Solar Paneling Initiative Announced for Seaman's Neck Park

Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray announced the details surrounding solar paneling projects at Newbridge Road Park in Bellmore, Seaman’s Neck Park in Seaford, the Merrick Senior Center and the Roosevelt Highway Yard.

“We’re adding so many new solar projects to the town’s renewable energy inventory, it’s getting difficult to calculate the extent of our positive impact on the environment,” Murray said. “Projects like those we unveil today are reducing out carbon footprint on the planet and are conserving natural resources.”

The new initiative includes a solar tracker system at Seaman’s Neck Park, which energizes offices and a garage, a photovoltaic system at the Merrick Senior Center that helps satisfy the facility’s energy needs, a solar panel system that serves as an energy-producing canopy at Newbridge Road Park and an array of photovoltaic panels at the Roosevelt Highway yard.

The grant funding for the Bellmore, Seaford and Merrick projects totals $208,000. These were all funded by grants provided by Sen. Charles Fuschillo, R-Merrick. An additional grant of $24,000 was attained as well for another solar energy parking field lighting project, which officials say will be undertaken in the near future. The Roosevelt project will be funded by a $250,000 grant from the Federal Department of Energy.

“Using solar energy benefits both the environment and residents,” Fuschillo said. “This technology allows the Town to use a clean, renewable energy source to generate power while lowering its utility costs and saving taxpayer dollars.”

Murray added that the annual savings to taxpayers totals $50,000.

The solar trackers at Seaman’s Neck Park include three units that pivot and follow the sun’s path to maximize energy efficiency. The canopy at Newbridge Road Park allows the sun to filter through, and the undersides of the panels absorbs reflected light in addition to the photovoltaic cells that face the sky.

The Merrick Center’s features conventional stationary mounted panels, furnishing 11 kilowatts of energy. Lastly, the Roosevelt Highway yard boasts a 52-kilowat solar panel system for the needs of the highway garage/shop.

“Hempstead Town is leading the way in providing clean and green energy,” Councilwoman Angie Cullin said.

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