Manchester Auto Dealership, Ellington Solar Company, Announce Completion of Major Project

MANCHESTER, CT — The Connecticut Green Bank and Manchester-based Lynch Toyota Tuesday announced the completion of a solar carport installation at the dealership.

The dealership is located at 179 Tolland Turnpike in Manchester near the Vernon line.

The project was financed through C-PACE and the 298.1 kW solar carport was installed by Earthlight Technologies in Ellington. It is projected to save more than $968,000 over its lifetime, officials said.

Lynch Toyota is a family owned and operated car dealership founded in 1970 by Michael B. Lynch Sr. The dealership offers a wide selection of new and used cars, trucks, and SUVs, along with an auto body shop and a full-service department. Since 2003, Lynch Toyota has received Toyota’s President’s Award every year, recognizing excellence in customer satisfaction and operational performance.

"For us, covering our lot with solar panels makes both financial and practical sense. We are saving money, and it helps keep our vehicles protected from the elements," \General Manager Conor Lynch said.

Solar projects financed through Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy. or C‑PACE, are designed to achieve a positive savings-to-investment ratio, meaning energy savings are expected to exceed project costs over time, helping commercial property owners reduce operating expenses while investing in clean energy upgrades.

The Connecticut Green Bank was established by the Connecticut General Assembly in 2011 as the nation’s first state-level green bank and has since supported the creation of nearly 30,000 green jobs in the state, while reducing the energy cost burden on more than \71,000 families, businesses and nonprofits.

The Green Bank’s vision is a planet protected by the love of humanity and its mission is to confront climate change by increasing and accelerating investment into Connecticut’s green economy to create more resilient, healthier and equitable communities, accomplished by leveraging limited public resources to scale-up and mobilize private capital investment into Connecticut.