In the not-so-distant future, Pittsfield Township Hall may be entirely powered by solar energy, with a center that also serves as a community gathering place and educational opportunity. In this week's installment of 'Issues of the Environment', David Fair talks with Pittsfield Township Supervisor Mandy Grewal.
Overview
* Pittsfield Township is planning to install a massivesolar-powered canopy that will be the first of its kind in Michigan, and it will also provide shelter for the popular farmer's market and offer additional covered parking.
* The 540-panel, 150 kW system the Township is considering comes with a $635,000 price tag, but it would offset the township hall's energy usage by 70 percent and pay itself off in around 12 years.
* Mandy Grewal serves as the Pittsfield Township Supervisor. The township tends to be ahead of the curve environmentally and already offers a rain garden program, million-dollar Greenway for non-motorized vehicles, new parks, an ordinance to protect CSA's and another to prevent fertilizer runoff into waterways, single-stream recycling, and plans for increased density rather than sprawl.
