Hackensack embracing solar power

[Editor]

Hackensack embracing solar power
Saturday, September 11, 2010
The Record

HACKENSACK — Municipal officials are taking steps toward installing solar panels and energy-efficient lighting on city-owned buildings.

"We are excited to be able to do this, especially bringing solar panels," said City Manager Stephen Lo Iacono.

"We might be able to generate extra energy and sell it to some of these third-party energy power companies."

The City Council on Tuesday approved the execution of a contract with Birdsall Services Group to get the program set up.

Lo Iacono said the city received $210,000 in federal grants for green projects. He also said the city wants to determine the best way to spend the funds.

Lo Iacono could not say when installation would begin. He did say, however, that the solar panels and new lighting would be placed in five different buildings. The buildings are City Hall, the Police Department, the Mellone-Marinello recreation building, the Department of Public Works and the Atlantic Street DPW garage.

The energy-efficient lighting could reduce the city's light bills by up to 20 percent, Lo Iacono said.

— Monsy Alvarado

[just watching]

If the city is making major capital improvements to City Hall and the Police Station, does that mean that the plans to create a new city hall between the Essex Street Railroad Station and Green Street are dead ?

[Editor]

As far as I know, the "new city hall" idea is shelved.  As much as we could use a new building, I like the old building.  Terrazzo floors, Corinthian columns, marble stair case with wrought iron and mahogany banister, floral-patterned ceiling relief, glass chandeliers, hardwood wainscoting, large widows, great light, etc.  Nothing we could build today could compare as far as style but I'm sure it would be much more efficient. Solar power on existing buildings partially makes up for that.

[just watching]

That's good, and I agree.  I've always thought that what Hackensack needs is a new police station only, not a new City Hall. If a new police station were built, city hall could expand into the space currently occupied by the Police.  And we'd finally have enough parking for city hall.

In fact, with a city-hall only parking demand, I was thinking that the city could then sell off half the parking lot (the part along Union Street) for new multi-unit development, and build a one-story parking deck (similar to the one at the unemployment office on 60 State Street) for the portion to be accessed from Central Avenue.  That way there would be the same number of parking spots on half of the land.  Maybe the sale of the city-owned land along Union Street would pay for the one-story parking deck, along with the tax revenues that would come in. That would allow some land to return to the tax rolls, provide some upscale residential that is sorely needed in the downtown area, and give some strength to Union Street as a neighborhood.  Really, the city administration should take a look at this, start planning for it now.  Probably in 2 or 3 years the real estate economy will really make sense for it, and the 2 years of planning would have already been done.

Do you what will happen with the property the Zisa administration purchased on Essex and Green Streets.

[Editor]

Some NJ Municipalities Want To Limit Solar Panels
February 6, 2012 9:42 AM
WCBS 880′s Sean Adams On The Story

HACKENSACK, NJ (CBSNewYork) - Solar panels are still too expensive for most homeowners, but as prices drop many towns expect to see a flood residents looking line their rooftops to capture the sun’s energy.
WCBS 880′s Sean Adams
 
Several municipalities are considering regulations.
 
Hackensack is the latest.

City manager Stephen Lo Iacono says one of the main concerns is aesthetics. Nobody wants to live next door to something that resembles a NASA science experiment.
 
Another concern is safety.
 
“We want to be sure that if someone does potentially does install their installation on a residential property, lets say on a roof, that it could withstand the elements, that the home can structurally support the solar installation, that the panel is not going to blow off in the middle of a windstorm or a hurricane,” he told WCBS 880 reporter Sean Adams on Monday.
 
Nothing is set in stone, but rules might prohibit reflective panels in front yards and require shields for those in side yards.
 
Towns started taking note after residents complained about PSE&G’s solar panels on utility poles. Some find them unsightly. Towns are looking to strike a balance between green energy and good taste.
____________________________

Hackensack may restrict solar panels
Monday February 6, 2012, 10:06 AM
BY STEPHANIE AKIN
STAFF WRITER
The Record

HACKENSACK — Solar panels may be environmentally friendly, but officials in some towns are worried they might offend the neighbors.

Hackensack is the latest of several New Jersey municipalities to consider regulations on private solar installations that could prohibit the reflective panels in front yards, mandate shields for those in side yards or require special approval for panels on street-facing roofs.

For now, such rules are mainly speculative: With solar technology still too expensive for most homeowners, most North Jersey installations have been limited to public and commercial buildings, said Matt Weng, the staff attorney at the League of Municipalities, a statewide organization the advises and trains local officials.

But so many officials are betting that the technology will become more commonplace as the panels become cheaper and the economy improves that model solar ordinances are among the most popular requests public officials make with his office, Weng said.

"The biggest concern they would have is solar panels impacting the quality of life of the people around them," he said. "If a house is covered with solar panels, or has solar panels all over the yard, it could affect the aesthetics of the neighborhood."

Hackensack officials are still discussing what regulations they want to enact, but an ordinance could be ready for the first of two required votes as early as Tuesday, City Manager Steve Lo Iacono said.

