Town of Hempstead unveils solar field

Hempstead officials yesterday unveiled a large 60-kilowatt solar field at the town’s Conservation and Waterways administrative offices in Point Lookout, a project the town calls a “solar field of dreams.”

“Hempstead Town is preserving our beautiful seaside environment by employing cutting-edge solar energy technology,” Town Supervisor Kate Murray said in a statement. “What’s more, this ‘solar field of dreams’ affirms our commitment to utilizing renewable energy while helping the town lower its electrical costs.”

The solar field is larger in area than the infield at a major-league baseball stadium, town officials said. The 160-by-60 feet field includes 260 solar panels, each about 5-by-2.5 feet. The Conservation and Waterways administration building will draw upon the solar field for energy. The building already has a 10-kilowatt, roof-mounted photovoltaic energy system.

The town used federal stimulus funds to pay for the estimated $240,000 worth of equipment for the solar field, officials said. The town also used grant funding for a geothermal energy project that will address heating and cooling needs at the town facility.