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| May 13, 2025 |
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May 29, 2008
Dear Editor,
My friend Bob Anderson and I have been working on a very exciting educational and business development project involving solar energy. It’s given us an opportunity to learn about two groups, The Solar Energy Consortium and the Hudson Valley Photovoltaic Alliance. You haven’t heard much about these two groups because they’ve been busy doing things, as opposed to talking about doing things.
In a nutshell, their collective mission is to turn Upstate New York State and the Hudson Valley in particular into the “silicon valley of solar research and development.” They have an exciting business model that makes enormous sense. Consequently, these groups have earned lots of federal, state, and local support to make this happen. They’re moving fast, and great things are ahead for our region and our state.
So what does this have to do with Cornwall? Frankly, we need to get on board this train- take advantage of this tremendous opportunity before it leaves us behind. In order to stabilize our property and school taxes, one of our primary needs are “ratable” commercial properties that contribute to the tax base without adding students to our schools. Both TSEC and HVPVA are actively seeking communities and sites upon which to locate research labs and clean, high-tech manufacturing facilities. Cornwall needs to “get in the game.”
Our leadership and our planning officials need to encourage local developers to forgo tracts of homes in favor of finding acceptable, green, low-impact commercial uses for the remaining vacant lands within our assessment unit. Contrary to the accusations being made of Cornwall taxpayers by our regional press, the issue is not so much additional students, it’s the lack of commercial “ratables” here coupled with an archaic property tax system which allows developers to profit tremendously on the backs of taxpayers.
I urge our Community’s leaders to explore these opportunities and to get on board before this train leaves the station. The time is now to “think globally and act locally”. If we don’t, we’ll surely squander a tremendous opportunity.
Sincerely,
John Wenz
Cornwall-on-Hudson
Comments:
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I'm intrigued...but what sort of pollutants does the manufacture of silicon-based solar cells (or other bases) produce?
posted by boothby171 on 05/30/08 at 5:10 PM
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huh?
posted by kate benson on 06/02/08 at 11:12 PM
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The location, pitch and enormous surface area of our new high school's roof makes it a perfect candidate for significant photovoltaic electical production. Not only that, it could be installed in such a way that it could also provide students with a chance to monitor the array's output, as compared with the school complex's electrical demand, and encourage them to find ways to reduce the school's load and maximize the power that would be sent to the grid, making money in the process. The only problem is that our state and federal government have been cutting back on incentives for PV installations, and have not yet (to my knowledge) allowed municipal buildings, such as schools, to net meter to the grid.I've spoken to Brendan Coyne about this (last year) and he seemed very interested. It would be great to see production facilities locate in our area. Thanks for getting this issue out there John.
Rick Gioia
posted by rgioia on 06/08/08 at 9:42 PM
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It is disgraceful that state and federal policy-bound inertia prevents the implementation and fruition of great green ideas.
posted by kate benson on 06/12/08 at 11:31 PM
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