Fire department goes solar

BRANFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- When the hot sun beats down on us, we complain about it, but nobody complains about it beating down on the roof of the Branford Fire Department. Not since they switched on a 27,000 watt solar power system Thursday morning.

"So I'll turn the system on now, and you'll see right away the inverters will start producing power," said Chief Jack Ahern, Branford Fire Dept.

The new $12.5 million firehouse just opened last month, but the big new building almost didn't get its solar panels.

"The system was actually, at the beginning of the project, value engineered out because of cost," said Chief Ahern. "We were fortunate and saved money when we were building the new facility, enough so that we were able to put the solar panels back on the building."

With the panels and other green systems, the firehouse will now operate using virtually no fossil fuels.

"In addition to helping the environment this is also designed to help the taxpayers of Branford by saving them money," said Chris Lenda, Aegis Solar Energy. "On a sunny day like this, they could actually produce more electricity with these solar panels than they actually use."

Spinning the dial back on the electricity meter.

You can actually follow the energy production for yourself on the website of the solar company, Aegis. They say solar has never been cheaper.

"We are approaching, at this point in time, what we call grid parity, where the cost to install solar would be on par with any other generation," Lenda said.

He says the cost to install solar panels dropped in half in the past few years. So anytime you feel like complaining about the hot sun, just think of all the money you could be saving.