To the Editor:

Newtown’s Sustainable Energy Commission salutes The Newtown Bee and its readers! Just prior to Earth Day last month, this newspaper announced on the Town’s behalf a new “PowerSmart” solar+storage campaign inviting Newtown homeowners to make better use of solar power.

The official launch of our PowerSmart program is scheduled for this coming Tuesday evening, May 9, at 6:30 pm at the Municipal Center. But already we have received a dozen homeowners’ requests for info about the various financial incentives that reduce the cost of pairing solar panels with a clean energy battery back-up system.

(Details can be accessed by emailing powersmart@smartpower.org.)

The fact that our local newspaper staff considers emerging clean energy technologies to be front page news should not be taken for granted, and I’m very appreciative of the way that The Newtown Bee supports community projects and sustainability in general.

Our PowerSmart program will be explained in more detail at Tuesday’s Solarize+Storage info session; it is a hybrid event that residents can attend in person or via vimeo.com/event/729428

The Commission thanks the folks who have already expressed interest in how the PowerSmart “greening the grid” program can help save the planet and also earn money for program participants. And we thank The Newtown Bee for its important role in town life.

Kathy Quinn, Chair

Newtown Sustainable Energy Commission