"There's no intent here to inhibit the growth of solar power or to make it difficult for a homeowner to install solar panels," Lo Iacono said. "More than anything, it's for safety's sake and aesthetics."

Along with regulations geared toward shielding panels from view, the city is also considering laws that would require compliance with city electrical codes and other safety standards — including extra stability so they would not blow off during a storm, Lo Iacono said.

A League of Municipalities sample ordinance, from the township of Mantua, lists five pages of restrictions, including a requirement that rooftop installations follow the slope of the roof and are installed at the rear; a mandate that the panels are made of materials that blend into the surroundings; a restriction of ground installations to the rear of lots that are at least three acres large and a prohibition of tower- or pole-mounted panels. Installations that don't meet the requirements in the ordinance must be presented to the township zoning board for special approval.

Municipal officials are particularly sensitive to potential problems with solar installations after the public outrage in many communities over the solar panels PSE&G installed on utility poles across the state in 2011, Weng said.

Several people complained that those panels — single rectangular shelves mounted on the top third of certain poles — obstructed their views and looked bad along public streets.

"In neighborhoods that have already started to see the infiltration of panels, the residents have been pretty up in arms about them, because they are unsightly," said Sheldon Neal, a Realtor with Re/Max Real Estate Limited in Oradell, a community in which residents voiced particularly strong opposition to the PSE&G panels.

Neal was one of several North Jersey agents who said they would welcome local regulations to ensure that solar panels are tastefully installed — like the one he installed to heat his swimming pool. He put it on a side of his roof that is not visible from the street.

Unfortunately, he said, some homeowners don't take such concerns into account and they end up with a front yard that looks "like a space station."

"Yes, there's going green and all that, but ultimately there still has to be pride in your neighborhood," he said.

Tom Ferraro, president of Solar & More, a Pompton Plains solar energy installation company, said responsible installers already consider aesthetic and safety concerns when they take on a project.

"People are sincerely trying to make this work and fit into the landscapes and the infrastructure of the state," he said.

He added that he would be happy to work within local restrictions as long as municipalities make reasonable requirements, and he offers free training for public officials and firefighters to help them understand the technology before they start to regulate it.

Hackensack Councilwoman Karen Sasso said the city officials had yet to encounter any of the issues that the city's new rules would address.

"Although we haven't seen anything that has been a problem yet, it doesn't mean that in the future we won't," she said. "If we have guidelines in place, hopefully there won't be."

[just watching]

I like the solar panels on the community hall of Mt. Olive Baptist Church, on Central Ave near 2nd Street.  Lots of people drive by there, and it makes a good public statement on the need for alternate energy.

[Editor]

Solar panels heading to Hackensack buildings
Friday, February 1, 2013
BY  JENNIFER VAZQUEZ
NEWS EDITOR
Hackensack Chronicle

Officials approved a resolution that allows for the municipal government to enter into a solar panel contract, thus allowing the city to be a greener municipality.

According to the resolution, approved at the Jan. 8 council meeting, "the city of Hackensack is seeking to place solar panels on various city-owned property."

As per the approved resolution, the city will enter into a contract, with "Mercury Commercial Financial, LLC for the placement of solar panels at various locations" within city limits.

The five properties designated to receive the solar panels will either have "rooftop instillations or instillation in parking areas," Lo Iacono said.

For close to a year, city leaders have tried to bring solar panels to several municipal buildings.

"We received grant monies to pursue solar energy about a year ago," Lo Iacono explained.

The structures that will receive solar panels are the recreation building, also knows as the M & M Building, the Department of Public Works, City Hall, Johnson Public Library and the Building Department.

"This project could save the city $20,000 in savings a year," he said. "It is a way for us to do our part to green the environment."

Though, Lo Iacono the initiative is a step toward making Hackensack more environmentally friendly, as well as save the city a bit of money in energy bills, he also said that the decision to implement the solar panels will alleviate the roof problems that some municipal buildings, receiving the panels, have.

"When we entered the contract with [MCL] they said they would fix the roofs at no cost to the city," he said.

As of now the library, Building Department, and DPW will receive rooftop panels. The recreation building will also receive rooftop panels as well as lot panels, said Lo Iacono. City Hall will receive parking lot panels in the car port.

Lo Iacono said instillation of the solar panels should start by mid to late February and be completed by summertime.

"We will certainly have [the instillation] started by March 1," he said.

Hackensack Mayor Michael Melfi said that he was "pleased the city was taking a step towards bettering the environment" and was even "more pleased" having the city save money on energy bills.

Larry Eisen, a Hackensack resident for the past 45 years, voiced his approval of the project at the meeting, however, he noted a concern that this project could bring, particularly to the Johnson Public Library.

"I am very happy to hear that the city is doing things to become more green," he said. "I just hope that [the solar panels] do not interfere with the integrity of the library. It is the only building we have [in downtown area] that is unique and of any historical and architectural value. I would really hate to degrade the building."

Email: vazquez@northjersey.com

[Homer Jones]

If the library is on any State or Federal Registers, there might be problems installing the panels. Somebody might want to check first. The City just spent a bundle restoring the building to it's historical roots.

