Company installs 1,500 solar panels on West Brookfield rooftop

WEST BROOKFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - History was made in the Worcester County town of West Brookfield Tuesday morning, as c lean energy firm Soltas Energy opened their first solar facility in Massachusetts.

The New York-based company installed 1,500 solar panels on the roof of Concrete Block Insulating Systems (CBIS) on Freight House Road.

According to CBIS’ president, having the solar panels will save them 22% on their energy bills every year.

Soltas is not stopping at Tuesday’s installation. They are currently working on solar facilities across the state, including in Athol and Orange, where the town is expected to sell power from the facility back to residents.

Soltas gets federal and state tax credits for developing solar energy. Here in Massachusetts, Soltas CEO Andrew Wordon says he finds the business climate very welcoming.

“Massachusetts is very progressive, in fact one of the most progressive states in the United States. We love the attitude of the government here; very pro-solar,” Wordon said.

The solar energy powering this company in West Brookfield has residents like Cynthia Dorden excited about getting in on a good thing themselves.

“My husband and I were just talking about it this weekend, and he was saying that the panels are coming down in price, so he would love to go that way,” Dorden said.

We are told that the Orange solar energy plant is expected to up and running within the next few months.