Middletown Part of Statewide Solar Driving Tour

With so many ways to go solar today, it’s hard to know what makes the most sense for your family. That’s why Solarize Connecticut and the communities of Middletown, Portland, East Hampton, Deep River, Chester and Bristol are sponsoring a Solar Driving Tour on Saturday, December 3rd.

Start at any of the libraries in these communities from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm to pick up a Tour map that identifies neighbors with solar installations. The map also includes information about the systems, including their size, production, age, make and model. Some neighbors are also hosting open houses and would be happy to have you drop in and discuss details.

The Tour is part of the Solarize outreach and education efforts in each community to encourage area homeowners to install solar on their own homes. In less than two months, 117 Middletown residents have already signed up to have their home evaluated for solar through Solarize Middletown.

David Goldner, one of the Middletown solar installations featured on the tour reveals, "We have a 7.035 kW system that produces over 100% of our annual electricity needs, including our heating, cooling and hot water. I moved to Bartlett Hollow because they had geothermal heating and cooling as a standard feature. In addition to the money-saving features and value added to my home, I have been a proponent of green energy for at least the past 30 years and wanted “to put my money where my mouth is”, so to speak. I received a rebate check from Eversource last spring and expect one this coming spring, as well."

The Towns of Eastford and Willington will be doing a similar solar tour the same day from 10 am to 2 pm. All homes in their tour are hosting a solar open house, where you can not only look at the panels, but talk directly to the solar owners about their experience. Visit solarizect.com/Eastford for the addresses of solar installations available for visitation.

Take the morning to visit the solar installations in your community, or make a day of it and look at solar installations around the state. Who knows, maybe the tour will spark a journey that ends up with you driving a solar powered car down the road.