Concord’s Select Board approved a rooftop solar policy Monday, Oct. 5, requiring panels to be incorporated into eligible new town and K-8 school buildings.
The measure supports Concord’s goal of reaching 20 megawatts of solar capacity on municipal land by 2030. It comes as construction advances at the former Walden Street landfill while a separate rooftop installation at Concord Middle School remains awaiting approval.
Select Board member Dean Banfield presented the policy, The Concord Bridge reported. Banfield previously chaired the town’s Solar Implementation Task Force and secured nearly unanimous Town Meeting support this spring for a resolution calling for the requirement.
His original bylaw proposal became a policy resolution before the Town Meeting vote. The Town Meeting proposal called for solar to be included in the design and construction of electrified public buildings capable of supporting at least 7.5 kilowatts of capacity.
The adopted policy excludes certain small buildings and allows the Select Board to grant additional exceptions. Possible future public safety and public works facilities could fall under the requirement.
Landfill array expected online in January
At the former town landfill, crews have removed the original solar panels and are installing a larger system. Town Manager Kerry Lafleur told The Bridge the replacement panels should be ready by the end of January 2027.
A May town planner’s report describes an approximately 4.8-megawatt array, along with 20 megawatt-hours of battery storage housed in four containers. The Bridge reported a slightly lower solar estimate of roughly 4.5 megawatts.
Either figure would more than double the original installation’s capacity. According to Kearsarge Energy, the previous 1.7-megawatt DC system began operating in April 2014.
The batteries will store electricity generated during the day for release when needed.
Middle school agreement remains under review
The School Committee discussed rooftop solar for the Ellen Garrison Building at Concord Middle School on Wednesday, Oct. 7, but took no vote.
The building opened in February 2025 without panels. Although designed to accommodate solar, the installation was separate from the main construction project.
The district is reviewing a proposed 20-year agreement with Solect Energy Development LLC to install, own and operate the panels. Questions include protection of the roof warranty, maintenance obligations and what would happen if the company ceased operating.
The district was not awarded a $1.4 million state grant sought for the project. A proposed private-development arrangement would allow the installation to proceed without upfront construction costs to the schools, with Concord Municipal Light Plant purchasing the electricity.
Superintendent Laurie Hunter told The Bridge through a spokesperson that the district remains committed to installing the panels and is working to finalize an agreement.
Banfield has warned that delays could put Concord’s 2030 solar goal out of reach. He has also identified aging equipment at the former W.R. Grace Superfund site near the Acton border as another installation needing attention.
