Interested in knowing just how well Cohasset�s PV solar array has been working? Residents now have more information available to them than ever before about the impact the array has on the town�s power supply.

Residents can check up on just how much energy is being collected by the solar array by visiting the �Solar Edge� dashboard, which gives day-to-day updates about how much energy is being produced by the array and other key statistics. A link to the site is located on the on the Alternative Energy Committee page on the town website.

Thanks to Alternative Energy Committee member Bill Fusco, a monthly �dashboard� is now available online as well. The dashboard displays a number of different statistics outlining the energy being produced by the array on a month-to-month basis.

From Sept. 2017 when the array first opened to Dec. 2018 when the most recent data was collected, the solar array has produced roughly 741,000 kilowatt hours of energy. Since then, the town has saved roughly $73,500 in electricity costs.

The array produced 32,000 kWh in December alone; saving the town $3,588 in energy costs the process.

The town has saved about $4,594 a month, or $153 per day, since operations at the array first began.

The dashboard also measures the amount of carbon dioxide the array has prevented from being released into the atmosphere. Since measurements began, the array has saved the town from releasing roughly 645,000-pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The amount of carbon dioxide offset by the array is equal to a car driving 17,000 miles.

Energy collection tends to trend upward in late spring and into the summer months, where the region typically experiences the most daylight during the year. AEC chairman Stephen Girardi said the months of March, April, and May typically see the most energy production, although the months of June, July, and August tend to see high numbers as well.

It took nearly five years before the town was able to open its first solar array, which has helped the town save money and produce cleaner energy. Once completed, town officials said they expected the 1,500-panel solar array to generate 735,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, saving the town $40,000. (The array cost $1.7 million to build.)

Fusco said it has been �pretty amazing� to see what the array has been able to accomplish so far.

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