An outdoor living-history museum depicting a rural New England town from the 1830s is now powered by a 1.8-MW solar ground mount, owned and operated by Green Street Power Partners.

Green Street purchased this completed project from Solect Energy of Hopkinton, Massachusetts. The solar system will provide power at a discounted rate for 25 years to Old Sturbridge Village (OSV), which welcomes more than 250,000 visitors annually. Green Street is proud to support this extraordinary museum preserving 40 original historic buildings on 200 acres, while also providing savings to OSV’s new charter public school—Old Sturbridge Academy.

“Energy is one of the top budget items for Old Sturbridge Village,” said Scott Howe, partner and senior vice president at Solect. “Our objective was to use solar energy to reduce their yearly energy costs, but also, to provide predictable future energy costs that can be used in yearly budgeting, and hedge against rising energy costs. OSV is an integral part of the local economy in Sturbridge, and this solar energy system will help them remain that way for many years to come.”

OSV is excitedly awaiting the upcoming commission date.

“Old Sturbridge Village plays a critical role in the Northeast by keeping the rich history of our region alive,” commented Jim Donahue, president and CEO of OSV. “That’s why joining the renewable energy movement is so important to us. We’re reducing our electricity expenses, and in turn putting those savings back into the museum to make sure we’re able to continue providing a robust and affordable educational experience to all of our visitors.”

Green Street continues the rapid expansion of its project diversity “OSV is such a distinct venture,” stated Scott Kerner, CEO and co-founder of Green Street. “How often do you get the opportunity to simultaneously power one of the most prestigious history museums and a school?” he added.

Green Street is placing a strong focus on powering schools with the addition of Old Sturbridge Academy alongside its solar projects at Attleboro School District, The League School, and Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School.