Brockton High School Solar Project Dedicated; Kicks off Brockton Solar Champions Partnership.

BROCKTON, Mass. -- The City of Brockton today unveiled its newest power plant: a 2.4 kilowatt (kW) solar power project on the roof of Brockton High School. Brockton Mayor John T. Yunits was joined by representatives from the Brockton School Department, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC), the U.S. Department of Energy, Evergreen Solar, Inc., and Conservation Services Group (CSG), as well as other city dignitaries, in ceremonies unveiling the system.

The high school project is part of a larger effort, the "Brockton Solar Champions Partnership", which is funded by a US Department of Energy "Million Solar Roofs" grant. This Partnership seeks to put Brockton in the forefront in deploying solar energy through the development of a 1 Megawatt (MW) solar Brightfield, and the installation of 100 kW of rooftop solar citywide, including the high school.

"This project is just the first in a series that will make Brockton a regional leader in the use of clean, renewable energy," said Mayor Yunits. "By using solar on roofs all over the city and turning an empty, blighted piece of property into a 'solar energy park,' the Solar Champions project will place Brockton among a select few cities in the U.S. to really focus on providing green power solutions."

The high school's Science Department will use the installation as a "living laboratory" to teach students about solar power, and will integrate a renewable energy curriculum being developed into classroom instruction. The site will also be featured on an MTC web site.

The Brockton High School installation features 24 Evergreen Solar panels which will generate about 3000 kWh per year of electricity or enough to power the science lab classroom. Installation services and a data acquisition system with weather station were provided by CSG Services, Inc.

The Brightfield project, in comparison, will include thousands of solar panels that will span the 27-acre site, which is being described as a "solar energy park." Construction is expected to begin next spring. When completed, it will add 1000 kilowatts of installed capacity of clean energy into the local electricity grid, and will generate about nearly 1,200,000 kWh per year of electricity, enough to power about 120 homes. It is expected to be New England's largest solar array.

MTC's Board of Directors authorized $1.04 million in grant funding from the Renewable Energy Trust to help purchase and install this state-of-the-art solar system augmenting significant local investment by the city of Brockton. Partial funding for the high school project was provided by MTC through MIT's Community Solar Power Initiative. The MIT initiative will be used as pilots for demonstration, research, and educational purposes.

"Expanding the use of solar power will increase our energy independence, help create more jobs, and lead to a cleaner environment," said Renewable Energy Trust Director Rob Pratt. "And, importantly, we will be educating the next generation in the use and benefits of renewable energy."

Terry Bailey, Evergreen Solar's Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales, said, "Evergreen Solar is thrilled to be able to take part in this first step in building the renewable energy future in Brockton. It's wonderful that a community in our own home state has made such a strong commitment to solar energy, and we're more than pleased to help in what can become a national model."

Steve Cowell, Chairman and CEO of CSG Services, Inc., commented, "Brockton's pioneering effort will demonstrate to other communities how they, too, can take steps to reduce the emission of harmful greenhouse gases and help solve this country's energy problems. CSG is proud to be the city's partner in this project and in advancing energy independence."

The Brockton Solar Partnership's ambitious program will use funding from the MTC, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmmental Protection Agency, as well as other resources tapped by public and private partners, including the Brockton 21st Century Corporation, a non-profit economic development agency. Plans include the use of aggregation, bulk purchasing, and creative financing to reduce capital costs of solar to enable businesses, local agencies, and families to purchase systems for their homes.

About MTC

MTC is the state's economic development agency for renewable energy and the innovation economy. The agency administers the Renewable Energy Trust, which is helping to create jobs for the Commonwealth by stimulating increased supply and demand for green power. The Trust was created in 1998 through the landmark electric restructuring law to generate environmental and economic benefits for Massachusetts. For more information, please visit the agency's website www.masstech.org.

About Evergreen Solar, Inc.

Evergreen Solar, Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets solar power products utilizing the Company's patented low-cost manufacturing technologies. The products provide reliable and environmentally clean electric power in global markets. Solar power applications include wireless power for remote homes, water pumping, lighting, and rural electrification, as well as complete power systems for electric utility customers choosing to generate their own environmentally benign power. For more information visit www.evergreensolar.com.

About Conservation Services Group, Inc.

Conservation Services Group (CSG) specializes in the design, development and delivery of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. CSG and its divisions work with clients nationwide who are seeking to promote energy efficiency, health and safety, building durability, comfort, and environmental responsibility in residential and commercial buildings. Headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts, CSG also has regional offices in California, Florida, Illinois, New York and Wisconsin. For more information visit www.csgrp.com.