Brattleboro Savings Loan Throws Switch on New Solar Array

Energy Source makes BS&L the first completely solar-powered bank in Vermont

For Immediate Release

Contact: Jaclyn Stevenson, jaclyn@winstanley.com; 413. 881. 4126                                                               

BRATTLEBORO, Vt. – Situated next to a classic red-clapboard barn on land farmed since the early 1800s, a new piece of Vermont history is taking shape: an award-winning community solar array poised to provide energy to both Brattleboro businesses and residents. 

Contributing companies Soveren Solar, the Vermont Agricultural Business Education Center (VABEC), and Brattleboro Savings & Lo an will ‘throw the switch’ on a 150kW, 64-rack array on Wednesday, June 23 at 5 p.m., which represents one of five Vermont Community Solar projects in the state. Gov. Peter Shumlin is scheduled to speak.

Community Solar projects are built on one- to four-acres of open and unobstructed land in the Green Mountain Power electric utility’s territory for use by individuals and businesses that purchase solar panels to offset electric bills. Through its involvement, BS&L is poised to take particular advantage of the new solar farm, based at VABEC Fields on Old Guildford Road.

The array will make BS&L the first completely solar-powered bank in Vermont through net metering, affecting both its main branch on Main Street and its ‘North End’ branch on Putney Road.

“Going solar made perfect sense to us,” said Dan Yates, president of BS&L. “Just because we are a business doesn’t mean that we don’t care about environmental issues. This is our way of helping to reinforce Vermont’s commitment to a healthy environment and our commitment to sustainability, Yates said, adding that the array will reduce CO₂ emissions by an estimated 115 tons per year.”

Yates added that the project has received national recognition already. In April, the Solar Energy Industries Association(SEIA)and Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) presented the Photovoltaic Project of Distinction Award to the project and its contributing companies.

According to SEPA, the Vermont Community Solar project was recognized in particular for its dedication to local labor and financing, and all entries are judged on a number of criteria including design, community benefits, and the ability to replicate the model elsewhere.

About Brattleboro Savings & Loan BSL was founded in 1912, and today serves the greater Brattleboro area as its only community bank. Community-owned, BSL specializes in personal banking, mortgage lending, commercial lending, and commercial banking; brattbank.com • Equal Housing Lender • Member FDIC