New Britain resident Rick Ciervo contacted me recently, very excited about the solar panels about to be installed on his family's home. Not only are they getting renewable energy that will save them money and help save the environment, but the panels were installed by a local company.
PV-Squared (PV2), the company that Rick and his family hired to install their panels, is a solar-panel installation co-operative company located in downtown New Britain.
And, as part of what they do, I am told, PV2 does some light assembly here in New Britain. This is an important point. This means that New Britain, right now, has, if not a foot, then at least a toe in the door into what could be renewable energy manufacturing.
New Britain has been getting into solar for a little while now. As I have visited people door-to-door in our city, have met residents in various neighborhood who have gotten solar panels on their rooftops. And New Britain High School has solar panels, paid for by the state Clean Energy Fund - which I and other legislators have been working so hard to defend from cuts by Gov. Rell.
But our local economy can really benefit if we get more people converting to renewable energy... and if we build up local industry to make these things.
First, family budgets are helped by lowering electric or heating bills through solar or other renewable energy. Second, we can help re-create New Britain's industry by getting into manufacturing what could be the next big thing.
This is why I introduced legislation to greatly expand what the Clean Energy Fund does to help homeowners and businesses convert to clean energy and to create the new manufacturing, especially in cities like New Britain, to make renewable energy products - like solar panels, for example.
This idea went very far in the legislature this year. Similar legislation moved forward in the form of House Bill 6635, An Act Concerning Solar Energy. I made sure that this legislation was designed to not only help people get solar panels on their homes, but also to promote manufacturing in cities like New Britain to make the solar products themselves.
This legislation could, for example, have helped PV2 to get more customers by being credited for assembly work done in New Britain.
Unfortunately, even though this legislation was unanimously approved in the State House of Representatives, it was not taken up in the State Senate this year. Hopefully, the Senate will approve it next year.
In the meantime, however, it is time for New Britain to take the lead in rebuilding our industry by promoting clean energy in our city.
That is why, as Mayor, I will initiate a program to assist homeowners in converting to clean energy, and to assist local companies in manufacturing these clean energy products right here in New Britain.
With this program, we can create new jobs and get our local economy onto the cutting edge of the future, while we save people who live in our city on their electric and heating bills.
It will be a real win-win for our community:
We can get it done, working together.
PV-Squared (PV2), the company that Rick and his family hired to install their panels, is a solar-panel installation co-operative company located in downtown New Britain.
And, as part of what they do, I am told, PV2 does some light assembly here in New Britain. This is an important point. This means that New Britain, right now, has, if not a foot, then at least a toe in the door into what could be renewable energy manufacturing.
New Britain has been getting into solar for a little while now. As I have visited people door-to-door in our city, have met residents in various neighborhood who have gotten solar panels on their rooftops. And New Britain High School has solar panels, paid for by the state Clean Energy Fund - which I and other legislators have been working so hard to defend from cuts by Gov. Rell.
But our local economy can really benefit if we get more people converting to renewable energy... and if we build up local industry to make these things.
First, family budgets are helped by lowering electric or heating bills through solar or other renewable energy. Second, we can help re-create New Britain's industry by getting into manufacturing what could be the next big thing.
This is why I introduced legislation to greatly expand what the Clean Energy Fund does to help homeowners and businesses convert to clean energy and to create the new manufacturing, especially in cities like New Britain, to make renewable energy products - like solar panels, for example.
This idea went very far in the legislature this year. Similar legislation moved forward in the form of House Bill 6635, An Act Concerning Solar Energy. I made sure that this legislation was designed to not only help people get solar panels on their homes, but also to promote manufacturing in cities like New Britain to make the solar products themselves.
This legislation could, for example, have helped PV2 to get more customers by being credited for assembly work done in New Britain.
Unfortunately, even though this legislation was unanimously approved in the State House of Representatives, it was not taken up in the State Senate this year. Hopefully, the Senate will approve it next year.
In the meantime, however, it is time for New Britain to take the lead in rebuilding our industry by promoting clean energy in our city.
That is why, as Mayor, I will initiate a program to assist homeowners in converting to clean energy, and to assist local companies in manufacturing these clean energy products right here in New Britain.
With this program, we can create new jobs and get our local economy onto the cutting edge of the future, while we save people who live in our city on their electric and heating bills.
It will be a real win-win for our community:
- New jobs
- Building New Britain's industry for the future
- Saving people on their utility bills
- Protecting the environment
We can get it done, working together.
Small wind is also a very viable option and would be a good option for such a local manufacturing / installation program.
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