Meadow Ridge, a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Redding, Connecticut, recently powered a 763 kW solar project. It is the long-term vision of Meadow Ridge’s resident-led Solar Committee and broke ground in August with the support of Senior Care Development and Benchmark Senior Living, the community’s ownership and management company.
“This is an exciting day on many levels,” said Meadow Ridge Chief Operating Officer Brett Mehlman. “We can all feel good about making this investment in the future of our community and our planet, while realizing immediate benefits. By 2025, we expect that more than 20% of the power we use in Meadow Ridge will be generated by solar energy.”
At a ceremony attended by state and local dignitaries, Mehlman and resident Susan Auslander symbolically energized the project by flipping a giant switch. Two of the project’s three solar panels are located atop carports above employee parking spaces. The third is on the roof of Ridge Crest, Meadow Ridge’s subacute rehabilitation and nursing center.
“I am so proud that we are leading by example at Meadow Ridge,” said Auslander, who has been called the “Green Grandma” for her work leading the Solar Committee and her advocacy for the project. “It took both a shared vision and courage from the residents, ownership and management of Meadow Ridge to bring this project to life. I would also like to thank all the partners who helped make this possible.”
The project was designed and built by the West Hartford company Verogy and funded through a combination of zero-emission renewable energy credits (ZRECS) through Eversource, investment tax credits and a commercial real estate assessed clean energy loan (CPACE) from the Connecticut Green Bank.
“It was a pleasure to work with the Meadow Ridge community to bring this solar project to life,” said William Herchel, CEO of Verogy. “This system not only reflects Meadow Ridge’s commitment to sustainability, but also highlights what can be accomplished when committed individuals come together with a shared purpose. At Verogy, we are honored to play a role in helping Meadow Ridge residents reduce their carbon footprint while inspiring others to embrace clean energy.”
News item from Verogy
