milford green
Sold on Solar
C
oncerns about the environmental impact and cost of fossil fuels have led many in our community to embrace renewable, clean energy. Drive around Milford and you will see more and more homes, businesses, and organizations installing and using solar panels to generate electricity. These panels contain photovoltaic cells that “convert light energy to electricity,” according to the website Gosolarct.com. When sunlight hits these cells, an electrical current is created and that electricity is used to power the house or building, and, in most cases, the excess electricity is transmitted back into the grid. One of the most recent
(Above) The Milford Bank solar arrays capture
large arrays to be installed
energy for their buildings; (Below) The Viscount Dr.
in the city is on the Milford
array is the largest ground-based array in Milford.
Bank property on Depot Street. Tyler Haskell, Milford
Demaio Drive property, and a ground-mounted
Bank security & facilities
array generating 95,000 kwh per year is located
manager, is enthusiastic
at 100 Viscount Drive. “The Viscount Drive
about the system, which he
array is the largest ground-based one in town,”
designed. The system went
stated Vasiliou. “We are one of the few housing
live in March 2020. “There
authorities with such large installations.”
are actually two arrays
The Demaio Drive and Viscount Drive arrays
there, one on the roof of
were designed and installed by MSL group,
the bank’s 9 Depot Street
led by Michael Likamele. MSL group builds
building and the carport
and manages renewable energy solutions in
in the parking lot between
Connecticut and continues to maintain the
Depot and High Streets,”
MRHP arrays. Likamele and Vasiliou explained
said Haskell. “We decided
that a large part of the cost-savings is that MRHP
to install them as a way to
has contracted with MSL group for a 20-year
save money—we get credit
electric rate stabilization, below market cost, for
for the electricity we produce—but also as way to
electric vehicle charging stations for Milford
go green and reduce our carbon footprint.”
Bank employees and visitors.
The attractive design of the carport solar
Milford Redevelopment and Housing
power to the properties’ common areas. A few years ago, Milford Public Schools (MPS) and the Board of Education embarked on a
array stands out in the downtown area. Located
Partnership (MRHP) executive director Anthony
“Reduce, Recycle, Reuse” initiative to reduce the
in a historic district, a great deal of creativity
Vasiliou shared that the MRHP also has a
school system’s carbon footprint, become greener,
went into the planning. According to Haskell,
commitment to reducing costs and its carbon
and save money for the city. A large part of this
“We worked closely with the city to develop
footprint and has installed photovoltaic panels on
program has been installing solar arrays on the
the appearance of the array to conform to the
two of its properties. A rooftop array generating
roofs of all the city’s schools to generate electricity.
required aesthetics.” The array also includes two
110,000 kwh per year is in operation on the 75
A 2019 YouTube video from MPS features
14 Milford Living • Spring