[Editor]

I see there is an "opinion of eligibility" from the State Historic Preservation Office dated 7/13/87.  ID#4065. So, the library is not actually on the State or Federal Registers, but likely eligible. See: http://www.nj.gov/dep/hpo/1identify/nrsr_lists/bergen.pdf 

I haven't seen the solar plans, but I'm almost certain that the panels would only be installed on the modern addition of the Library, not the "historic" original structure.

[irons35]

the new section flat roof at the library would get the panels.

[WDB]

I haven't lived in Hackensack since about 1970 but used to go to the Library on Main St. Its great to see the City going green as I'm a retired "greenie" so to speak. But remember ideally one should make the recipient building as energy efficient as possible in order to maximize the solar panel impacts. In the biz its said that putting solar on an inefficient building is like putting lipstick on a hog.

[Victor E Sasson]

I have had solar panels on my home since 2009, and got more in 2012. The first system cut my electric bills by about one-third, plus generated solar credits that I was able to sell to PSE&G for about $11,000. The second system was installed under a PSE&G loan program with only about $2,000 out-of-pocket costs, but the solar credits now belong to the utility, which will use them to pay back my loan. A solar certificate once was worth around $650, but the market has been glutted and they have been selling for about $125.

But I think it was the state that put a floor under the solar certificates, called SRECs, and for the purpose of paying back my loan they are worth a minimum of $400 each. Hackensack and other municipalities likely are having the systems installed for free with all of the solar certificates going to the installers. But the city is far behind Teaneck and other municipalities in installing solar, buying more efficient police cars and in other areas.

[Editor]

NJ's solar energy market shows continued strength
Thursday, September 26, 2013    Last updated: Thursday September 26, 2013, 8:19 PM
BY  JAMES M. O'NEILL
STAFF WRITER
The Record

New Jersey’s solar energy market showed continued strength through the second quarter this year, with 75 megawatts worth of capacity added – nearly identical to what was added in the first quarter.

The state’s second-quarter installations trailed only California and Arizona, according to data compiled for the Solar Energy Industries Association.

In addition, the price for solar credits looks to have finally stabilized after a steep decline over the past 12 months. Solar Renewable Energy Credits, or SRECs, are credits earned by residential and commercial owners of solar panels. The credits can be sold to energy companies that are required by the state to generate a certain amount of their electricity through solar.

The price of solar credits, which had been as high as $309 per megawatt hour last September, had dropped steadily over the past 12 months, to a low of $184.28 in June. Then, in July, the price ticked up slightly to $184.41.

In the past, energy providers such as PSE&G purchased credits from solar producers to meet their state quotas without building their own solar installations.

But then utilities started to produce more of their own solar generation, driving the price for solar credits down.

Last summer, Governor Christie signed a Democrat-backed bill designed to stabilize the solar credit market by requiring utility companies to increase the percentage of power derived from solar.

The credits are often seen as an incentive for homeowners and businesses to install solar systems, since they can recoup some of the cost by selling the credits.

HoJae Lee, owner of SuperGreen Solutions in Englewood, which sells and installs solar arrays, said that, while last year’s legislation “hasn’t had much effect thus far,” he hopes the credit prices have bottomed out. “Hopefully, now it will start to increase again.”

New Jersey remains one of the strongest states in solar energy installations. It ranked second in new solar capacity in 2011 and was third in 2012. Through the end of last year, New Jersey’s 956 megawatts only trailed California’s 2,559 and Arizona’s 1,106, according to data compiled by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. On a per capita basis, the state ranks fourth, behind Arizona, Hawaii and Nevada.

On Thursday, Environment New Jersey issued a report noting that New Jersey and 11 other leading solar states have been successful not because of geography, but because of policies put in place to help drive the solar industry.

But Doug O’Malley, Environment New Jersey’s director, said the state must continue to invest in solar power. “The legislature helped stabilize the market, but we don’t want to be content with our state’s solar capacity to plateau,” he said. “And we don’t want the market success to look like a bell curve.”

He reiterated an often-voiced criticism among environmentalists that Governor Christie has taken more than $850 million over the past several years earmarked for clean energy programs and instead used it to balance the state budget.

The administration has argued that the program never uses all the money in the fund, and the administration has merely taken the surplus. The money is raised through fees on electric and gas customers. Former Gov. Jon Corzine also took $10 million in clean energy funds to help balance the budget in each of his last two years in office.

Lyle Rawlings, president of Advanced Solar Products in Flemington, said the legislation passed last year to help stabilize the solar credit market will only postpone a weakening of the solar market in New Jersey unless the state takes action.

Rawlings said that New Jersey’s peak month of solar installation was January of 2012, when 85 megawatts were added. The lowest was last month, when only 8 megawatts were added.

Rawlings said that because of the long-term outlook of New Jersey’s solar market, he has reduced his New Jersey staff by 25 percent – eight positions – over the last year while increasing staff in states such as New York and Massachusetts, where he thinks state policies will help grow solar demand.

Email: oneillj@northjersey.com

Twitter: @JamesMONeill1
   
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