Arlington Energy Committee
Regular Meeting
Public Meeting, Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Meeting called to order at 6:17pm.
Present: Stephanie Moffett-Hynds, Grace Katrick, Mary Anne Holmes – secretary
Guest: Jim Hand
Online: Mardi Crane, Mary Ann Carlson (alt)
Not present: Alex Ernst, Bill LaBerge, Joni Nash
1. Additions or Deletions from the agenda:
Stephanie: Energy Committee Convergence – Sept 15, at Sunderland Town Hall
Tues; Energy Committees in Bennington County to meet with Callie Fishburn of BCRC at Sunderland Town Hall at 5:30pm. VECAN will also be in attendance.
Mardi: Select Board meeting last Monday, Aug 3.
2. Approval of Minutes from previous meeting of July 15, 2026
Motion to approve: Grace; Mardi seconded; Motion passes unanimously.
3. New Business
Guest presenter: Jim Hand on plug-in solar (aka “balcony solar”)
Jim demonstrated how easy it is to set up a plug-in solar unit with three components:
Component 1: the typical solar panel, “the module.”
Component 2: a microinverter.
Component 3: 3-prong outdoor outlet.
Jim reported that a solar panel produces 365 watts under ideal conditions. There are 2 wires on the back w/2 plugs, male and female.
The microinverter (this one made by APsystems, Model EZ1-LV; can order online) has receptors for the male & female plugs coming from the solar panel (component 1). It is 99% impossible to set up incorrectly.
This microinverter can take two panels as it has 4 receiver plugs.
Look for Balcony Solar Inverters online. The model Jim shows cost $269 incl freight. Could be $300+freight. Made in Asia, US company imports.
The microinverter has a power cord that takes the DC electricity created in the panel and converts it to AC. It has a standard 3-prong plug which plugs into your outlet (Component 3). Most homes have an outlet outside w/Ground Fault Interrupt.
There is an app for the microinverter that shows daily, hourly, monthly energy generation. If you change aspect of panel (what angle it sits at relative to the sun) you can see the change in solar input on the app; thus you can maximize solar generation for your space and time of year.
On the Green Mountain Power website, customers can create an acct. Put in last 4 digits of your phone # to create an “information spot”. You can then see monthly, daily, or hourly consumption #s. Compare summer vs winter; find high-consumption times to minimize.
Try different aspects: instead of 2 panels facing south, put one facing east, one facing west. You’ll be reducing your consumption from the grid, so your rate and fees will be reduced because your consumption is reduced.
Back-of-the-envelope ROI? Jim can supply 2 panels; they cost ~$400 online now. Produces 2-4 kw/day; Jim gets 4.5 kw/day at his house; so that’s $1/day; Winter, $0.50. Do the math: 2 years out for ROI.
You can go up to 1200 watts.
Main Safety Concern: What else is on the wire coming from the main panel that you plug into? Is there a dedicated circuit for the panel? Only one-directional ground fault; breaker might not respond to shut circuit off, thus a concern for over-doing capacity of wires. You need to check on what wires are in the wall. UL 3700
Renter’s landlord should give permission.
We’ll not be discussing batteries. You can put excess electricity generated into a battery and use that charge at night.
This setup doesn’t go through the Solar Meters, so there will be no purchase of excess power from GMP. Solar meter can be added by GMP.
Non-Amazon vendors do exist.
Freight is expensive; they weigh 100s of pounds.
4. Old Business.
- TENS exploration update & research request on town wastewater plans
Steph sent the committee an email after 2nd mtg w/Debbie New, July 16; Marcus Jones was also present. Where should this be in the Town Plan? Wording must be unique to Arlington. See New’s interview w/Andrew McKeever on GNAT-TV — an excellent explanation of thermal energy networks.
Steph will ask if Debbie can make a presentation at one of our meetings. The AEC needs to get an update on Arlington’s waste water upgrade plans. Something to consider: if a TENs make sense for Arlington, the pipes could go into the same ditches that will need to be dug for the sewer lines. This would be the opportune moment and save the town a lot of money. Farmers Market AEC booth report (final date August 21)
b. Farmers Market report: Mardi et al collected about $30 for sprout kit; most people needed just band+screen; other cost is seeds. Grace has made wonderful instruction sheets and an informative poster. Bryan Dalton has been staffing the AEC table to talk with folks about WindowDressers.
c. Select Board attendance schedule update
Aug 3 Mardi; Aug 17 Grace; Aug 31 Steph
d. Update on WindowDressers
193 windows have already been measured. The goal is 250.
Local organizations have asked for lots of inserts and want help. We haven’t the funds to support. MAC Molding is kindly donating $500 again.
DATES: Oct 23-28 Build will be in Manchester. (Oct. 22 is the load-in and set-up date.) Our role is to help w/build; bring food;.
- New Business
Arlington Town Plan Update
We want Arlington to Thrive; Steph attended Planning Commission meeting for MAH; Alex Ernst also there. AEC wants to help with this chapter. Technically, there’s a lot of data that we do not have. Does BCRC collect and disseminate?
Looking at the current plan (from 2020), there are many projections that Arlington does not seem close to achieving. Still, other targets are being met. Much of the outlook might have been predicated on the expectation that incentives would continue. It will be important for every AEC member to become very familiar with the Energy chapter both in the old document and the new draft. On p.95, there is scant mention of disseminating renewables; on p.100, geothermal is encouraged.
The BCRC/Arlington Planning Commission Survey will be launched soon. Norman’s Attic is Saturday, Sept. 19 at which the survey will be available. We can offer to help the planning commission with outreach – FB pages, FPF, etc.
6. Other
Mardi attended SB mtg. Mardi attended as an individual to talk about Air Quality.
MAC: who would be a good person to come and talk to us. Sebastian. Jamie. Glenn, Katie.
Must call Fire Chief for burn violations. We could join a federal air quality monitoring program; Arlington will show up on national air.gov website…Rutland, Bennington have them; Burlington, White River Junction have multiple monitors.
Steph: What happened to Energy Coordinator position? Despite the AEC making an effort to attend every select board meeting to improve communication, AEC members perceive hostility towards the committee. Steph to seek guidance from Dan Harvey. We are all on the same team, so this should not be happening.
Next meeting: September 2, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Move to adjourn, Mardi; 2nd Grace. 8pm