By Steve Klamkin WPRO News

Groundbreaking ceremonies in North Smithfield Wednesday marked the start of construction for the state’s newest in a series of Community Net Metering pilot projects.

The small-scale solar installations enable homeowners, renters and others to subscribe to buy what proponents call less expensive power from alternative, renewable energy producers.

“It is going to power 1700 homes, and it’s not just powering homes,” said Laura Stern, co-CEO of New Jersey – based Nautilus Solar Energy, which is building the project. “It’s providing affordable electricity to customers who would not otherwise have access to that electricity.”

Two solar arrays generating 12.44 megawatts of power are being built in land off Pound Hill Road in North Smithfield, employing some 100 construction workers. It is adjacent to the Landfill and Resource Recovery, Inc. Superfund site, which operated as a small-scale landfill that accepted toxic wastes from 1927 to 1974, according to the EPA.

“Local customers can subscribe to the project, receive savings on their electric bill and receive energy from a clean, renewable energy source,” said Michelle Carpenter, Managing Director of TurningPoint Energy of Colorado, which describes itself as a clean energy development, advisory and investment company.

Governor Gina Raimondo was asked about a two-year delay in launching the project.

“We had to get federal permits, state permits, negotiate with the land owner. These projects aren’t easy, there’s a lot of different steps,” Raimondo said.

“But the good news is, we took property, which was once a brownfield and we turned it into a clean energy – producing, job-creating project, which is a win – win for everybody,” Raimondo said.