Stafford Hill is an exciting new project designed to improve resiliency and safety in communities by generating solar energy that can be stored and used to power an emergency shelter at Rutland High School in the event of weather-related power outages. According to the  U.S.Department of Energy, the Stafford Hill Solar Farm is the first project to establish a micro-grid powered solely by solar and battery storage, with no fossil fuels. The project also utilizes land atop a closed landfill, which was otherwise unsuitable for development. 

The project, engineered and built by groSolar, which has offices in White River Junction and Rutland, Vermont, consists of 7,700 solar panels capable of generating more than two and a half megawatts (MW) of electricity. The system includes four MW of battery storage, including emergency power for the nearby emergency shelter. The project was awarded a 2015 Project of Distinction Award by PV America.

“We’re thrilled to have this project recognized for its national significance and are confident it will lead to similar applications elsewhere. Partnering with Green Mountain Power to develop and build this innovative system is a huge feather in our cap and we are grateful for the recognition from the folks at SEIA and SEPA,” said groSolar CEO Jamie Resor. “Completing this project and receiving this award wouldn’t have been possible without everyone who was involved in this partnership. It’s exciting to see the PV industry grow and mature in Vermont and elsewhere.”

“It was great to work with a Vermont company like groSolar to design and build this innovative project. They did top quality work designing a system that turned a former landfill into a clean energy power center,” said Josh Castonguay, Director of Generation and Innovation for Green Mountain Power.