Woodstock Hopes To Make Power From Sunshine

An Ulster County town is looking to outfit its municipal facilities with solar power - there are questions, conerns... and a catch to making it work. Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.

Facing an approaching deadline, the Woodstock Town Board decided in favor of designating a Kingston-based vendor to seek state-funding through NYSERDA to construct a photovoltaic power array that would transmit electricity to town-owned properties. 

The town board selected as "preferred vendor" Solartech of Kingston, would own the solar generation station, selling power to the town under a special agreement for 20 years, after which Woodstock would take possession of the solar facility at fair market value.

Proponents of Solar Power believe if town government is able to follow through and power its properties with sunshine by the year 2015, it won't be long before the entire town is in the position to "go solar."