SolarFlair Energy, Inc. teamed up with Forrestall Enterprises, Inc. to build this 240 KW Solar
Farm in Westborough, MA. Over a three month period they transformed an under-utilized lot of land into
a renewable energy generation plant. The system is connected to the utility grid and will convert the
natural energy of the sun to clean reliable electricity. The energy generated will be applied to company
owner Bruce Forrestall’s utility accounts for the businesses and residential developments he owns in the
area. This is an innovative way for commercial businesses to lower their operating costs, help reduce our
dependency on fossil fuel, and educate the community about the current and future opportunities for clean
energy technology.
This project has an estimated return on equity of 16.5%. Forrestall Enterprises will benefit from
the ARRA Federal Stimulus 1603 Treasury Grant and the Massachusetts Solar Renewable Energy
Certificate (SREC) program. The 1603 Grant will cover 30% of the project cost and will be paid within
60 days of project completion. In addition, for each KWh produced by the PV system, Forrestall will earn
a Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC) which can be sold to electric utilities needing to meet state
renewable energy mandates. Over the next 10 years the SREC market projects to add between 30 cents
and 60 cents to the value of each KWh of electricity produced by solar, dramatically reducing payback
periods and improving the return on investment for solar system owners. The system will generate over
$5,000,000 in savings and revenue over its 30 year expected life.
This is the second solar project for Forrestall Enterprises. In 2008 they constructed a 20KW
system on the roof of their car wash and detailing business on Route 9 in Westborough. According to
SolarFlair President, Matt Arner “We are excited to see more Massachusetts property owners who are
motivated to generate clean, renewable energy as part of the expanding green economy. Solar projects
like this are generating employment opportunities for our State in a sustainable manner.”
The installation was designed and installed by SolarFlair Energy, Inc. of Framingham, MA. It
includes 856 Suntech STP-280 solar panels and one SGI 266 inverter manufactured by Massachusetts
based Solectria Renewables. The products provided are among the most efficient and aesthetically
pleasing in the industry. The solar system will produce 8.28 million kilowatt hours (KWh) displacing 7.5
million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. This much clean energy is equivalent to powering 45 typical
homes for 30 years or driving 400,000 miles in an SUV.
The system includes a state of the art web-based monitoring system that provides a graphic
interface to historical and real-time solar energy production data. Monitoring allows for greater visibility
of the energy production and the information is utilized for both operational and educational purposes.
