The Old Sturbridge Village (OSV), the largest outdoor history museum in the Northeast, epitomizes a rural New England town from the 1830s. Guests are invited into over 40 original buildings, including homes, meeting houses, a district school, a country store, a bank, a working farm, three water-powered mills, and trade shops across over 200 scenic acres.

Challenge

OSV’s objectives were manifold: deploy solar energy to reduce energy expenses, ensure predictable energy costs, receive a hedge against rising energy prices, and finally, assume a leadership role in promoting environmental sustainability.

Solution

OSV was able to install its solar array with no up-front costs thanks to Green Street and Solect’s solar programs. According to the program, Solect Energy installed and assumed the responsibility to service the solar array, while Green Street agreed to own and operate the array. OSV receives the power generated at a fixed rate for 20 years under this Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

Results

A 75% reduction in electricity costs

The system is estimated to produce 2,238,878 kilowatt hours (kWh) annually – enough power to offset nearly 75% of the museum’s annual energy needs. The amount of electricity produced annually by the array is enough to charge 440,640,000 smartphones or take 351 cars off the road each year.