Wellfleet Historical Society & Museum

Awarded Solar Grant from Tern Foundation

The WHS&M Goes Solar

Wellfleet, MA - The Wellfleet Historical Society & Museum (WHS&M) has taken a large step forward toward its goal of becoming a model in the community for green building design and energy efficiency. Through the installation of 34 Solaria panels on the southwest facing roofs, the WHS&M has moved closer to operating the property at net zero. The project was made possible by a $37,500 TernSOLAR challenge grant from the Tern Foundation. Contributions made by individual doners and a grant from the Wellfleet Oyster Alliance allowed us to meet the challenge. The panels, now operational, will capture and convert solar energy to help expand the amount of available renewable energy in our community. WHS&M partnered with My Generation Energy of Hyannis for the purchase and installation of the panels.

Matching funds raised for the TernSOLAR challenge were applied to other energy efficient components including replacing propane-generated heat and window air-conditioning units with mini-split HVAC heating and cooling systems, LED lighting, and the addition of high-efficient insulation throughout the structure. The challenge grant provided WHS&M the opportunity to elevate public awareness of its mission, while promoting eco-conscious sustainability initiatives, contributing to the community’s transition to renewable clean energy.

TernSOLAR funding, along with the newly implemented federal Inflation Reduction Act’s 'Direct Pay' 30% reimbursement provision offered to nonprofits, allowed WHS&M to purchase the solar system outright. As direct owner, WHS&M is able to reinvest combined electric savings and Massachusetts’ SMART program cash benefits into mission driven programs for many years to come. In addition to the financial benefits, solar energy is an investment in the environment that doesn’t emit greenhouse gases and helps to mitigate climate change.

ABOUT WELLFLEET HISTORICAL SOCIETY & MUSEUM

Wellfleet Historical Society & Museum: WHS&M, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, preserves, exhibits, and celebrates objects of material culture and historic record of Wellfleet. We provide a library and archives to facilitate research, education, and outreach to the community. WHS&M’s collection includes more than 3,000 objects including maps, documents, and records. We hold over 3,000 photographs, most of which have been digitized and available on our website: http://www.wellfleethistoricalsociety.org/. Of particular interest are maritime artifacts and records from Wellfleet’s important history as a seafaring community. Our collection of Native American artifacts goes back 10,000 years, and our collaboration with archaeologists and Native historians continues to enrich the public's education about Wellfleet’s Wampanoag past.

Tern Foundation: The Tern Foundation is on a mission to expand solar energy in Massachusetts for environmental sustainability and the transition to clean, 100% renewable energy communities. The TernSOLAR challenge grant program is designed to expand renewable energy use in local communities, making solar technology more accessible to nonprofit organizations, and helping them generate their own clean energy while reducing utility expenses that can be better spent on their mission. Grants are offered to dynamic nonprofits that engage creatively with their communities, and that also consider future generations and the natural environment in their strategic priorities and sustainability planning. Since 2010, Tern Foundation has funded 25 solar projects and associated environmental education initiatives.