Newtown Municipal Center got a lot greener over the week as installation of new solar panels began.

This is part of a four-bid series with Head O’Meadow, waste water treatment plant, Newtown Police Department, and Newtown Municipal Center according to town project/facilities manager Sean Heslin. This project, as well as the three other locations and soon the high school as well, are part of Newtown’s goal to offset 100% of the public spaces for electrical, which Heslin said is “astounding.” He added that other towns are “barely making a dent on their offset, and Newtown it’s almost at 100%.” Heslin said that the energy may not be used by these buildings, but it will go back into the grid to support the infrastructure of the surrounding community.

Fred Hurley, director of Public Works, explained that this project is being done as an “equivalent to a power purchase agreement.” Hurley said, “It’s a 200-kilowatt system. It’s going to provide about 260,000-280,000 kilowatt hours of power during the year. It will generate about $25,000 + net to the town. It may exceed $25,000.” Hurley stressed that despite federal cutbacks, Newtown is continuing its renewable efforts and there are still worthwhile renewable energy projects around town, alluding to the Batchelder site at 44-46 Swamp Road.