LANCASTER, NH — The Town of Lancaster, New Hampshire, has become the first in the region to operate its municipal transfer station entirely off-grid, powered by solar energy and electric equipment. This milestone was achieved through the leadership of Transfer Station Manager Rusty Scott and Assistant Manager Rob Blanchette, with support from Chadwick-BaRoss and Volvo Construction Equipment.
Several years ago, Lancaster secured a federal grant to install solar panels, and today that system generates enough energy to power the facility’s balers, compactors, and heavy equipment. The transition has significantly reduced electricity costs, diesel fuel usage, and emissions.
“Our municipal transfer station had an ambitious sustainability goal to be 100 percent carbon net-zero, and Chadwick-BaRoss helped us get there with [the] Volvo L20 Electric Compact Wheel Loader," Scott said. "Together, we were able to meet with the product engineers at Volvo to get our questions answered, operate a machine in our facility, and prepare for a town meeting that was critical to having our request approved by the municipality.”
“The electric loader charges every three days from our solar system,” he added. “It runs quietly, requires little maintenance, and saves the town about $3,500 annually in fuel costs. More importantly, it makes our site safer and more efficient.”
Recognizing that upfront costs can be a barrier for small municipalities, Chadwick-BaRoss Territory Manager and New Hampshire State Representative Mike Ouellet worked closely with the town to help secure federal and state grants that covered 45 percent of the loader’s cost.
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“Many municipalities aren’t aware of the available grants or find the paperwork challenging,” Ouellet said. “Working closely with Lancaster, we were able to help them navigate the system, coordinate with government departments, and secure the funding that made this purchase possible. ... At Chadwick-BaRoss, our goal is to give communities the tools and support they need to be unstoppable. Lancaster is a great example of how the right partnerships can make ambitious projects a reality.”
“What makes Lancaster’s achievement so powerful is the teamwork," said Lars Arnold, North American Product Manager for Electromobility at Volvo Construction Equipment. "Chadwick-BaRoss guided the process locally, the town embraced the vision, and together we’ve shown how renewable energy and electric equipment can transform municipal operations.”
Around the same time that the project was completed, Chadwick-BaRoss opened a new facility 2 miles from the transfer station, ensuring ongoing support for the town’s electric fleet.
