" electricity.

To marina president Ron Silvia, installing solar power wasn't just a good business decision. It was also a statement to other Cape business owners that with a new administration in Washington and support from the state, renewable energy could be an important part of their business plan.

"What is exciting is that the future is here on Cape Cod," U.S. Rep. William Delahunt, D-Mass., said before a celebration yesterday marking the project completion. Delahunt said the Oyster Harbors project was symbolic of how business owners on the Cape and elsewhere were incorporating alternative energy into their business models because they could see it was the right thing to do in the face of rising energy costs, global warming and national security, by easing dependence on foreign oil.

Delahunt said he believed the move toward green technology, aided by federal and state money, would create jobs, as President Barack Obama has consistently said.

"We're excited about this, and it's not only about the money. It's where everything is going in construction," Silvia said.

Silvia also owns a construction company that has built "green" homes on the Cape that incorporate renewable energy, along with environmentally friendly and recycled building products.

Scott McClintock, director of sales for Nexamp, the North Andover company that installed the panels, said Nexamp was founded four years ago with two employees at startup. It now employs 30, and has continued to hire through the worst of the current recession.

"Our fear is that we won't be able to find people with green energy expertise," McClintock said yesterday.

But Adam Prince, principal at ZeroEnergy Design of Charlestown and Brooklyn, N.Y., said federal money to train workers is available. Prince's company designs homes that incorporate energy conservation and renewable energy.

Nearly half of the Oyster Harbors project's $400,000 price tag was paid for by a $192,150 grant from Commonwealth Solar, the agency created by Gov. Deval Patrick in 2008 to promote and fund solar power for businesses, nonprofit agencies and residences.

With a 30 percent federal tax credit and other incentives, Silvia expects his company will ultimately be spending just $120,000 for the new 58-kilowatt solar power system. It is expected to produce enough electricity to account for 30 to 40 percent of the marina's electrical use.

Oyster Harbors spends $40,000 to $50,000 annually on electricity, and Silvia expects that with as much as $16,000 in energy savings, along with additional federal and state green energy credits, the photovoltaic array will have paid for itself in less than five years.

Since 2008, Commonwealth Solar has awarded $34.7 million to 859 photovoltaic projects, of which 545 have been completed. The recipients include 687 residential installations, 22 public or municipal, and 150 businesses or nonprofits.

The money for these rebates comes from a portion of the state's Renewable Energy Trust Fund. The average electric utility customer pays 36 cents a month to support this fund.

Lisa Capone, spokesperson for the state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, said her agency has noticed the growth of the solar power industry in Massachusetts.

In January 2008, there were 50 companies installing photovoltaic panels, she said. Now there are 200.

Capone said the state has set a goal of generating 250 megawatts of solar electricity by 2017. Commonwealth Solar estimates that 11.4 megawatts generated through its program through the end of last month.

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Oyster Harbor's Marine 50+ year old main building housed sales and administrative office on the water side and service on the upland side. Last autumn, Oyster Harbor's Marine made the decision to demolish the service side of the building and modernize the rest. When completed the original building will house a new carpenter's shop, employee break area, conference room and administrative offices. The front of the building will be all new and will be home to the award winning service department. With state of the art equipment and an area spacious enough to drive in the Travelift and Forklift, the service department will be able to work on even the largest boats during the winter months. In the meantime, the service shop remains open in a temporary area on the facility. Oyster Harbors Marine plans to have the steel-framed building in place (though not complete) in time for winter. Along with other changes, the receiving department will have a new entrance and more room to store parts. The parts department will have three floors to efficiently accomodate our customers' needs. In addition, Oyster Harbors Marine will have more space dedicated to new and pre-owned boats.